"I knew watching those Clint Eastwood movies had to be good for something." Locke muttered as he holstered his gun, and turned to a stun Crimson. "Bullets like mine cost alot, you know."
Right after Locke had earlier pulled the trigger, Zero1 had immediately froze in place. Usually a gun wouldn't bother him, but the fact that he knew he was injured to the point where his speed was seriously hampered caused him to freeze up. Locke, had no such problems, even as he rushed forward towards the dark Tae Kwon Do fighter and choke-slammed him into the ground. Holding his shoulder and moving his arm, Locke loosened up the few kinks he still had.
Crimson kept a wary eye on the incredibly well-dressed man before him. The odds were against him, fighting Kay and Acinomia had taken alot out of both him and Zero1, the two had been practically running on pure adrenaline. Oh, and the dude had a gun. With firm resolve, Crimson held his stance, muscles tensed and ready for battle.
"You know… we could do this the easy way or the hard way." Locke said conversationally as he adjusted his gloves. "Easy way, you come with me. Hard way, well, I'm not really in the mood for it, but I'll kick your ass."
Crimson letted out a loud battlecry, lunging forward with his fist.
Locke swerved to the side like flowing water, his gloved hand reached out to grab Crimson's arm and flipped him to the ground. Crimson looked upward in daze at Locke, who said, "Why do heroes always choose the hard way?" With that, he pressed his fingers on a certain point in Crimson's neck. Blackness filled his vision as he fell unconcious.
Taking out a celluarphone from inside his jacket, Locke pressed on autodial. When someone answered, Locke casually stepped across the unconcious forms of fighters. When he reached Zero1 in particular, he rested his right foot on the warrior's chest as he spoke into the phone. "I've done your dirty work." Locke said into the phone. "Five million dollars in American currency per head, all in advance." Locke paused, listening to the voice of the supreme commander of Shadowlaw. His gaze grew more set and grim. "I've told you, you can only hire me for missions, I won't be one of your dogs." His bangs began to shadow his eyes as he heard Bison's reply to that. "Oh, you're going to send your dolls to retrieve them, huh? Heh, I don't think so." Locke idly fingered one of the buttons on his armani suit, his voice had become subtlely more menacing. "Why not? Because I'll kill your dolls. I've warned you Bison, don't you dare double-cross me."
"<'I can do whatever I wish, Locke.>" Bison replied mockingly. "<'You see, even now, my agents have disarmed every single incriminating evidence you could hold against me. Your hidden computers, your viruses, all information has been destroyed. Now, what will you do?>"
"I'm going to kill you." Locke whispered and crushed the celluarphone. Staring blankly at the crushed electronic object for a moment, he allowed the pieces to fall from his hand. Lifting Kay and Acinomia over his shoulders first, he began to head for his car.
----------
The creatures were suddenly slaughtered as the large doors to the fortress closed behind them.
"~Heh, so you've all finally arrived.~" a voice echoed into their thoughts.
"What? Show thyself before my mighty self, fiend!" Volpe raised his fist, shaking it mightily.
"He's right in front of us." Iwa said blandly, pointing in front of them, where a man stood, attired all in black. The sword on his back seemed to stand out for some reason.
"~I am called Shadow Dragon.~" the voice echoed in their thoughts as the man slowly drew his blade, which seemed to glow ominously, a small tinge of darkness was also evident along its edge. "~Essences of the Nine, you shall never see the rise of another sun.~"
"Oh, concur!" Volpe boasted, raising his fists before him. "I dare contradict that, fiend! For we are upon a mission of dire importance here, to save a friend! And the way of truth and justice shall always prevail! And nay shall the ways of so dark a hand such as thy own could ever hope to match up against the purity and brightness which exists within the hearts of us mighty hero-"
"~Shut up and die.~" Shadow Dragon barked telepathically as he rushed forward with his blade.
"Hey, you look familiar…" Volpe squinted as he raised his combat knife against Shadow Dragon's blade. "Don't I know you-" But Shadow Dragon had withdrawn his blade, and slashed again. The two moved in a dance while their onlookers watched.
Iwa's eyes were set as she adjusted her gloves, watching the two combatants attempt to tear each other apart. Her eyes were drawn to the sword in Shadow Dragon's hands however, it seemed to flicker ominously and Shadow Dragon used it with incredible ease for someone his size. His muscles seemed only to strain when he attacked, as if the weapon were weightless.
