Ancient temple: Realm: Unknown

????- Master, the Kamidogu have been scattered once more after the last tournament. An incident with the defeat of the Dragon King has lead to the Kamidogu being scattered through several realms apart from Outworld.

????-(..........................................................................................)

????- Very well. Do you have a specific target in mind in mind for the tournament?

????-(.............)

????- How kind of you. Yes, I realize that revealing myself to the mortals was unorthadox, but we got what we wanted. Vandon was crowned champion, and is now a candidate for your influence. Even that simple fool Onaga did not suspect that his will was influenced by your power. Soon, the Kamidogu will be relocated and you will enter this realm.

????-( ........................)

????- Rest assured, I will continue my servituded to you. As for Hatsuma.....He's still traversing the bowels of Hell.

????-(..............................................................)

????-As you wish.

The figure dissapears into the darkness and the temple collapses. Removing an evidence it stood.

Earthrealm- Dark Forest: Temple Outpost
Saika, and her close friend Koga are sparring in the moonlight courtyard.

Koga- Saika, it has been over four years since you set out on your assassination attempt for Hatsuma. Do you really believe you can kill him?

Saika doesn't answer and launches a fierce roundhouse at Koga's head. Koga blocks with one arm and comes around with a sweep, knocking Saika off balance.

Koga- Don't act like this. I'm not buying your whole silent/emotionless attitude. You've had feelings for him ever since you two were little kids.

Saika- The code of the ninja is incredibly harsh. We don't deviate from it because we know the outcome is death. Hatsuma knew this and broke the code when he failed in his mission. I won't pay for his mistake. I will find him.

Saika shoots into the air and launches a shower of shurikens at Koga. Koga holds his ground and at the last moment he quickly extends his hand and with a swfit spin, catches all of them. On the turn around he launches them back at Saika. She's caught off gaurd, and is hit by several of the deadly blades. Her kimono, thighs, ,and left cheeck are cut as she falls to the ground. Saika regains her balance at the last moment and as her feet touch the ground, she leaps forward and attacks Koga. She doesn't realize that she telegraphs her moves and Koga easily side steps, delivering a swift elbow to the back of Saika's neck, causing her to tumble to the ground.

Koga- You're telegraphing. That's not like Saika, keep your head cleansed, and your mind focused.

Koga approaches Saika and helps her up.

Saika- Thanks. To tell you the truth, I don't know what will happen when I find Hatsuma. I don't want to kill him, but I hav to fallow the code.

Koga- It's difficult for me as well. Hatsuma is a close friend and this pains me to see that your clan has sent its top ninja to take him out. I might be part of the Arishikage, but we're still part of this faction.

Saika sheds a tear, because of the descision she has to make in the future.

Koga- Let's take your mind off that for now.

Koga dusts off Saika and gives her some confidence.

Koga- C'mon, lets continue.

However, before the two ninjas can start their sparring match, an alarm goes off and all of the ninjas are sent to the briefing chamber.

Sifu- We've recevied news that a strange type of demon was sighted in the Dark Forest.

Koga- Are they oni?

Sifu- No. The corpse that one of our elite dragged in wasn't familiar. It had enormous teeth, and what looked to be swords puncutring through the monster's arms. Koga, I'm sending you and Saika on a scouting mission into the Dark Forest. Proceed with caution, we know little of this new enemy.

Saika&Koga- Yes sifu.

The two depart immdieatly for the Dark Forset.

Koga- Never gets boring around here does it?

Saika responds with a smile as they head off. However, they are being stalked all the while. Some of the demons made their way to the edge of the forest and are hiding them selves in the trees. One of the demons decides to drop down and sneak up behind his prey.

Koga- I just want you to know that I'm.......

Without missing a beat Koga quickly turns around and shoots a shuriken into the demon's throat, stapling him to a nearby tree. The demon lets out a terrorizing shriek with its diying breath.

Koga- Ambush!!!!!

Saika- Koga, watch out!!!!

Before Koga can react one of the demons jumps down from behind a tree and impales Koga through his stomach.
Koga instantly coughs up blood.

Saika- KOGA!!!!!

Koga manages to focus and turn on the blade, making his woud much worse. He faces the demon, blood gushing from his clenched teeth. His eyes shift to that a wolfs as his face fills with rage. With one strike, Koga tears off the arm the demon impaled him with at the shoulder. Koga extracts the blade and with a swift motion, cuts the demon diagonally in half. Koga falls to his knees and clenches his wound. As Saika rushes towards him, another demon steps from behind the trees.

demon- I see your will is strong. (snarl) But it alone will not save you. My warriors, ATTACK!!!!

Saika- What are you?

demon- I am Barraka, a tarkatan.(snarls) But you won't live long enough to care. (Let's out a fearsome roar)

Ten more tarkatan warriors jump down from the trees and surround the two ninja's. Koga, although bleeding badly manages to stand up. He and Saika go back to back, and center themselves in the tarkatan ambush.

Koga- When I give the word, we attack together, ready?

Saika-Yes.

Koga- Alright, three.....two......ONE!

Both ninja's shoot out a razor wire from their gauntlets, decapitating two of the eight warriors. The others close in and attack without hesitation, Koga extracts his dual blade sword, along with his wrist blade, and Saika takes out her kudachi. They seperate and and attack the nearest tarkatan warriors. Their ninja speed makes them a nearly impossible target for the warriors as they slice through the masses. By this time Baraka know it's time to leave, and uses a strange round object to open a portal to Outworld, he jumps inside and dissapears.

Koga- Saika, go after him.

Saika- You must be out of your mind!

Koga- Do it. I'm right behind you.

With out a second thought Saika goes after Baraka Koga follows shortly after. As he gets within five feet, two more tarkatans ambush him and dig their blades into his shoulders. Saika stops in her tracks and looks back.
The tarkatan's break, and Koga falls to the ground. As he tries to get up, another tarkatan jumps behind him and impales him through his leg.

Saika- Koga!!!!

Koga- Forget about me and go. There's a reason he lured us out here.

Another tarkatn is about to impale Koga through his chest but Koga deflects it with his sword and impales the tarkatan through the top of his skull with his arm blade. He rolls to his feet, putting the tarkatans in his line of sight.

Koga- Get going!

With that Saika jumps through the portal, the last thing she sees are the tarkatans attacking her friend as the portal closes. A scream is heard, but Saika has no idea who's it was....

even though my character is no longer int the tourny, can i still participate in the story thread, and put my character 2?

As I said in the main thread, feel free to do the fight scenes if you wish. The authors themselves have the first right, but I am quite sure most of them will not participate in that. If you want to work in a character of your own... that is fine I suppose.

The smell of burned flesh stained the forest. The clearing was completely devastated. One of the trees hasw been carved so badly, that it became unbalanced and fell almost right on the combatants, but thanks to fate, it only separated the clearings remnants into two differet sections.

The first one was calm, the sweet emptiness of death shrouded it from the eyes of the denizens of the forest. Not that if anyone dare for caring for the raging battle. Dead bodies burned to ashes were littering the forest floor, and the blood spilled was boiling on the charred grass.

The second part was more lively. First of all, the tarkatans were circling around the anonymous warrior who kept them at bay. They were in frenzy, for they could not get close enough to the fighter, each opportunity wani-shed, when the ironclad moved out of the way, or relocated his stance, only for the tarkata blades to slide off from the enormously strong pauld-rons. The bloodbath was imminent.

As the first one of the remaining six jumped the prey, Templar took a parrying stance quickly. The roariing tarkatan only hit his chestplate, sliding off from his armor, his clutches earching for any weak point behind his plating. The blades were pulled back-this suspected that the tarkatan had the idea of continuing the combat on the ground, in somekind of wrestling competition decorated with deadly, sharp boneblades.

He was -as always- in error. No mere tarkatan could take on the servant of Shao Kahns seat. Not here, not now, not ever!

The grasp tightened when the left gauntlet delivered a mighty punch into the stomach of the tarkatan. Calculating that his right hands grasp should break the vermins spine instantly, he used his free hand to grapple and throw away the now lifeless carcass of the nomad backward.

Tarkatan raid leader-Kill himmm! -while swallowing his own blood from the broken nose- Baraka would not be pleased to hear about thiss!

The atacks stopped when the sixth and the youngest of the raiders flew lifelessly across the woods. They all examined their doom. The polished black-gold chain mail, the decorations and the onyx platings. The oponents lower face was covered within the chain mails scarf. Only the sound of their own and the interlopers heavy breathing was alive.

Tarkatan raid leader-Maggot! I shall feast upon your skull for interrupting our fun! You will be boiling in our oil tubs before you die!

Templar glared with his bloody, burning eyes upon the leader. he was tired, but no tired enough for obliberating theese murderers. At least the girl ma-de it out alive through the Rift Opening. It must have been the conduits late effect. the very interplanar conduit that brought him here accidentally.

The tarkatan roars woke him from his thoughts. He just had the time to dodge the incoming blade slice, and roll out of harms way. Every one of the tarkatans was charging at him. This was simply his luck.

The first bash, dislocated the shoulder of the nearest enemy, and while his other hand was grappling at the forearm, it broke into pieces when the twist was made. The first tarkatan slammed quickly to the ground grasping at his broken shoulder.
The second was invited with a fake opening of his defenses, but was suprised for the last time. Templars backflip convinced his jaws that they should do better if they would erside within the poor tarkatans brain. The kick simply jammed the teeth into the skulls lower walls.
The third -when he slowed seeing his comrades demise-shocked at such mobility within the armor-was greeted with a forward bash of the left knee. The stomach wall however wasn't prepared for the spike that resided on the kneeplates butterfly part, and easily opened up an ugly wound. The vermiin was lying on the forest floor, with a bleeding hole in his body.
The fourth roaring and screaming managed to hit the plate and a crucial point where the interlocking plates didn't cover anything. Templar screamed like a distorsion of the realms, sounding like if several storms were about to fight for supremacy. the shrieking noise behind the steel veil explained everything. Not even the best could take on an overpowering band of ferocious tarkatans-unharmes. As the tarkatan assailant was about to deliver the finishing blow, Templar grasped into his last pieces of concentration, thrown his palm forward, grabbing the opponents knee-bone, and ripped it out within such a show of force that the last remaining tarkatan plaed to white.

