Ryu and Ken continued to fight it out with their deadly phantom opponents.

Both were in a tight spot,no matter what they did they couldn't harm their opponents,but their oppoenents could harm them.

Ryu had to find a way out of this,as did Ken,before it was too late.

The phantom Sagat fired another Tiger Shot at his foe,but Ryu simply ducked under it.
"This is crazy!"he thought. "How can I fight something if it's not really there?"

While back in Ken's battle,he fought with tooth and nail against the phantom of the evil Urien.
"SHINRYUKEN!" shouted Ken as he unleashed his Dragon Punch barrage on his enemy.

But to his horror,it went right through him.
"HEY--c'mon man!"said Ken. "This isn't fair,not one damn bit!"

Urien counterrattacked with his Tyrant Slaughter again.

Ken was hit again in the chest by it,but managed to jump away to safety from it at the last minute.

"How am I gonna get outta this?"he said.

Ryu kept jumping from edge of the ring to the other,trying to avoid Sagat's attacks at all costs.

Sagat jumped at Ryu with another Tiger Knee,but Ryu decided to use that to his advantage.

He then jumped into a flying kick at him,causing himself to pass right through the phantom.
"Well,at least that should help somewhat."said Ryu. "At least until I figure out how to deal with this."

While back in the lower areas of the ship...

Guy and Sodom struggled underwater to break free of the sea creature they were faced with.
Even Sodom's strength couldn't break free of the beast's tendrils.

They were now both running out of air,Guy had to do something fast.
He then felt around in his utility belt for one of the crucifex blades.

He got ahold of it and began to saw through the creature's tendril.

"SSSSSKK!"
The blade cut through slimy scales of skin and seafoam colored blood oozed out.
The monster cried in pain as it let loose of it's would-be vicitms.

Guy and Sodom quickly swam back up for air till they were there.

"GASP!" they both cried as they reached the surface.
"Man---what was thing?"said Sodom.
"I'm sure it's obvious that it's one of Den's playthings."said Guy. "But the real question now is--how to get rid of it before it goes at us again?"

The pair then got out of the pool before the monster could strike again.
Suddenly,one of the monster's tendrils burst from the waters again,lashing out and around to find it's prey.

"I got an idea."said Guy. "If you can pin one of the creature's tendrils to the wall with that hammer they gave you. Maybe I can get a shot at it with my blades."

"Worth a try."said Sodom. "But what have we got to lose?"
"Aside from our lives you mean?"said Guy. "Let's do it!"

While back in the dining room...

Dudley and Rose were face-to-face with a large horde of the same bloodsucking vampires that had been plaguing them since the tournament began at the civic center.

"Never thought we'd see more of these things."said Dudley.
"I'll try to keep them busy."said Rose. "You try to jimmy the lock."
"Will do!"said Dudley.

The boxer got out one of the silver arrows from his crossbow and began to work at the lock.
"I've jimmied locks before."he said. "But this may take some time."

"I'll give you time all right."said Rose.
The mystic raised her hands and a violet shield of pyschic energy formed between the two heroes and the vampire hordes.
The vamps pounded up against the shield wall while Dudley continued to work at the lock.

"Unh--I woner--how--the others are doing?"he said.

While below on the other decks of the ship...
Sean was facing off with a dark shroud of some kind,and it had just swallowed up Makoto.
"Makoto,no!"he said. "You damn monster,you ate her!"

Suddenly,he saw the image of Makoto appear inside the shroud creature.

She was struggling inside as if she was trapped by a black bubble.
"Makoto...?"said Sean.
"Sean--HEELP MEEE!"she screamed.

Sean drew the silver stake that was given to him,when suddenly,he heard a voice from the shroud.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"Huh...who said that?"he said.
"Obvious question."said the same voice.

The shroud of black began to take and shape and transform into something that slightly resumbled a humanoid.
It grew a pair of arms and legs as well as a pair of red glowing eyes.

Makoto was still trapped inside.
"What--are you?"said Sean.
"I'll have you know i'm more of a who,not a what."said the shroud. "And Darkness is my name,engulfing and killing people is my game.

I'm sure you want your friend back."
"You bet I do--let her go now!"said Sean.
"Well,if you want her free my,'grasp',we'll play a little game."said Darkness. "Try to catch and destroy me,or i'll drain out all the air out of her...and get you next!"

"No--LET'ER GO!"said Sean as he threw a silver shuriken at the monster's head.
It went through the top of it's head,as if it were smoke.
"HAHAHA!"Darkness laughed. "Futile effort,boy. Now...we play it my way,follow me."

Darkness floated away off into another part of the engine room.
Sean had no choice but to run after the monster.

While back in the games and lounge room...

Charlie and Cammy continued to face off against the iron Victor.

Charlie threw several more Sonic Booms at the monster,but they just continued to bounce
off his skin.

"Cammy then saw a fluroscent light fixture hanging over the monster.
She then aimed her own crossbow at the support cables,and fired.

Each support cable broke apart and the light fixture fell down upon the robot's head,slightly pinning him down.

Victor struggled to rip the frame off of him,while he was doing so,Charlie pulled out a pair of silver stakes.
"Do ya think those'll work?"said Cammy.
"I dont't really have anything to try to destroy a steel monster,now do I?"said Charlie. "Here goes nothin'!
 

Charlie jumped up onto the monster and brought down the metal stake upon it's head,piercing through it's steeel skin!
"Well,what do ya know?"he said. "These stakes are for more than just vampire pig-sticking!"

Suddenly,before Charlie could continue,Victor ripped the light frame apart and grabbed ahold of Charlie.
"CHARLIE!"said Cammy.

Victor threw Charlie across the room,causing him to fall upa gainst a snack vending machine.
"Baumy and blimey!"said Cammy. "This is gonna take a lot more work than I thought!"

While back in Den's secret lair...

Morrigan awoke to find both ehrself and Baine in a red crystal orb which was thei r momentary imprisonment.
"Wh-where are we?"she said.
"Ah,you're at last awake--dear mother."said Dena s he approached his captives.
"Den!"she said in disgust. "What have you done with us? And where are the others?"

Den showed Morrigan images of the other fighters in various perils and sitautions upon the video screens.
"You...bastard!"she said. "You were expecting us all after all."
"Of course."said Den. "You'd think even your magic tricks and pitiful strategy are no match for my own! My father has trained me well in these matters."

"You won't win this time,Den!"said Morrigan. "You've escaped us far too long for your reign of evil to go on any further!"
"Ha,so you say!"said Den. "But when this is over,we'll never be apart again."

Morrigan looked over at the cauldron pot fileld with human blood and a certain talisman that lay upon a table next to it.
"No..."she said. "..not that---that same spell amulet again!"
"Yes,the same."said "And once it's completed,the earth shall belong to the one true Darkstalker--the vampire race,HAHAHAHA!"