Iwa looked sidelong towards Kumori, who was in position to defend the others if anything unfortunate should happen. Kumori nodded with John holding Ayame's form, and Iwa bolted forward, her hands in front of her as she struck Shadow Dragon's lower back area. Shadow Dragon lurched forward as Volpe instinctively stepped aside, allowing the warrior to sprawl on the floor. But Shadow Dragon was back on his feet, Volpe defending the two of them from the blade while Iwa awaited a chance to attack.
"Now!" Volpe shouted, spinning his knife in one hand and thrusted forward at Shadow Dragon's blade with all his strength and point-blank range. The sword shook and its faint glow flickered, but it did not do what Volpe had been hoping it would.
"~That was a nice trick.~" Shadow Dragon's voice echoed in their thoughts. "~But the Sommerswerd is no ordinary weapon, and thus it cannot be shattered so.~"
"Excretorial waste of a Pikachu!" Volpe cursed.
"Titanic movie lover!" Iwa growled.
And they continued to fight.
----------
Two women were in a familiar black Honda sedan, roaming the streets of the main city upon Fighters' Isle. However, the black sedan's owner was nowhere to be seen as Meliza was at the wheel.
"So, you're saying that they're still alive, but they're just not back there at the destruction?" Meliza asked worriedly, looking over at Victoria Enid, who sat nervously preening her nails in the passenger's seat.
"Sí." Victoria nodded, putting her filer away, she looked out the window. "I can… sense them." Victoria shook her head. "Well, some of them anyway. Kay, Crimson, and Zero1 are the ones I'm getting the strongest 'vibes' from. But I think they're unconcious, or, well, not very alert…" Victoria's brow furrowed. "Wherever they are, its all very blurry…"
"Well, we'll keep looking." Meliza replied, looking out in worry.
----------
Locke shoved the last of the four into the room, making sure to properly drug them after he patched up their wounds. It wasn't easy, but keeping them alive and healthy would be more rewarding in the end. After all, Bison still wanted these people. Well, Bison had ordered him to kill Acinomia. Looking at her druggedly holding Kay Lee close to herself, Locke decided that he could use her as an ally. Grimacing at his predicament, Bison had frozen several of his accounts, so he had limited funds at his disposal.
No doubt in his mind Bison would send his best against him. He would have to disrupt Shadowlaw's communication system in order to gain himself some time. Locking the door firmly, he went over to his coffee table and pulled out a small briefcase. From it, appeared a series of floppy disks, flipping through them, he finally picked out one. Leaving the hotel room, Locke decided to head for the library.
----------
"<'Apprehend Locke Koh, and eliminate him.>" Bison ordered his elite assassins.
"Music to my ears." Memphis grinned, gunning up the engine of his recently purcahsed motorcycle. He had been looking for an excuse to eliminate his rival hitman anyway. What stopped him from killing Koh in the past was that the consequences were so high that even Memphis paused when he thought about it. Of course, he'd regret killing such a great rival. But as Locke would say, business was business.
Cruising the streets of the city, Memphis adjusted his shades and looked into the various restaurants. It was lunch time, and the man would have to eat after all.
He stopped his motorcycle and smiled when he spotted something. It wasn't Koh, but just as interesting nonetheless. Not to mention it looked a helluva lot better. Dismounting his motorcycle, Memphis headed his way into the fast food joint where two women were eating. Their names were Meliza and Victoria.
----------
"You know… if Kay were here, he'd have filched our burgers without us realizing it." Meliza grinned as she took a mouthful of the salad she just ordered.
"The man loves his burgers." Victoria laughed. "I think he probably loves food above everything else at times."
"I wonder how he could be a man with two beautiful ladies like yourselves around." a voice leered from above.
Meliza and Victoria looked up, seeing an exotically dressed man in a black trench coat. Meliza quickly grabbed Victoria's arm, getting themselves away from Memphis quickly.
"Miss me, sweetheart?" Memphis smiled, then he eyed Victoria appreciatively. "I'm so glad you brought a friend with you this time."
"Go away, Memphis, we have nothing to do with you." Meliza glared.
"Au contraire, madomoselle…" Memphis said wickedly as he leaned forward. "We have much to discuss."
"I believe the lady said, 'Go away.'" a voice said.
Memphis glanced behind him towards the owner of that voice, the three of them had been gathering some attention. Glaring icily at the intruder, Memphis said, "Don't try to be a hero, I can kick your ass from this side of town to the next."
"The name's Ryu Dragon, sound familiar?" Ryu Dragon said casually.
"Hmmmm… No, now go away." Memphis returned his attention to the two ladies, whom he found far more pleasing to look at.
Angry at the rebuff, Ryu Dragon grabbed Memphis by the shoulder. But found something sharp suddenly poking his abdominal.