Templar stood up slowly. The last ones leg was damaged so badly, that during the bones departure from the body, it brough the veins with him too. A very gruesome display of bloodloss was portrayed before the remainig two souls.

Tarkatan raid leader- ...you ... are .... not ....human!
Templar- exactly. Now, it is time to speak little worm, or I shall crush you like an insect under my heel.

The tarkatan showed one final virtue of honor and loyalty, and took the secret with him into the grave. It didn't took five minutes for Templar to torture the poor soul to death. His limbs turned into ash were scattered across the graveyard the the clearing has became.

looking at his wound, Templar grinned painfully. He could supress the outside pain during battle, but the wound was also ugly. The strains of red liquid flowing through the plates weren't promising. He now looked side-ways. The last glympses of the portal were dfading, but it was worth the risk. He jumped into the swirling energies hoping, that this would bring him back to Outworld. As he flew through the screaming tunnel of the rift, he wondered, that his newest visit on Earth, his beloved Earth, was bloodier than he could have expected.

No matter. After I find Shang Tsung, everything should be repaired and redone. -he lost concioussness when he landed on the other side of the portal. Something inside has begun dying within his soul, what could not be reversed, and what would soon play an important role.

Alright gotta bring back levi from the last story,alittle hard since the last place he was is in a chamber in onaga's palace,lets see what I can do...





Leviathan wakes up on the cold hard concrete where he fell asleep.He stands up and looks around in shock.

Leviathan 'What...where....where am I?...the bars...gone,everything is gone where am I?'

He takes a step forward from a huge room,a desk is set before him,a note is laying on it,leviathan picks it up and begins to read...

'Leviathan...you may be wondering where you are,and if you are not,then you are smarter then you look,doubt it.This is onaga....' Leviathans face begins to tremble as he reads on 'You are in the tournament of mortal kombat much like the last you chose to interfere in,I brang you here to see your death...and it will happen,oh it will.You see your beloved robe is beside your resting place,and boots and other clothing also there,leviathan you are now in a tournament to the death,good luck.'

Leviathan tears the note to shreads 'Mortal kombat...why do you think I came here?' He throws the note into the garbage and walks over to his clothes,he slips on his boots,testing them to be sure they were not tampered with and throws on his robe,putting the hood over his head to hide his own face.

'Mortal kombat...' Leviathan chuckles 'Do not get in my way.'

He slowly opens the door and walks outside.





Wellllllllll im rusty o_O and its a bit hard to bring him back if he was just held captive,I will get back to myself as this moves along,will be a pleasure writing.

==============
A field of snow...
==============

The shadowy, cloaked figure figure stepped carefully through the trees, his boots crunching in the thick snow as he made his way to where the fight was supposed to begin.

Finally, he emerged into a snowy glade, trees lining three sides of the area, with icicle-covered branches, the largest of the icicles large enough to kill a man instantly if it fell. The figure nodded, his face and body almost completely hidden by his long cloak, and looked around again. He saw an iced-over lake on the fourth side of the field, with a longsword stuck in the ground at an awkward angle. He smirked slightly, and looked to the center of the glade, where his opponent, her pale skin and grey camoflauge pants and tank-top shirt, the latter garment bearing a snowflake design on the front, sat with her eyes closed, her bare, muscular arms seemingly unbothered by the intense cold. The cloaked figure estimated her to be in her early fifties, judging from the lines on her face and her long, greyish hair.

A gust of wind blew by, sending a wave of snow and the woman's hair floating about briefly. Her eyes snapped open, and she glared at him.

"Who are you and why are you in the realm of the spirit of Winter?"

The cloaked figure chuckled. -Ah. She is the mortal guardian of a spirit's realm. Interesting,- he thought.

Out loud, he said, "I am Rachnor. Some force told me that I would find a strong opponent to test myself against here."

At hearing this, the woman calmed down and stood up. Rachnor was impressed as he watched her move. She seemed relaxed, at ease, but Rachnor could see beneath that, to the coiled muscle underneath, ready to strike at any moment.

-Maybe she will be strong,- he thought.

"I am Mychau, guardian of the Glade of the spirit of Winter. I was told that a strong opponent would be provided for me to help continue in my training. He bore your name."

Rachnor laughed. "You have not had a real fight? In all your years?"

Mychau glared at him, but didn't deny it. "No. But I am skilled."

Rachnor chuckled. "There is no question that you are a strong martial artist, very well trained. But true skill, true power, comes from battles, both wins and losses. I have learned this over centuries, MILENNIA."

Mychau just smiled, and took a Krav Maga stance. "Then you will be an excellent start to my becoming a worthy guardian of this place."

Rachnor sneered, taking a Dragon stance. "I'll make your lesson quick, child. For I have a quest to get back to, and revenge to mete out against the one who cost me everything. But perhaps if you amuse me enough, then I will ask you to aid me in my quest. For the force I seek may threaten your master's precious Glade if he has his way."

Mychau nodded. "We will see, Rachnor. We will see."

Rachnor nodded back to her.

And then they charged each other...

========
TBC...
========

OOC:I'm going to try this from a 1st person point of view.

IC:I sat on the soft,white birch of my gazebo. I could smell the fresh,mountain air,the eagle soaring,and the trees swaying. It was so peaceful and serene. I was at ease,something I hadn't had in a while. The water was still and unmoving as rainbow colored fish swam beneath. I stood up and threw of my clothes and dove into the still waters. It was slightly warm against my cold skin. I floated onto my back and let myself drift. I was so calm. I've never been this calm before. The only time I've gotten close to it was when I was with............him. Then there went my calm. I was overcome with anger. I stopped myself there. I wasn't going to let my memories of him get in my way. I slowly drifted off to sleep.

I woke up in the middle of the lake. Same place where I fell asleep. I flipped over and dove into the waters. I could hold my breath for quite some time. I'd been practicing a lot. I swam down to the bottom and started swimming forward,going through swarms of rainbow colored fish. I was enjoying myself. I rose to the surface and swam towards the edge of the lake. I stepped out onto the soft mud of the banks. I felt nice as it squished between my toes. I walked towards my hut and opened the door. I had built my hut right next to the waterfall. I loved the sound of it. It was so refreshing. I put on my clothes and walked over to the waterfall.

I started leaping across the rocks,going higer and higher up until I reached a certain large rock. I leaped from that rock towards the waterfall. I grabbed a small ledge behind the waterfall and pulled myself up. Behind this great waterfall was a small cave. I had found it just a few months ago.I keep my weapons there and sometimes sleep there if I feel a danger coming. It makes you feel so safe. The giant waterfall acting as a shield. The day soon turned to evening as I sat in my cave. I felt thyat something was going to go wrong. I decided to sleep in the cave. I laid my head down on a soft pile of moss and curled up until I drifted off to sleep.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm still a tad bit rusty on my writing skills but I think I did okay.

-Outworld: Wasteland-
Saika shoots out of a portal, which has lead her to the edge of an active volcanoe. She can see Baraka run off in the distance. Saika has no time to think about where she is, but she knows that if she catches Baraka, she'll get the answers that she's looking for. Baraka may be quick, but Saika is much, much faster. She quickly closes the distance between them and.

Baraka (Snarl)-You're persistant. A perfect candidate for my master's new bride.

Saika- I have no idea what you're talking about, but I'm nobody's prize.

Baraka (laughs) -That's not what Hatsuma's memmory's showed.

Saika freezes dead in her tracks.

Saika- What did you say?

Baraka- Three years ago, Hatsuma was held captive at a tournament known as the Mortal Kombat. My master, the greate Onaga, was able to show his memories to a select few. We know all about your feelings for him, where you trained, and the eventual goal you had for the both of you.

Saika- Where is he now?

Baraka- ....Dead..... (laughs)

Saika is driven to tears. She can't believe that Hatsuma was killed two years ago. The fact that she couldn't find him made it all too clear. Hatsuma was one and wasn't coming back. Saika is sent into a tear filled rage and attacks Baraka.

Baraka extends his blades and takes pleasure in the fact that Saika is in so much pain. he extends his blades and comes at Saika with full force. He swings at her face with one of his claws, Saika manages to jump back as Baraka's blade graces Saika's kimono, leaving a slash mark that just barely cuts her chest. Saika comes back at Baraka with a fury of kicks to Baraka's face. However, Baraka is a General for a reason. He manages to block all of them.

Baraka- By this time, your friend has probably been killed by my soldiers.(snarls)

Saika- He's stronger then you think. But you will die here and now.

Saika comes around with another round house kick. Baraka is ready to duck again, but Saika never throws it out. Instead, she comes up with her foot and kicks Baraka in the teeth as he's ducking.
Baraka stumbles back as some of his teeth tear through the inside of his mouth, causing him to bleed internally.

Baraka stumbles back- You'll pay for that!
He rushes Saika once more, with a beastly roar. H comes in with a fury of swipes and lunges.
The tables have turned, and now it is HE who is telegraphing his moves. Saika moves fluientley avoiding his attacks. She gracefully flips behind him and puts her palms an inch away. Then, by channeling her power, she blasts Baraka in the back with her Shadow Mine. He flies forward and lands several inches away from an active lava flow. However, his left arm blade isn't as luck. The tip of his blade dipps into the lava, melting it instantly. Baraka screams in pain as the heat shoots up the blade and into his forearm.

Baraka- You witch, I'll make you suffer!!!!

As Baraka is about to make a move he's stopped by the look in Saika's eyes. For the first time, at least for a brief second, Baraka feels true fear.

(To himself: What IS she? No matter. My master will have his way)

Baraka- Mortal Kombat begins in several days. I suggest you get ready. You may even see your Hatsuma if you live long enough.

Before Saika can question him. The Tarkatan does a backflip and dissapears as a wall of lava shoots from the flow into the air. Saika is left alone on the volcano, overlooking the Outworld Wasterlands.

-Small Forest; Shortly After-
Baraka is stumbling around in pain.

Baraka- Get out of my head!!!!

He grabs onto a tree and bashes his head against it until he cracks his skull. However, Baraka has gone into a frenzy and doesn't care. He stumbles to the forest ground and and beats his had against it. He lets out a horrific roar that echos through the branches.
Baraka's body glows an eerie blue as something begins to imerge out of it. Baraka feels as if his skeleton is being torn out, with one last scream he collapses from the pain. The blue glow takes the shape of a person as it leaves the tarkatan's unconscius body.

?????- The second phase of the plan is complete.

With that, the figure shoots into the branchs and out of site.

Dammit, I knew TomTaz being in the same world as me was a bad thing...lol. Anyway, TomTaz, I'm hoping you read this as I'm going to post a possible story as how the Void/Gemini fight came about. Instead of us making up two different stories, I would like it if you IMed me with your thoughts about this story and improvements on my portrayal of Gemini, she is YOUR character after all and it would be best if certain aspects of the story had your input as well to keep her as close to the character you want her to be as possible. After I get your input and we edit this story to both of our liking or even if we scrap this story altogether and you have a better one of your own I'll edit this post and put up the final story once we finish it. Well, here goes my attempt at a story....(keep in mind, storytelling isn't a strong point of mine...)


We start in Outworld, early morning. There is a small campfire which has burned out emitting smoke. Void is asleep nearby the fire. Using his hoodie as a pillow, he is in some serious deep sleep. Suddenly he jumps to his feet and snatches up his kendo stick as he is awakened by the sound of kombat. He looks around the immediate camping area and sees nothing. He slowly makes his way into the clearing where he sees a red-headed woman doing battle with 3 Tarkatas. Never having seen such beasts as the Tarkatan race, Void looked on in disbelief. The lady obviously was a tremedously skilled fighter as she fought the beasts in an almost nonchalant manner, as if she has fought them before. Void smirked as he watched this lone woman fight off three blood thirsty Tarkatas. He does, after all, have a thing for redheads. Void kept to himself watching the fight until he noticed one of the Tarkatas she had appearantly thought she disposed of sneaking up behind her. He stayed still not planning on getting involved until suddenly he saw a blade come out of each of the Tarkata's arms. Void was in even more disbelief but also sensed that this lady warrior was in trouble, and blasted the Tarkata with his Black death projectile. This caught the woman's attention and she looked back to see who had just helped her. She caught one look at him and a sense of bewilderment came over her from his appearance.

"BEHIND YOU...," Void yelled at the lady, seeing the other two Tarkata closing in on her. The lady quickly turned around and disposed of the other two beasts in short order. The three monsters regrouped and retreated. The lady looked on as they retreated until they were no longer visible and then slowly turned around to see the young man who helped her.

Void - "Are you okay?"

Lady - "I'm fine...who are you?"

Void - "My name is A.J. I prefer Void, however, as it was the stage name of my best friend, Jason."

Lady - "Was....?"

Void - "He was murdered."

Lady - "Oh, sorry to hear that." The lady still has a puzzled look on her face as she studies Void's appearance. "I get a different vibe from you, Void. You wear the garments of that which is evil, yet I get nothing but good vibes from you. What gives?"

Void lights a cigarette and exhales the smoke. - "May I ask your name first?"

Lady - "I'm Amara."

Void takes another long drag off the cigarette - "Amara, I like the name." He exhales the smoke. "The appearance you see is that of me paying homage to my deceased friend. These were the outfits we wore as a professional wrestling tag team. The only representation they have is of our taste in music."

Amara - "I see. You therefore must be from Earthrealm." Void nods. "What brings you to Outworld?"

Void - "I am in search of a man called Sub-Zero, Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. He left for Outworld along with his trainee, Frost, to aid the Earth warriors against this new threat to our world. Sub-Zero and Frost have yet to return. Sub-Zero left strict orders to his fellow Lin Kuei members to stay put no matter what happens and guard the temples. I, however, am no Lin Kuei, and therefore do not fall under those orders. I owe Sub-Zero a huge debt for helping me out in my time of need. Now, I fear, that he may have been killed by this Deadly Alliance..."

Amara - "...you are referring to Shang Tsung and Quan Chi?"

Void - "That sounds about right."

Amara - "You seem unknowledgable about the recent happenings in the many realms."

Void - "Up until a year ago, I did not know that multiple realms existed. From Sub-Zero and the Lin Kuei I learned there are people who master ice, sorcerery, half-humans/dragons, inter-realm travel, even learned that what I know as "Hell" and it's fabled leader, Lucifer, to be the Netherrealm and that a fallen god known as Shinnok has since taken over the rule of that place. I thought all of this stuff to be phony stories, you know, fiction. Now, it has hit me in the head like a shot that all these things exist and are very real. Most recently I discovered that a country on Earth called Japan is being overtaken by an army of robots known as the Tekunin, led by the one they call Sektor. These are the entities responsible for Jason's death. I attempted to fight a few of these machines, and almost instantly retreated. I am far from a match for them. That is why I came to this realm to find Sub-Zero and Frost and make sure they are both alive because I need all the help I can get in taking out the Tekunin. The leader of the Tekunin is a former member of the Lin Kuei and Sub-Zero has promised to help me destroy them once his mission here in Outworld is complete. After hearing of the creatures that inhabit this realm and seeing for myself those beasts that attempted to ambush you makes me wonder just how bad things could possibly get."

Amara - "You have yet to see the worst of it."

Void - "The only living soul who ever gave a shit about me was killed by this merciless group of cyborgs who know no reason. This simple everyday life I was accustomed to is over...gone. Here I am in this completely different realm saving the life of some girl I do not know from this group of savage beasts with what appears to be blades forming out of their arms and you're going to try to convince me that things could be worse?"

Amara, a little agitated with Void's tone and doubtfulness - "Listen, I can't explain it all. If you knew half of what I've been through in my life you would understand. I'm very sorry to hear about your friend and I do owe you a debt for aiding me against those Tarkatas, but excuse me for being a little offended at what you say."

Void - "What YOU have been through? Look at you. Almost the definition of perfection...."

Amara, angrily interrupting - "Perfection? PERFECTION? You have no idea what I've been through. The loss of someone you hold dear to you doesn't even begin to describe what I've been through. I am constantly tormented by an inner demon which I never know when it will render it's ugly face. So pardon me if the death of some friend of a person I have just met doesn't strike me as being that meaningful...."

As Amara finished those words in an angry but not intentionally rude manner, Void snaps at the insult, flicks away his cigarette, and quickly cracks his kendo stick across Amara's skull sending her to the ground face down. Void, realizing what he just did, got angry with himself. He has yet to learn to control his temper. Besides Jason, and now Sub-Zero, Void has never fully trusted anybody and is always quick to assume strangers to be enemies. He knew, however, that Amara meant him no harm and he had once again reacted too quickly. He went to approach Amara to make sure he didn't hurt her and to apologize for hitting her.

Too late. Any reasoning within Amara had died. The face that looked up from the ground at Void was no longer that of Amara. Kraya had surfaced. Void, still being a relatively young naive man, didn't know what to make of the sudden change in Amara. He was overwhelmed as Kraya jumped to her feet and rushed an attack on Void. He fought in full defense mode as Kraya did not let up. Void is a skilled fighter, but hardly disciplined, still learning. Kraya bested Void with a roundhouse kick that sent Void flying back and she immediately drew her Katana and mounted Void placing the blade to his throat. Void lay motionless except for heavy breathing. He glances at the blade at his throat and looks up at the scarred face staring at him. He locks eyes with Kraya. Slowly, the blue eyes of Kraya turn back into the green eyes of Amara. The black hair turns back red, and the hideous scars of Kraya leave her face as Amara resurfaces.

Amara - "My debt to you is repayed."

Amara gets off of Void and allows him to get up. He immediately lights another cigarette as his nerves are completely shot by now. Void once again apologizes for his actions in which Amara seemed to understand he reacted without thinking. She proceeds to tell him the story of Kraya and how Kraya seems to surface when she feels the body she shares is being threatened. Void listens to Amara's every word, not only in hopes that he doesn't encounter Kraya again, but he realizes how much he could learn from someone like Amara while he continues his search for Sub-Zero.




End.....Damn, I seriously hope this comes off well. Believe it or not, there was actually a lot of thought put into it so if it sucks........then damn, I dunno what to do. Get in touch with me ASAP TomTaz about what to edit, add, or delete to/from this story. Hope you guys like it....or at least are entertained.

At the top of the volcano, Saika stood alone, overlooking the devastated landscape what has been ripped from every form of life, or what remained, quickly adapted to the new enviroments of this hostile land. The suplhu-rous wind began to blow even harder, and soon, deep red clouds were about to form high up in the sky. Charred particles began to fall from above, as the temperature was rising.

She was exhausted, at least mentally. The tarkatan escaped his grasp, yet, the only satisfaction was that the savage has got a taste of his art and provess as an assassin. Her eyes were dry-burned, his lungs slowly began to ache from the smokes and fumes of the murmuring volcano.

The sound of metal scraping the rocks alerted her to the presence of another one. Quickly turning around he layed her gaze on the ironclad emerging from his faint. She quickly drew he weapon.

Saika-Who are you?

The armored figure slowly and gracefully straightened up, his chainmail tarnished by the ebony char and dust of the volcano, but despite his appearance Saika was astonished for a second to see soneone carry that much of steel on his body. She quickly noticed the river of blood flowing from the interlocking plates on his stomach.

Saika-Stay back and explain yourself!

Templar-You may refer to me as Templar, Consul of Outworld, reminder of Shao Khans late rule. At your service. -the warrior bowed before the wo-man, during that, a larger amount of blood splashed out of the scar.

Saika-you're wounded. -she hesitated for a moment, and shotly after let her weapons down. Are you gonna be allright?

Templar-a minor wound. -he began to walk to the nearest lava flow.

Saika-that doesn't look like if it's gonna heal. You're almost gutted.

Templar-perhaps. But it holds no significance. -he extended his palm over the flow, the heat was almost unbearable, at least for a normal human.

Saika-you're implying that you haven't experienced the slightest of pains? Excuse me, but that's ridiculous. I should treat that before I..what the hell are you doing? -she began to sceam with opened eyes.

Templar bashed his hand into the flow, instantly pulling it out. Bright yel-low liquids wee circulating around his forearm, as he quickly slid his fin-gers across the wound. A loud scream, as the wound began to flame.
Templar could take pain, as long as he devoured the significant amount of heat inside his mind. This had the effect of the air slowly beginnning to color red around him. More darker, untill it quickly formed somekind of haze around his body, and instantly shrinking, flew into his body.
Templar fell to the ground. The wound was burned together, and he mana-ged to escape certain death of being burned to crisps. He was now completely exhausted. A lava flows power was a little bit too much for him to take, so he took his second faint of the day. But at least, he could sleep. Unlike natural sleep, haunted by nightmares-he was overjoyed when he passed out. Inside his head, nothing what would haunt him, only empti-ness for a little time. a little, very short of time, yes, that tiny piece of his life.