"Stay out of this, and I just might forget that you touched me." Memphis said coldly, holding his blade. If he even twitched, it would draw blood. Ryu Dragon's eyes narrowed at Memphis, and as he was about to reply, Memphis letted out a shout as his katana fell to the ground. Ryu Dragon stared in amazement at the dagger protruding from Memphis' shoulder, and at the set face of the young hispanic woman who's hand was outstretched. The real shocker came when the dagger came out and flew back to the girl's hand. She quickly wiped it clean with a napkin.
As Memphis tried to rise, Ryu Dragon quickly slammed his fist to his skull. Not enough to kill him, but enough to send him to dreamland and wake up in a world of hurt.
"Wait." Ryu Dragon called out to the two women. They stopped and turned to him.
"Thanks for the help." Meliza smiled. "But we really have to get going."
"You're in trouble, and something weird's been happening around here lately." Ryu Dragon said. "Its about time I did something."
----------
*UPLOAD COMPLETE*
Locke made a small smile at the message from the library's computer, knowing that at the moment, the communications system at Shadowlaw was gone and everyone would be in hysterics.
----------
"Lord Bison, all communication systems have suddenly ceased to work!" a technician reported fearfully, knowing full well that he was in the presence of the Master. And the two were in a room filled with monitors, all of which had only electrical snow. Bison looked down at the technician for a moment before telekinetically sending him flying out of the doorway.
"Koh…" Bison growled, knowing full well who was responsible. All of the monitors suddenly shattered in the room, the shards and shrapnels bouncing off of the small forcefield which he raised around himself. Walking out of the room, he did not give notice to the man in black clothing standing nearby the door. "You know what to do."
Jin Kushina nodded as he suddenly disappeared.
Bison stood there, a small smile beginning to form on his face. Jin Kushina, last known practicioner of the famed Kushina-Ryu Ninjitsu, those who wielded the midnight flames of destruction. Like Locke Koh, he had come to the tournament in the employment of another, Jin Kushina did not know Bison knew that. But just as with Locke, he would use Jin to his goals, and that would be all that mattered.
----------
Volpe and Iwa stood to the front and back of Shadow Dragon respectively. The three were panting as Volpe and Iwa eyed Shadow Dragon and his sommerswerd carefully, while Shadow Dragon did his best to keep both fighters within his range of vision. In the course of events, Shadow Dragon had pulled off a series of extremely powerful techniques, but Iwa and Volpe would always find some way to get through it. As the majority of the warrior's techniques were straightforward, so at least one of them was behind Shadow Dragon to attack once he placed attention into his attack.
Any ordinary fighter would have been overwhelmed by the power of his attacks. Such a dazzling combination of speed and strength which makes some people want to bring out the crackers. But Iwa and Volpe were seasoned warriors, and their strengths were slowly gaining as they got into the rythmn of fighting the powerful warrior. This steady rise in power was unknown to the three however, but their spectators saw this with amazing clarity. Iwa's expressions were changing and her aura was becoming far more savage. Volpe's aura seemed to shine with brilliant confidence, the power and strength of masculinity practically oozing from his form.
*What's happening?* Shadow Dragon panted in his thoughts. *How did they get so strong?* His eyes narrowed in suspicion of an outside force helping the warriors. But his suspicions were shortlived however as Volpe and Iwa attacked again. *No! I am the strongest of the Kai warriors! I can NEVER be beaten!*
"TAKE THIS, FIEND!" Volpe roared, a series of knives suddenly fanning out in his hands as he threw them towards Shadow Dragon, who spun his sommerswerd to deflect the knives. But his attention was focused on the various projectiles, leaving himself open to one other opponent,
"KISATSU… DEMOKA!" Iwa screamed as she leapt forward, grabbing Shadow Dragon by the neck and slamming him several times against the walls of the room, occasionally burying him deeply into the ground while snarling savagely. Pulling him upright, she unleashed a series of punches and kicks, a burst of ki appeared at every blow. Shouting loudly with each blow, Iwa paused for only a brief moment. In that brief moment of dizziness, Iwa uppercutted Shadow Dragon under the jaw, then followed up with her other fist, traveling into the air in the form of the Shin Shouryu Ken. She stood over Shadow Dragon, the Chinese symbol 'Kuang' (Psycho) appearing ominously upon her back. A faint hazy dragon appeared and disappeared, faint laughter of insanity emitted from the young woman.