Saika-Wake up!

Templar opened his eyes. Despite the blurr, he could clearly make out the details, it was the woman he saw previously. hey were inside a smaller crack opening in the volcanos wall.

Templar-impessed. You managed to drag me here, despite my weight and unconcioussness. I thank thee.

Saika-well...let's get to the point. What I saw there was anything than normal... and after the fight with those beasts, ...I expected something like that, but this? -she pointed on the templars right gauntlet. It was clean and shining, no evidence on the immense burning.

Templar-I owe you an explanation mylady. I am one of the few who erfer to themselves as elemental bearers. We have the power to decide over such powers that make up the material universe. Fire from the sun, water from the ocean, air from the sky, tree what comes from life, and metal what resides in the earth.

He took a deep breath and continued: I particularly have powers over any kind of metal or ore. While each essence has ties with all the other, my powers have the aspect of being accompanied by the metals friends, the fire of the forge. i hope that satisfies you.

Saika-completely.

Templar-you show some prowess in the fighting arts. you are from that realm known as Earth, yes?

Saika-you speak like if you kbnew the answers alerady (templars voice was unsettling for Saika that was for sure.) what are you implying.

Templar-nothing. BUt no mere man can stand up against a marauding horde of tarkatans.

Saika-tar...katans. So this is the name of theese murderers.

Templar-sometimes also called as "Nomads", "Blademongers". I personally like to call them "Vermin".

Saika could not help but to release a grim smile. Despite the unsettling, knightly appearance and the multi-tiered voice of his companion, he felt a little accomodated with the current situation. He was -of course- always ready to slit his throat should it become necessary.

Templar-his name is Bhar' Rakha. Or Baraka. One of the dreaded warriors of this sufering race. Also a great tyrant and a notoriously ragefull war-lord of his race. The blades you saw, they are really their bones. Harder than average, they are pretty much dangerous opponents. Proceed with utmost caution if you have any "bussiness" with them.

Saika-you seem to know too much about them. -theese last words made her shudder. Who is this templar, and why does he know that much about them? If he's ...

Templar- (turning his face towards her) they were hundreds of them under my command in the past.

Silence.

Saika rushed and delivered a vertical slice towards Templars throat. Or at least tried. His gauntlet moved sideways to block, and soon the blade was struck in his handplate.

Templar-it seems that you have some personal matters to attend to with this Baraka.

Saika-why did you command them? What were you to them? Speak!

Templar-as one of Shao Khans Consuls, theese parts of the lands were ran by me, as a provincial ruler. A "Regitor Imperialis" if that suits you better. But don't fear, I never had any intentions on sending them to do battle on Earth.

Saika-two of my friends died becouse of them! And you think me to trust in what you say?

Templar-no. I expect you to draw that blade back. Too many deaths stain my hands alerady, and I would certainly dislike the idea of defending myself from you.

Saika was speechless. She draw her short blade back, and kept a distan-ce from the knight. Her eyes were confused, as the mirrors of souls, Temp-lar could read out the tragedy what befell the fightress.

Templar-I haven't found your comrades body back on the clearing in the forest. I suspect that he is still alive. Who was the other one, if I may ask?

Saika- ... does it really count? He's dead by the hands of that maggot!

Templar- there are means to save him should you try.

Saika- what?!?

Templar-my master, and...friend ... the free roaming spellbinder Shang Tsung, has the ability to consult with the souls of the deceased. If he cannot be retrieved from beyond, at least he can make contact with him.

Saika could not believe what she was hearing. -I warn you, if this some-kind of a joke, I'll kill you! Who is this Shang Tsung? (the name sounded familiar to her, but from where?)

Templar- a sorceror recently defeated, two years ago. That makes at least a couple of month in earths calendar. Our world, while having the same amount of time for days, rotates faster around it's sun. The constant dimensional distorsions keep it this way. If your friend was killed not so long ago, you may have time to rescue his redemption...this I know from Shang Tsung.

I am searching for him, since he dissapeared from the worlds face. Per-haps dead, but death is only a lesser obstacle for people like him. -templar grinned.

Saika- dead...and yet living? Undead pehaps, or a ken'you?

Templar-no. If I'm judging his abilities right, he can bring himself back from the dead world. You seem to know about lore concerning the "Arts".

Saika-i had my moments of learning.

In the distance a large bolt of fire, accompanied by jets of flame bursted out from a distant palace-like highground. In the clouds , the silouette of the ominous dragon seemed to shine from behind the clouds.

Templars houghts raced. If Mortal Kombat is announced, and the appa-rition is really an omen, then Shang Tsung would be surely involved. As like death. He looked at the woman. He understood slowly that there was muchj more behind her, than it would have been told. And what behind him? or to say properly inside him? What of the darkness that eats him alive? Is there a solution? Mortal kombat would be the first step to gain knowledge over his ties to his past. He knew it, it was inside his mind, just like the darkness. And both the darkness and he had the same opinion on this: both of them find what they want in the holy competition.

He stepped forward, out of his thoughts and pointed at the distant grounds of Outworld:

Templar-Mortal Kombat. The grand competition of personal war. There you should first try to look for answers. If Baraka has any allegiances right now, than the powers of Mortal Kombat will surely have claimed him as their champion. Few have what Baraka has, namely pure understanding on doing battle. This is the tutelage I can give over him. With this, have your revenge if you must.

Saika and the ironclad stood up, and stared right into the distance, both of them dusty and charred, but with will to find out what Mortal kombat has to offer for them.

Heres the beginnig for my character story

A young blond woman is training her martial arts style in the courtyard of a temple. She violently kicks the air a few times and suddenly whips a pair of sickles from the sides of her trousers. She twirls them round like a pro, effectively cutting the air in half.

An old asian man dressed in various robes walks on to the courtyard floor

Man: Karen

Karen: Hi?

Man: I bet your wondering who i am?

Karen: Actually i'm wondering how you got past the guards without a
training permit

Shang Tsung: I am the Outworld sorcerer Shang Tsung

Karen laughs in disbelief

Karen: *sarcasm* Right, yeah of course. And i live in a big castle in
never never land!

Shang: Dont mock me, i could snap you in half

Karen: With what? Your crutches?

He quickly conjures up a glowing fireball which flies towards Karen
almost reducing her to molten ash.She rolls out of the way not
believing what just happened

Karen: What...are you?

Shang: I am power personified

Karen: How did you...?

Shang: I told you, im a very powerful sorcerer

Karen: Oh yeah, well i dont need all those smoke and mirrors to know true power, i've got it right here

She raises her fists

Shang: Ha, you arrogant fool. You think you could defeat me?

Karen: No, i think i could kill you

Shang: Is that a fact?

Karen: More like a bet

Shang: So you want a wager do you? Fine, if you defeat me, i will give you power beyond imagination, if you lose, i will consume your soul

Karen: Deal

She punches him in the face. He comes back from the blow sweeping her legs out, him backflips and starts to charge another fireball...


Fade to black

Netherealm-

An explosion in the outer city wall causes some confusion as the reciding demons get blown away. Several of the gaurds come to the smoking opening. As they step into the clouds, one of them is instantly torn in half.

Gaurd- What's going on here?! (shrick!!!!)

The gaurds feels a blade shoot from his stomach. As he looks down, he sees the blade travel upwards. His last memory is seeing the blade shoot through his skull.

Gaurd- We need reinforcements at the east wall!!

Several more gaurds approach the opening. As they look around, they catch a glimps of a shadowy figure. His eyes eminate a red glow. They can see that he has spiked hair, and a long flowing cape.

As one of the gaurds rushes him, the figure shoots his fist right through the gaurds chest plate, killing him instantly. The figure extracts two scimitars from his arms and they glow with a molten red shine. He quickly makes his way through the remaining gaurds, runing past them and dicing them to pieces. As he gets to the last gaurd, the gaurd is terrifyed and tries to make break for it. The figure flips in front of him and sweeps him off his feet. As the gaurd floats in mid air, The figure shoots his foot into the gaurds stomach and launches him into the air. He jumps after him and delivers a spining axe kick to the gaurd's chest, igniting him instantly, sending him on the ground. The gaurd explodes on contact.

Figure- Hmm, I've been awa so long I've forgotten how weak these demons are. Now, to retake my sanctuary and regain my full power. but first, I owe Shinnok a little visit.

The figure makes his way through the dark alleys of the city to the central castle where Shinnok recides.

-Outworld Wastelands-
Saika and Templar decide to take this brief period of silence to rest. Saika has been orn out mentaly. Learning of the tarkata, Mortal Kombat, and the fact that Hatsuma has been killed a few months earlier is overwhelming. Not to mention that she has no idea if Koga survived his encounter with Baraka's soldiers. She drifts off into a sleep and has remembers the older days.

(Flashback 1)

Hatsuma- C'mon Saika, your stronger then this. Show me a real strike.

Saika- if you insist.

Saika rushes Hatsuma with an aireal split kick.
Hatsuma blocks both strikes with his forearms.
As Saika lands on the ground, she leaps into the air and over Hatsuma, kicking him with both legs in the back.
Hatsuma is shot forward but flips off his hand and lands facing Saika.

Hatsuma- There you go... now come at me again with that same intensity.

(Flashback 2)
Saika, Hatsuma and Koga are training on huge stilts above a waterfall.
Koga is in the middle, with Hatsuma and Saika on either side. It's sunset and their shadows are cast over the lower forest.

Koga- Give me your best shot

Saika/Hatsuma both nod and attack Koga at the same time. Hatsuma comes in with a roundhouse, and Saika comes with a sweep. As they're about to connect, Koga flips at the last moment in between both kicks and lands on the stilts.

Saika- No way....

Hatsuma lets out a smirk.

Koga lets out a cocky smile and flicks the tip of his nose.
Koga- that's it, keep going......

(Flashback 3)

Hatsuma is kneeling infront of the head sifu inside the temple with the entire clan their, as well as Koga who was specially invited.

Sifu- Hatsuma, your skills and determination you have been chosen to be my succeesor to the clan when my time draws near.

Hatsuma- Master......I.......thank you.

Sifu-As such you have earned tutalige in the art of the Solar Tempest technique. Your final training will begin after this last mission.

Hatsuma- Thank you sifu.

Hatsuma is handed a piece of partchment with the Solar Wind kangi written on it. He truns around shows it to his fellow cln members, a resounding cheer is heard. koga and Saika are especially happy for him.

(Flashback 4)
It's raining at the village and Saika is kneeling before her sifu.

Sifu- It is with a heavy heart that I must burden you with this. Hatsuma has failed in his final mission. He has become a runaway. And for that, there is only one outcome. Death. Either bring him in, or return with his head, but either way, he must die.

Saika answers with a heavy heart and tears rolling down her cheecks- As you wish.

Sifu- This pains me deeply. To assist you, you will be trained at the Dark Forest outpost on a regular basis....

(Flashback 5)
Saika has tracked down Hatsuma in a village. The inhabitants have been slaughted completely. She finds Hatsuma on top of a hill that over looks the village. An old willow tree sits on top of it like a crown, the heads of the villagers, hanging off its branches.

Saika- Ha....tsuma?

The ninja truns around, revealing his deformed nature. His entire right arm is covered with a black diamon, and his eye glows with an eerie bluish white hue.

Saika covers her mouth as she weeps.
Saika- Why? Hatsuma, why? Answer me!!!

Without as much as a sound, Hatsuma attacks Saika with demonic speed, knocking her to the ground. He entangles her with his whip chain, and shredds her kimon to pieces.

Saika's entire body is bruised with one attack.

As Hatsuma is about to go for the kill, he stops. He looks Saika with his left eye which tears up as he speaks through his mask.

Hatsuma- Forgive me. I'm so sorry.
With that Hatsuma dissapears in a flame, leaving the nude Saika to herself.
Saika is completely stunned to see what has happened to her Hatsuma. that was no ninjitsu escape techinque he used.

Saika wakes up to a calling voice, it turns out to be Templar.

Templar- Are you ready?

Saika's eyes are filled ith tears, but she wipes them away and stands up.

Saika- Yes. If I'm going to find the answers I need, I can't stay put any longer......

He awoke with a red eye, strikingly burned, not by the char and dust in the air, but from the constant haunting dreams that tormented his very existen-ce. No more pain, only sorrow. What is more worse than a life of suffering is what you fight.

He knew about the soul he carried. A vessel, yes the very enbodiment of a darker being than almost anything else. But unlike powerthirsty sorcerors, paranoic gods and sinister ghosts, this entity had a mind of his own, with desires, and of course, enough power to kill Templar instantly. he hoped that would happen soon. But duty came first.

He woke Saika, and both of them began their journey towards the temple. She was full of sadness and sorrow. Templar envied her to be able to cry.

Templar- those tears...all the pain you suffer makes you what you are.

Saika- what the hell that supposed to mean?

Templar- I mean, despite how hard life will punch you, you have to stick to living. I on the other hand, dying from this wisdom.

Saika- I don't understand.

Templar- which part?

Saika- uh, the first. Look I know where you want to lead the senctence, but..

Templar- you see no way out of th darkness what dwells in you heart, am I right?

Saika- possibly. (how in the hell, is he capable to see right through me?)

Templar- crying shows that you're capable of emotion. I have seen so many warriors burned out. Why? Becouse they haven't got anything to remember, or that they didn't want to have anything to remember, when they put their swords down. you always have something to fight for. I for example have a duty I must fulfill before I let myself pass away.

Saika- I know now what you are trying to say...and thanks. Besides, my comrade amy be alive if you say so. if someone, than he could make it out of there alive. -she tried to smile, but could not. She grinned instead.

Templar- if your friend is at least half of the warrior than you aer, than there is no doubt that he survived. your will is strong. Shall we resume our journey?

***

Both of them continued. Templar recalled the one he spoke about. Dai-rou. He thought at Seido, and the whole past behind him. He became dark again inside his mind. he slipped so fast into the shroud, that he didn' even felt anthing. the dark thoughts were again dominant.

His scheme was in place. He would someday return to Seido, and make the ones responsible for his "death" regret that their ancestors ever-lived. Yes, revenge would be fulfilled and...

"here I stand alone, with only revenge to be my prize"

No. he would not give in. He will return, but the bloodshed has gone too far. Never-ever will he succumb to use those abilities against his kin. No.
Thank the gods he knew what was going on in Seido. HIs contact, and long time friend, Hotaru always came after him on ocasions, trying to kill him. They were friends once. That connecion remained through the deca-des: but this time, only one of them should survive the next encounter.

What a waste of friends. Regretably, not even Dairous intervention could turn Hotaru from his core beliefs. Dairou. The mercenary who was hired to kill his old time High Guard companion. But that did not happen. He am-bushed the Firefly Warrior but disabled him temporarely. Well, to be honest, Templar paid a larger amount of wealth to the freelance mercenary than theResistance Leader Darrius.

It would be good to see his homeland again, before he dies. Hopefully their plan will work. Dairou captured Hotaru and they -all three had a little concversation concerning Seido. Hotarus beliefs were shaken. That was good. Hotaru was also very hard-headed. That was bad.

But the plan worked nevertheless. Dairou mislead Darrius that Hotaru was mortally wounded, but survived. Implying that Hotaru was his fellow guardsmen before he was exiled from their ranks, and that the war hero suffered amnesia during the fight was enough to convince Darrius, that Hotaru -despite the celebration when he got home- means no harm to the resistance. Altogether, it was for the better. Hotaru was afraid of himself, and wagered his decision to eventually help templar and Dairou, or stick to his old beliefs, but face another assassination attempt-this time for sure.
The resistance kept an eye on him, so his old friend was not a threat for him now. Dairou working as a double agent - Templar smiled. How cynical was he, when he learned that the very employer of him was responsible for the loss of his family. he grinned and after a few minutes, he did agree on the plan. The plan to rid Seido from the corruption and chaos that infes-ted it from his birth.

Saika- We're almost at the edge of the abyss. Where should we contine?

Templar jumped back from his thoughts. They have marched miles now. The sun was heading for the meridian now. Judging from the pale light penetrating the clouds, it had to be so.

Templar- there is a bridge nearby. There it is.

They descended down on the cliffside to reach the bridge what connected the two walls of the abyss. A thin stairway went down there, into the depths of darkness. The air began to cool down as they entered the bridges cou-seway, what led them to the catacombs of the palace monastery.

***

the monks treated them apropiately. Both of them received quarters for the night, and the high-ranking priest foretold of the events of the announced Mortal Kombat. The tale showed that this tournament would be exceptio-nal, and certain battles already took place. But the true tournament has yet to be initiated.

Templar-so this is the list of warriors participating. And I'm about to face...
Genkaku Souzousha?

Saika- that truly stands for Mirage Bringer, or Phantom bringer..something like that. May I see the parchment? I'm heading to get some rest, so if you could tell me who...

Templar-Yes. your opponent wil be the one described as Angelique.
Mirage...a trickster, misleader of eyes, prankster of the mind. Sounds like an interesting match. The lord facing the jester, the straightforward against the avoider. Seems like a truly worthy match to test my mettle... and whats this?

Priest- a letter from a personal friend. We took no attempt to investigate it. Despite that any contact with relatives or outsiders is forbidden during the battles, we had to take the letter.

Templar opened the stamp what seemed familiar from somewhere. The pergamen was older perhaps than time itself, or so it seemed. But what really suprised Templar was the content:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Koshaku.

As a fitting payment for your loyalty and zeal shown to the throne, I present you this armor. it has been crfted by the finest weapon and armorsmiths of Outworld. The size and the construction exactly fits your requirements both in the present and both in the future. The design was specially taken care of, resembling your beloved rebirthplace on Earth. What was it called aga-in? land of the teutons?

I trust you take great use of this masterpiece. The construction lasted for years, decades to be perfect and fitting for Outworlds greatest humane warrior. We shall soon meet my friend, we shall soon meet.

sincerely Shang Tsung

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Templar- where did you find this?

Priest- we found it in the courtyard last night. We check the environs every five hours with the guards as a divine excercise of perception and du-ty...and this is what they found. it appeared out of nowhere. magic of cour-se, if I may sound my opinion.

Templar- without doubt. And I know now who sent it. Was there anything else?

Priest-yes, follow me. A large tombstone appeared in the nearby smiths yard. When he sought us out, he insisted, that a traveller will come here armed with a claymore and accompanied by an outsider woman. We took the stone here. Took us ten men to bring it here.

They led the warrior into the palaces inner gardens. In the moonlight, the dark stone container stood arrogantly between the flowers of Outworld.
Templar aproached. He touched the engraved door on the frontal part of the contraption,a dn it slowly opened. The inside wall of the container was also engraved. Templar recognized the magical symbols: they were used by the Shadow Priests. So, the Shadow Priest Order also serves Shang Tsungs will, even in death. He moved his gaze on the chilling cloud of ice flying out of the stone. As the haze settled, Templars eyes carefuly exa-mined the inside. Thee was only darkness inside.

The red moon showed it's face again through the clouds. A sharp flash of light moved sideways on the pauldrons bladed egde. Templar pulled something dark out of the gravestone-like contraption.

He raised the helm infront of himself and began to smile, and then laugh:
"The phrase armor is going to have a new meaning for the opponents, for this time, the steel has never been so cold like now!"

Decent start you guys.
I hope many others also join in.
Hmmm..i wonder who will turn their backs on whom in the story, hint.
Watch your backs.

Peace.

You know, my created character is the lead of the Shadow Priests... I was planning to introduce him later, but he may tie into this storyline somehow.

Genkaku Souzousha vs. Templar

Thanks for the author of Genkaku Souzousha for an awesome opponent.
Should the story and the fight scene feel wrong, contact me and I shall
rewrite it.

***

The next morning brough a smaller Blight Storm with it. Mortal Kombat has began. As walking down the corridors, Templar noticed that several more warriors have entered the environs of the Temples palace grounds.
There were so many, that he didn't even bother to count them. Besides, he only searched for those who would be meaning a possible threat to him in battle. There qwere a few, one of them was Saika too. Templar smiled, and began to play with the thoughts of how to fight the woman.