Shadow Dragon staggers up slowly to his knees, coughing up blood in the process, looking bewildered. *What… was that?*
"~Brother!~" the voice seemed to have come from a distance, but Shadow Dragon still heard it clearly. "~Come back… you are fighting on the wrong side.~"
"~Wrong… side?~" Shadow Dragon replied shakily. "~I am Naar's elite warrior… who are you?~"
"~Remember… me.~" and a face appeared, a familiar face, very much like his face in fact.
"~Shockwave?~" Shadow Dragon blinked, his thoughts and memories coming back to him in his weakened state in which Naar's grip upon him slowly loosened as his brother sought to unravel the spell woven upon his mind.
"~They need your help, to help a friend, and to end Naar's reign upon our world.~" Shockwave replied.
Shadow Dragon felt dizzy as the spell was unraveled from his mind. Nausea filled his head and he fell forward from the unraveling of Naar's hold upon his mind, even as he felt his brother lose conciousness as well. But the hold was finally gone, even as the world became dark and he fell forward.
"Forsooth! We are vic-urk!" Volpe gasped as he held his chest, eyes wide in bewilderment. Then he smiled as a glow suddenly spilled forward from himself, and the misty image of one known as TS appeared before him, hand reaching in to grab hold of the shining light from Volpe's chest. "So, thou hast found someone worthy of this Essence." Volpe smiled. "I am glad that I may pass on this wonderful gift to another, it was getting sorta crowded in there, in my opinion."
TS nodded as he pulled the light free from Volpe. The minor deity disappeared, and the light hovered by itself for a moment before disappearing as well.
----------
The room held only a dim light as Crimson sat in the small room with three others. He didn't really know who they were, and try as he might, he just couldn't seem to remember them for five minutes. Five minutes? Maybe he was drugged… or maybe not, well, he didn't really know. Suddenly, a shining sphere of white light appeared before him. It was very bright, and setted itself before his chest. It was asking him something, and through the fog, he could somehow understand what it was asking. Nodding numbly, he allowed the white light to enter him.
The new Essence of Yang, Crimson.
----------
"So, you've finally betrayed Shadowlaw." a thickly accented voice whispered from the shadows of the alley. "I've been waiting for this moment."
"Vega." Locke's eyes narrowed, turning to the figure in the shadows. Flicking his bangs away from his eyes, he said, "Go away, dog, and perhaps I might let you live."
"HWEEE!" Vega suddenly yodeled as he erupted from the shadows into the air, an amazing combination of grace and speed. His claw glinted ominously from the little sunlight which reflected from it as he made his descent on Locke.
"I know how you fight!" Locke snarled, reaching out to grab Vega by the clawed wrist, adding more force to Vega's contact with the ground. Raising his foot to stomp on Vega, he narrowly missed as Vega rolled away and the ground beneathe Locke's foot became a small crater. Locke raised his fists, his eyes focused as he looked at Vega steadily.
"Hmhmhaha. Such a vulgar individual such as yourself can never defeat one as beautiful as myself!" Vega taunted.
"This from the man who's the inferior of Sagat and M. Bison?" Locke muttered as he moved forward. "HYAU!" Spinning sideways in the air, he sent his heel against Vega in the form of his Wheel Kick. Watching Vega fall back, Locke felt a sudden pain spread from his back. Gasping, Locke heard a soft voice speak from behind him.
"Locke Koh." the voice whispered. "Lord Bison asks for your death… but Vega has apparently forgotten to rip the location from you as to where you have hidden the three suspected Essences and the traitor known as Acinomia."
"Who… are you?" Locke whispered with a strained voice.
"Well, it doesn't matter whether you tell us of their location or not, we will find them soon enough." the voice was nonchalant about that. "My name is Jin Kushina, remember it well as the final name you hear of as you venture into your after-life."
"KIZANKEN!"
Locke fell forward, the pain in his back was more faint, but it still pulsed in this back. Reaching his hands to certain parts of his back quickly, he eased the damage done upon him with the use of pressure points by Jin Kushina. Glancing towards where the cry had come from, Locke saw the shadowy form of Memphis, and behind him was a growing crowd of onlookers into the alley.
Locke cursed, and ran off quickly, shoving onlookers to the side as he pulled his jacket over his head.
"Locke is mine to kill, twerp!" Memphis snarled, his katana unsheathed, the faintest sight of bandage running across his shoulder from beneathe his trenchcoat. "I don't know who the f--- you are, but no twerp is gonna kill him, but me!"
"You've just made a mistake." Jin glared coldly across the alley towards the urban assassin. The ninja held out his hand as a long object suddenly shimmered into existance into it. The blade was long and impressive, but what made it stand out was the blackness of its blade. Jin placed his left foot forward and setted his katana in a low stance behind him, held with both hands. "My blade hungers for your blood."