But his thoughts wandered elsewhere. There were fighters who were just announced victorious: and to his suprise, when the name was announced he quickly turned his sight on none other than Saika. The female warrior let a faint smile out on her face, and nodded to the warrior.

Announcer- second deathmatch! Genkaku Souzousha against Lord Templar! I plead the fighters to take their position!

Templar walked up to the announcer, a Shadow Priest (!) and straigh-tened himself. As he looked sideways he examined his opponent who was aproaching from the crowd. He could be easily noticed: few living men possessed a bulk like he had. A shining golden coverage held his body in safe protection, and a sinister looking, flattened oval mask faced his gaze. As he looked into the eyesockets, he could see nothing but a thick dark-ness what seemingly emanated from behind the cover. A huge bastard sword was noticable on his back.

Announcer- the portal should take you to the arena of choice, the Trap Pit
where the judge alerady awaits you with his consultants. Backing out of
the fight, or any refusal is punishable by death. Surrendering is however
allowed much to our masters dismay.

The swirling portal appeared before them, and the chilling interplanar winds chill ran through Templars spine. Another fight, and another trial.
He stepped through the gateway.

The arena was similar to the ddungeons he encountered inside the Out-world palaces. The only catch was that templars senses for danger alerted
him for the invisible threat lurking about. He lkooed around, then finally faced his opponent. The Illusion Creator stood right before him, sideways, in a stance of what Templar recognized as the internal style Tai Chi Chuan.

Genkaku- are you my next oppponent?

Templar- yes.

Genkaku- then you will surely fall.

Templar- that is yet to be seen.

Genkaku- don't take me lightly warrior! -he stomped at the ground with his
might, sending a wave of dust flying towards templar.

Templar- I take you as my next opponent.

Genkaku- anyone standing between me and Shang Tsung will fall!

Templar became irritated when he heard that- what you knowst of Shang
Tsung? Explain yourself!

Genkaku- that anyone in league with the sorcerer dies!

Templar- you have to get past through me before that! -hissed Templar
and took battle stance.

And battle commenced. Genkaku began charging at Templar, who reacted immediatly and did the same thing. The Illusion creator bent his body sideways, placing his shoulder in his opponents path, and launched himself with his full might forward. Templar extended his arms before him, his palms opened in a grapple, stricktly placed right next to each other, and began sliding towards his prey. The contact was brutal.

Templars grasp shredded Genkakus mask, while the Illusion creator punched himself through the chain mails breast plate. The steel survived the impact, but the potence of the attack shook the ribcage of the knight. They both backened from each other, a little dizzy from their first attacks.

And the real fight started. Templar immediatly took up his Goshindo stance when Genkaku assaulted him. The soft swings, the seemingly light attacks held devastating power, The Illusion Creators mass was one thing not to be taken lightly. Few attacks landed on Templar, was it not for his armor, he would sustained more damage than just painful blows.

When one of Genkakus palm attack struck on his forehead, Templar lost his balance. Clearly, his opponent relied on harmonic fighting, combined with his brute strenght. Well, in that case, Templar brought up his own art of fighting. When the second longer range punch was initiated by Genka-ku, Templar quickly grabbed his opponents ankle, rolling back on the ground, pulling the warrior out of balance, and sending him flying over his own body. templar could clearly make out the spinning body what flew right above him.

The slamming noise however triggered a trap door. Inside the dungeon like enviroments, noone could make it out clearly where did those tricky contraption hid themselves. But this one in particular, was right under the templar. The ground collased as the trap door swung open, and the knight didn't even had the time to scream.

Silence.

Genkaku- victory.

Shadow priest-yet not.

As the Illusion Creator aproached the trap door, he quickly jumped back in disbelief: a thin, silvery snake jumped out of the pit, followed by hundrets of his kind, what began to swirl, gathering his fellow serpents around him, and the whle mass slowly took up the form of a human being.

Genkaku was stunned in disbelief: the reassembling of his opponent was anything like the illusions he encountered, or created. it was magnificent for someone to have such power.

Genkaku- impressive.

Templar- also quite exhausting. -he spat blood on the floor. -a few of the
spikes managed to stab me anyhow.

Genkaku nodded and took up his Tai Chi Chuan again. He slowly began to walk sideways, looking for a weak point in Templars defense. The sa-me applied for Templar, who now walked to face Genkaku, but this time, in an open stance, without restrictions.
Genkaku attacked. The bent edge of the forearm aproached with frighte-ning speed, but Templar simply jumped up, thrown himself in the air sideways, and while falling down, his arms locked around Genkakus body. The fighter in his suprise could not understand the embrace, and was slammed to the ground shortly after. But before Templar could land any blows in ground combat, he simply dissappeared.
He could not see his opponent, but sensed his weight. Nonetheless, he released his opponent and stood up. He could not hear nor see any evidence on the fighters physical presence.
Genkaku- the death is often feared by it's uncomprehendable invisibility. You on the other hand, do not show any passion of dread.
A large cleaver swung across the darkness almost hitting Templar. As he moved around, trying to find his opponent, he accidentally stepped on a moving plate. The effect was instant: acid flew through the air from a hid-den sparkling hole in the ground, eating up templars cloths. He rubbed the acid down with his gauntlet. The hissing sound of the acid eating to his skin was painfull, but not lethal.
Then the blows began to rain on him. Every punch took him even closer to the center of the arena, where the swingin cleaver awaited in his monoto-ne existence. Templar was almost at the ends, but he did manage to access one final possibility before he would pass away:
Templar-fury of the mountain, attend me!
And at his pleading, his very being began to shine with a deep golden light, similar to Genkakus armor. The erruption was violent: his body when reaching the boiling point released an amazingly hot wave of molten me-tal squirting through his armors openings, devouring everything in it's path. The damage was horrible, Genkaku screamed in pain as the firestorm reached him, and overheated his armors platings. Not to mention the silvery surface that swept through under his feet.
But the sea of flames quickly pulled back into Templars body. Both of them were exhausted, and didn't even noticed the shadow priests voice who alrady stated that this is the last round.
Genkaku- you did harm me servant of the sorcerer, now it is time for me to hurt you! -and with that he duplicated himself. Templar was not used to fight persons who were duplicating their very selves. However, little did Genkaku knew that the ancient art of wrestling, Pancration had something that none of the other fighting arts had. The art of shadow calculation. By carefully examining the blurr on the ground, Templar could eventually define the position of his foe. However knowing your adversaries position helped little when you had to block a flurry of attacks. Templars retreat commenced. He was pushed further and further backward, guarding himself with high care, but despite how long he did withheld the assaults, his opponent had a larger stamina at the moment. Templar, feeling his strenght fading away tried one last shot, and thrown a nearby halberd into the darkness. The blade swirled through the wrong image, and clashed with something in the darkness behind. The worst thing was, that both of his enemies were nearly translucent, and that there was no light source strong enough to iluminate their silouettes. It was hard to keep up with the blurry images of his opponent. Every time Templar was convinced that his blow would surely land, he penetrated only a mirage. The retribution came almost instantly. He was bruised, Genkaku mostly aimed at his forehead, and his ribcage. Thanks to his armor, those latter punches and kicks were lessened. But despite that,he was almost unconcious. Genkaku- you're at your end. Give in to the deathly dream. and he began to bend the magic to his will. FINISH HIM!
Shadow priest assistant- master, a Fatality is only allowed when... but the Priest with a move of his hand silenced his apprentice. -We shall see.... FINISH IT NOW!
Genkaku- face your worst fear!
An image of himself surrounded his gaze, his own hands dripping from the blood of others, smiling as his temptation overcame him. Countless people laying dead, Seido burned and destroyed, overtaking everything, the evil residing in him has been the couse of everything he known. And then everything broke down becouse of the iron will what stuck through the mirage.

"Not while there is a spark of life inside me!"

The chilling grasp overtook his brain, reestablished Koshaku into controll, but opened up the gates of hatred. He was back, both of them had some vitality left inside themselves. The shadow priest has made a mistake...

With eyes blaying he launched himself at the illusionist, grabbed his wrist, and thrown him across the arena, flying right into a pile of rubble when he slammed into the stone wall. Genkaku was finished physically.

Shadow Priest- it seeems I may have been in error then, hmm hmm...

He didn't even bother to show any resistance (becouse he could not) when the ironclad raised him up with his left hand. He could make out the right gauntlet what began to pour bright hot magmatic liquids out of it's openings. Soon the entire forearm was shining in a golden light, and dripping hot metal on the floor.

But the end didn't came. He felt that he was released. In slow motion he seen as the breastplate and then the greaves flew upward before him.
He slowly regained full conciousness, and tried to stand up. he spared his life. he also heard the shadow priests announcing something: Templar shows mercy! What was this all about?

Templar- illusions cannot harm the living. -and while speaking so, he stormed back to the opening portals gateway, but before he stepped through he turned back.

Templar- but ... you were an excellent adversary.

***

The crowd was interested in the fights outcome so at least half of the fighters were curious who would step through the portal. It was the ironclad who emerged from the swirling shrouds of the portal. But, unlike most of the fights, the opponent also stepped through.

As the victor walked into the crowd searching for his enigmatic companion the defeated walked to the nearest archway. Both of them were compelled to take one look at each other. Genkaku from the shadows of the archway, and Templar, towering out of the crowd.

Gekaku- we shall meet again, trust me, but then only one of us will walk away. Then we shall see how prepared I am to take on Shang Tsungs servant.

He disappeard and walked away from the gathering hall. templar slowly followed his suspected trace. Templar was shaken out of his thoughts by Saikas voice:

Saika- you look battered, how was it?

Templar- let's just say he and I have an unfinished business. he could not
get rid of the deja vu feeling of "We shall meet again". After that Templar
explained what happened in the death pit.

AJ I love what you've done. You've portrayed both Amara and Kraya pretty accurately. Very good addition. The only small thing I have to comment on is the fact that she wasn't wearing her mask.. However that's not a big deal is it's completely possible that Amara doesn't wear the mask all the time, and since in your addition she was unexpectedly turned into Kraya she wouldn't have the mask on. SO great job man. TomTaz@Comcast.net There is my Email address (as the PM system is rather unreliable) If you want to talk about this further and ask question or what not. Look forward to hearing from you.

I will be adding a little something shortly.
Also, big congrats to the other writers it's off to a great start. Keep it up!

Tempest vs Ipol
=============================================

A cool mist swept across the stone floor of the House of Pekara, and wrapped itself around the tired feet of Ipol. There he stood hunched over, trying desperately to catch his breath after fleeing from the combined confrontation of Mileena and Baraka. He had escaped the Tarkatan camps, and found himself lost in the Pekaran forest - and stumbled upon what he thought was solice and refuge in the House of Pekara. However, his supposed good luck was about to change.

For he had come across the resting point of a deity of lighting and wind, one who had been sworn to protect the realm of Chaos - a realm where anarchy thrived, and maliciousness reigned supreme - in large part to Tempest's own actions. Now however, he had been released from the Chaos realm by the conniving Zaggot, a twisted god who's sole pleasure was mayhem and carnage, in order to unknowingly wreak havok on the realms. A 1000 years of rage had encapsulated Tempest after defeat in Mortal Kombat at the hands of Shang Tsung. He had been humiliated and lost his title, a title he held for nine consecutive generations.

However, although that had fueled his rage in the past, he had recently learnt of Shang Tsung's demise. The millenium's worth of vengence, and any opporunity of exacting it, had gone. This filled Tempest with unimaginable fury, and it was Zaggot's intention to utilize this to keep the realms unstable. For Tempest was now on a quest to gain revenge on the being that took away the demi-god's opportunity to punish Tsung. He was to challenge Raiden in Mortal Kombat and humiliate him in front of the gods of the realms. With the ferocity burning inside him, he could not be stopped by any mortal.

Ipol had stumbled into a nightmarish situation. For not only was Tempest encapsulated with unimaginable wrath, but he also was almost merciless after years of seclusion in the Chaos realm. He also to pleasure in the embarrasment of those who brought him annoyance and irritation.

Ipol unwittingly approached Tempest, who had been recovering from his quest in the quiet seclusion of the final resting place of Kenshi's ancestors. Ipol began to reveal his predicament to the being partialy cloaked in the shadows, whether to fight his adoptive father and avenge his families deaths or continue to fight along side Baraka and the Dragon King. No emotion was forthcoming from the deity, then two eyes flowing with electricty emerged from the dark.

A stream of electricity was fired into Ipol's already tired body. In an instant he collapsed, foaming at the mouth and temporarily paralysed. As Tempest rose from his resting place, he gave the defeated opponent one last unpitying glance. Ipol imbolized on the stone floor was left helpess, and as he gazed into Tempest cold, unremorseful eyes he realized how fortunate he was to be spared by such a deadly warrior, and how unprepared for the oncoming conflict he actualy was...

Templar tells Saika exactly what happened in the pit trap. Saika is completely awestruck at how Templar escaped. A technique like that would take quite some time to learn. She had all the evidence she needed that Templar wasn't exactly human. As she was about to speak, the head shadow priest announced the next match.

Shadow Priest- Saika will now go against Angelique.

Although Saika was a little taken back to be fighting so soon, she didn't complain. She stepped forward and awaited her opponent. Suddenly, a beautiful woman stepped from the crowed. She faced Saika from across the room, and planted a hand on her thigh, brushing some of her across her face. From the stare that she gave her, Saika could tell that she wasn't impressed.

Angelique- Let's make this quick.

Saika- They say that arrogance can lead to one's undoing. I hope that this doesn't apply to you.

Angelique just smirked and turned her head away.

Shadow Priest- Angelique Versus Saika. Give us a true specticle of skill.

The portal opened infront of them, and they both stepped through. Within the blink of an eye they where on the other side. They find them selves in a dark room. Suddenly, torches on each side light up the room, revealing that they're in a gorgeous room made of marble. The ceiling is atleast 300 feet above them, with ledge and alcoves across every wall. The floor is about a foot under water, with a fountain in the middle of it.

Angelique- Luck is not on your side. This place has an abundance of water, my specialty.

Saika looks around the room and answers.

Saika- Luck has nothing to do with this outcome. My strength comes from training.

Angeligue and Saika approach the center of the room and get ready. The the portal, the shadow priest's voice is heard.

Shadow Priest- FIGHT!!!!

Angleique gets into her Ci Ke fighting style, Saika gets into her Tai Chi Quan. Every thing is silent until a drop from high above trickles down and hits the water in between the two women. As soon as the ripples start, Angelique attacks first. She comes at Saika with a quick palm strike to the chest. Saika does a back hand spring and distances herself from Angelique. The water is hindering her movements a bit. She's not used to being held down by anything.

Angelique- Runing away already? I'm dissapointed....

Saika- You wish.

Saika jumps to one side of the room, and clings on to the wall. She gives Angelique a menacing look that's intensifiyed by her mask. She lets go and wall runs toward Angelique with almost inhuman speed, leaving a shadow trail behind her. As she closes in on Angelique, she jumps off the wall and delivers a swift hurricane kick to Angelique. However, being as nimble as she is, Angelique bends backwards, and Saika shoots right over her. Saika turns in mid-air and faces Angelique as she lands, sliding back a few feet in the water. They both stare at each other for a second before attacking again.

Angelique comes at Saika with her Sha Ren fighting style. Not knowing what to excpect, Saika is caught off gaurd and is hit with a vucious rising palm which lifts her into the air and over Angelique's head. Saika slams hard onto the marble floor, submerged in water. Saika's lungs fill with water, but before she can get up, Angelique comes down with an axe kick, trying to keep her below the water. Saika manages to block the kick, but she's still pinned under water.

Rage begins to course through her viens as her time is getting shorter. She feels a strange burning in her chest, as she looks at her opponent, her sight changes color to an off purple. A surge of energy courses through her and Angelique's leg comes off her gaurd. Her vision changes back to normal and she quickly gets up.

Saika-(cough) What just happened?

Angelique- Y....You just something out of your eyes. If I hadn't moved my leg, it would've been blown off.

Saika looks at her with a loof of confusion on her face. She looks up and sees two smoking holes in the ceiling. Before she can say anything, Angelique attacks again.

Angelique comes in with a swift kick to Saika's head, which is blocked, she uses the same foot to come down, and sweep Saika off her feet. The sweep connects and Saika is knocked off balance. As she's falling, Angelique comes around again with a palm strike and hits her dead center in the chest, shooting her into one of the marble walls. Saika hits the wall with enough force to leave an indentation in it. As she slides down, Angelique uses her Aqua Smash and launches a huge blast of water at Saika. It connects and applies a huge amount pressure on her chest. Saika can feel her ribs cracking from the impact as she's being drenched. She falls to the ground as the move finishes and coughs up blood through her mask.

Angelique- I told you, you're at a distinct disadvantage.

Saika- I'm far from being finished.

Saika's eyes glow a purple as she makes a dash at her opponent. She moves so quickly that the water actually parts underneath her. As she's about to hit Angelique, she extends one of her kudachi and changes direction at the last second. Before Angelique can realize what happened, she sees a star-shaped pattern on the floor where the water was still raised, and she's standing right in the middle of it. Suddenly, she feels a wave of pain course through her body, as slits appear all over her legs, arms, and chest. She falls to her knees and the water around her turns red.

With out warning, a strange creek is heard. As the women stop in their tracks, one of the huge doors at the end of the room blows open a giant tidal wave of water comes rushing in. Saika is able to use her speed to jump from alcove to alcove, outruning the water level. Angelique, water being her specialty has no problem swimming to the surface as the water rises..

Saika- If I'm going to end this, I'll have to take the fight to her.

Saika jumps underneath one of the alcoves, and shoots back down into the water, engulfed in a shadow flame. She shoots through the water and attacks Angelique directly. Her kudachi cut through the water and act as fins, helping to steer her to the target. Angelique is caught off gaurd and is hit hard by Saika's attack, shooting her further down into the water.

Angelique is not please, nobody out does her in her element. She uses her Aqua Smash again, no that it's in water, it's impossible to track and Saika is hit full force. She's shot out of the water and at the ceiling, letting out a scream.

Saika- Aiiigghh!!!

She lands on one of the alcoves and has a hard time getting up. The water level is rising and so is her opponent.

Angelique creates a small guyser to shoot her to the top of the waterlevel. She balances on the guyser and folds her arms.

Angelique- Give up now and you might live. If you continue, I will destroy you.

Saika- Not a chance.

She stands up and tries to focus. She looks around the room to see if she can use something to her advantage. Her eyes catch the extinguihed torches at the bottom of the room.

Saika thinks to herself- Of course.

her though is interupted by Angelique voice.

Angelique- Fine, die like a dog!!!

Angelique flips on the guyser and shoots a blast of frost energy through the water. It travels to the bottom of the room, and rises up the other side. As it shoots through the water, it begins to form into a giant icicle and shoots through the alcove that Saika is standing on. Saika is shot into the air, but regains her balance and pounces off the ceiling and into the dark depths of the water filled chamber.

Angelique- She must be out of her mind.

Angelique jumps down from her guyser and back into the water. She swims to the bottom of the chamber where it's almost completely dark.
She thinks to her self

Angelique- Where is she?

Saika- Are you afraid of the dark?

Angelique turns around, but nothing is there.

Saika- If not, then you're about to...

Angelique- Show yourself! Where are you?!

Suddenly the marble flooring is torn to pieces as a surge of energy travels from seemingly no where. Angelique is consumed in flames and lets out a scream. Suddenly, a wierd flame ignites under water, right underneath Angeliques shadow which is cast by a small light incased in glass on top of the fountan. Saika shoots out of the flame and delivers a swfit strike to Angeliques mid-section. She follows up with a combo of kicks to her ribs, thighs and chest. As a final move, she backflips in the air and charges a ball of shadow energy and looks at Angelique.

Saika- I won't loose this fight, not for Hatsuma, not for Koga, and not for me. Begone.

Saika releases the ball of shadow energy which shoots throught the water, and connects with Angelique. Angelique is shot through the water and out into the open air.Saika swims after her and delivers one last roundhouse kick to Angelique, knocking her out completely. Saika user her tetsuguene and ties it to one end of her kudachi, and the other to Angelique. The water level begins to drop and Angelique is left hanging from the ceiling. She wakes up shortly after with Saika looking up at her.

Saika- I win.

With that, she leaps up to her opponent and extracts her kudachi from the ceiling. She grabs the tied Angelique and makes her way down to the bottom floor. The portal opens and she steps through. Saika and her opponent arrive back in the junction chamber. Saika un does the steel wire around Angeliques's body and lets her go. The wire shoots back to her hand and she sheths the kudachi in its scabard.

Angelique- Why?

Saika doesn't answer and walks away, still holding her ribs.

Shadow Priest- the winner of this fight...Saika.

Saika approaches Templar with an exhausted look on her face.

Templar- exhausted?

Saika- yes. She was putting on a hard, cold fight.

Templar nodded. he really didn't feel any reason to aknowledge her victory with words. He rubbed his eyes with his fingers. Sometimes the exhaust-ion drove him to near sleep. Sleep, was something he could not allow.

Saika- are you awake?

Templar- yes. Lesser tiredness of the mind. Nothing to worry about.

Saika- now that was unconvincing. ...my ribs. Gonna take a while they
heal. How in the hell you don't show any signs of woundedness.

Templar looked at her with blanketed eyes and began speak:

Templar- becouse i choose not to break. There are people who are
simply not worthy enough to make me bleed.

Saika-you are suggesting that you can supress pain whenever you want?
-she was suprised by the senctence. Clearly noone in their right mind
would believe that. But after sawing unimaginable things here...she
wasn't quite sure about the whole issue.

Templar- of course not. I just simply choose not to attention.

Saika- then pay no attention to your wounds and bleed to death...I don't
understand.

There was a loud screaming and celebrating at one of the rings. Some warrior was just announced victorious, so he took his opponents head and thrown it into the crowd. Someone carried the gift around on a pike.

Templar- it is a virtue bestowed only for the dying. -he stood up, and walked silently out of sight. outside in the courtyard, only a few of the acolytes and some of the monks were prowling around armed with spears to drive back those, who would change their minds after their entry to the warriors sport of Mortal Kombat.

He looked at the mess yard. Under the twisted shinto-like shrines there were the remains of the entries show of strenght. The two pedestals rai-sed next to each other, and the tabloid stone...

He took one of the stones and placed it on the pedestals. After that, he walked up on to the rotunda and looked at the piece of rock. he raised his right hand and slammed it into the tabloid what weighted around 20 kilogramms. A crack runned down on the center of the chunk of rock, and it became separated into two pieces.

He took his right hand into the others grasp. A quick twist, and a sound of bones cracking inside the gauntlet. His hands were just like before. Only a slight pain from the contact remained.

He was not alone. There was someone outside him, around in the bu-shes surrounding the courtyard. HIs senses were keen, but he could not make out the shadowy figure who was standing between the trees. And within a blink, it has dissapeared.

He looked sideways, down on the charred plains of Outworld. From theese heights, he could see to hundreds of miles. On the edge of the horizon, a green pillar of light flickered. Unsettling was only a lesser word what could describe his feelings.

AN OMEN!

Templar- I don't know where you are old man, but I know you're somehow involved in this. There is something more behind this charade called the tournament.

He clenched his fists, and raised it in the air. A small thin line of glowing golden liquid poured down from his fist.

Templar- where ever you are, you still owe me one final command!

Hey TomTaz, greate to see you on the story thread and can't wait to read what you have to write.

Mychau took the advantage, and as she neared Rachnor ducked down and to the side, sweeping her powerful leg out in a wide arc, taking the cloaked warrior's legs out from under him and sending him sprawling into the snow. He quickly rolled to his feet and lashed out with a quick hand chop. Mychau raised her hand to block, but it was a fient. Rachnor's leg snapped up, striking the elder human in the gut and driving the wind from her lungs. Rachnor quickly switched his style of attack to Raven, and began to move forward, keeping his body low as he launched kick after kick, using the advantage of the high snow to mask his movements, the snow he kicked up with his movements hiding his strikes partially to allow him to add in a few low punches to Mychau's legs.

A few blows got through, but Mychau managed to avoid most of them by quickly backstepping, more used to moving in the deep snow that her opponent. Finally, she saw an opening, and launches a thrusting punch at Rachnor's head, but he simply stood up and launched a stunning blow to her temple, causing her to stagger back. Smirking, he swept her legs out from under her and prepared to finish the match off with a strike to Mychau's neck, hitting a major nerve cluster that would knock her out.

She blocked the blow, surprising him. She quickly launched a double palm strike at Rachnor's face, bloodying his nose and forcing him to his feet. Before he could react, she launched several quick kicks to Rachnor's face, driving him back even further, finishing the combination attack with a powerful blast of snow and cold that sent him sprawling.

Rachnor, mildly dazed from the attack, smirked at Mychau, a little impressed now. She just beckoned him, taking a Viet Vo Dao stance.

-Perhaps I've gotten sloppy after being in meditation for so long... Either that or she's better that I originally thought...- He gestured, calling metal shards from the ground beneath him to burst through the ground and arch towards Mychau. She vanished in a cloud of snow just before the shards hit, reappearing behind Rachnor and hitting him in the small of his back with a kick that sent him sprawling. He tried to get up, but Mychau leaped in and stomped on his head with both of her booted feet, putting him down.

She flipped away and waited.

Rachnor slowly picked himself up, smirking and dusting snow off of his cloak. He staggered slightly, but recovered quickly, forcing his head to clear of the pain rushing through it.

-I've gotten sloppy AND she's better than I thought... This spirit has provided a good opponent for me indeed...- he thought as he bowed to her.

"Not bad, my dear. You've succeeded in getting me to take you seriously," he said, summoning the Sarodo to his hands and spinning the spiked ball of it above his head.

"Ready for round 2?"

Mychau just smirked.

==========
TBC...
==========

Thanks Smoke, I see you're already off to a great start and am glad that you'll be writing in the story again.

-Tekunin HQ: Race Bay-

A huge domed structure with slanted walls, ramps, drops, tracks, tunnels, and half-pipes are littered through out this room. Suddenley, a loud noise breaks the silence, an almost defening rev is heard as the track becomes alive with activity. Seven new cyborgs race across the circut. Each one o all fours and designed completely unique to the other cyber ninjas that the Tekunin have produced. Each has a distinct style. One in particular, a silver and black colored unit has made a move into the lead and is going up against the current leader.

leader- You think you can pass me? You're welcome to try....

challanger- I DON'T THINK I can pass you, I KNOW it!!

The two units break off from the other five and it quickly becomes a one on one race. The two units speed into a hair pin turn and the leader, a unit colored with a polished black and aqua neon accents quickly swerves in, hitting the challanger to the side.

challanger- Aaaiiiggghh!

The silver unit quickly jumps onto the higher part of the wall and rides along side the leader at a raised elevation. The unit quickly does a barrel roll off the wall and over the leader, landing on the right side.

challanger- You're not getting rid of me that easy....

leader- (smirks) Fine, then we go all out.......

As the two of them approach a lit ring in the course, they set off the obsticle portion of the course. 50 yeads in front of them, the floor spilts open, and becomes a canyon. The walls seperate to a greate distance, as they do, platforms, and slanted ramps emerge from the walls. Magnetic strips and pillars shoot out of the ground, and make the opening less manuverable to provide a challange.

leader- Ready to take it to the next level?

challanger- Let's do this..

The two units sperate to either side of the off ramp and leap towards the walls. They dig their wheels into the wall for some traction and shoot off two nearby ramps that cause them to switch walls in mid-air. As they cross over one another, they both do a barrel roll and land on the opposite wall. A milli-second after that, they both hit a jump ramp and the walls collapse, sending them to the forest of pillars and magnet strips in the center of the canyon. By this time, the silver unit has taken a slight lead, it's moving from magnet strip to magnet strip, hitting every boost pad. The black unit has taken the higher road and is using the top of the pillars as a straight line to the end of the canyon. The unit uses its agility to place only one wheel on each pillar at a time, all the while performing arial stunts, which makes it look like it's running on top of the pillars.

Meanwhile, the silver unit is using the magnetic strips as a guide through the pillar forest. It has reached it's critical speed, which leaves a neon streak coming off the back tires. both units approach the two boost rings that signal the end of the canyon, each one is switching between first and second place with only a milli-second between them. Each one jumps through the boost ring and land back on the road way. The silver unit does a frontal wheelie will the black one does a back flip upon landing.

Black unit- not bad, but this race isn't finished yet.

Silver unit- Then let's keep going.....

The two units hit a second ring and get an extra boost off speed, as they reach incredible speed once more, they go through a huge loop de loop, triggering a defense system. As they begin to come off the loop, gaurd walls shoot from the ground, and nearby turrets engage them. The gaurd walls begin to shootout only several feet away from them, and going at that speed, that leaves less then a second to react. As the first wall shoots up from the ground infront of the silver unit.

Silver unit- Whoa!!!

It quickly jumps over the wall and lands on it's left front wheel with its feet in the air. A second wall pops up and the unit quickly does a cartwheel while still in motion to avoid it.

The black unit is attacked by the energy turrets while this is happening. The unit dodges left and right, and barely lifting off the ground to preform rolls when there is no room to dodge. Suddenly, several walls appear infornt of it while being shot at. The unit's visor truns red and suddenly two missle pods open on its back. It launches the missles and blows up the turrets on its side of the course. However, that leaves the oncoming wall, the unit lowers itself only centi-meters from the ground and speeds forward. Suddenly, a neon blue light shines infront of it and takes the shape of a honeycomb pattern several inches from the unit and streams back behind it. The unit plows right through the forth coming walls with no problem.

black unit- No problem.

Both units are still neck and neck, this time a wave of dronez attack the silver unit as it dodges the gates.

Silver Unit- Oh no you don't I'm not lossing this race.

The shoulder blades on the unit open, showing two mini laser canons. The canons auto target the dronze and blow them out of the air. Both units reach the finish line at the exact same time, a first on this course. They powerslide to a stop and stand up. The black unit pulls in the wheels and opens the face plate revealing himself to be a guy. Looks like in his early twenties with emerald eyes.

Black unit- Not bad, not bad at all. Not to many people can keep up with me, I'm impressed.

The silver unit pulls in its wheels and stands, opening up its face plate as well as some of the armor, revealing it self to be a woman, a girl to be exact, maybe 19 years old. She has blue eyes and brown hair. The armor shows off her body.

Silver unit- I take that as a compliment.....

-Above-
Sektor- Bring them to me, I have a mission for them......