"That line is one of the most oldest and chee-!" Memphis raised his katana just in time to intercept Jin's dark blade, which seethed with black fire. The two were so intent on their struggle that they did not notice a certain masked warrior slip away.
----------
The forests of the Fighters' Isle had received little attention in recent days. Making it a suitable place for a swirling vortex to suddenly make its appearance. From the vortex stepped forward a tall man. Long, dark hair, handsome features. His form hidden by a long black coat, as black was in style for many villians recently. Fingering the crystalline cross hanging from his neck, Astaroth looked upon Earth. Earth, his homeworld, where his sister continued to live.
*My sister…* Astaroth, General of Naar, thought to himself as he closed his eyes in deep contemplation, creating the image of the morose person which he is. *The time has come for us to be together again.*
----------
Natalie frowned from her seat in the diner, looking out towards the general direction of the forest, sitting with Guile, Charlie, and Cammy. She sensed a familiar presence in the distance, but she shook her head. No, it couldn't be… or could it?
"Navy or Air Force?" Guile said conversationally as he looked looked at the mini-TV before him, featuring the Navy versus the Air Force in a football game."
"Air Force." they all said simultaneously.
----------
Meliza could hardly believed her eyes when she saw him. Keen eyes were a must for professional gamblers, and Meliza was a woman, and women noticed things that a man would not. Such as the conditions of Locke's clothes. When she had first met him, she noted how well-dressed and trimmed he was, there was not a loose strand to be found upon him. But those strands seemed to have returned with a vengeance now, along with their cousins the dark splotches.
Excusing herself, Meliza stepped away from the table her friends and her were having dinner, Ryu Dragon's treat of course. For the past several hours, they had no such luck on finding their friends.
Locke was having a small meal by himself, and an elegant glass of wine at his side. Seating herself in front of him, she was slightly miffed when he ignored her presence. She was patient, however, and the occasional kick to the shin could do wonders for one's attention. Locke finally gave her notice with a scathing look of annoyance.
"Do you mind?" he asked, irritation lining his voice.
"I'm surprised, last time you were aiming a gun at my head." Meliza said sweetly, and kicked him once more for good measure at that memory. Locke winced, for she was wearing shoes with hard soles.
"That's all in the past now, leave me be." Locke replied, spearing a piece of salad and chewing it in one swift, quick motion.
"Aaaww, the big bad assassin is being bullied by a little girl like me?" Meliza feigned shock, Locke's glare seemed to have no effect.
Locke struggled to calm himself. First Bison, then Bison's minions, and now her?! He was most certainly having a bad day! Meliza noted all this from the twitching of his right eyebrow, and the bending of the handle of his spoon. Calling for a drink and to have her meal from the other table set before her, Meliza decided to settle in and see if this man had any information concerning her friends. Locke asked for another fork, receiving a startled look from the waiter, but his request was quickly fulfilled.
"Some friends of mine are missing." Meliza said conversationally while they ate. "Know anything about people being kidnapped?"
"Not recently." Locke said stiffly, once more stabbing at his salad. Meliza idly wondered if the plate was forming a spider-web crack from its center. His defenses were still up, so she could not tell whether he was lying or not. She had to admit, he had to be a good gambler in that respect. She decided to take the possible bluff.
"Oh?" Meliza asked, leaning forward on her elbows, Meliza looked him in the eyes. "You seem to be a person very familiar with kidnapping."
Locke grunted and shrugged. But something in her thoughts clicked at the gesture. She was right, he did know something. Now she needed only to draw him out enough before he could fold his hand.
"So, Locke, how have you been since we last… met?" Meliza resisted the urge to kick him again.
Locke only grunted in reply, then stifled a bellow of pain by quickly placing a napkin in his mouth. He glared at her. "If you really must know, I'm unemployed and my last employer just froze up all of my accounts, leaving me to depend on my wits and the few money that he has yet to take from me."
"Sorry if I can't sympathize." Meliza replied acidly.
"Wouldn't expect you to." Locke shrugged, then he made a tired sigh, pushing his plate away and touching his forehead for a moment. "Go away, just leave me alone. I'm not after you anymore or anything."
Something about his posture caught Meliza's attention, and she found herself reaching her hand out to him, which she quickly snatched back. In a more gentler tone of voice, she asked, "You're a resourceful person, I'm sure you'll find a way out of this." She could not believe she had just said that. Confused, Meliza shook her head at the situation.
"Look, I have to go." Locke said, glancing at his watch. "Its been… nice talking with you." With that, he paid his bill, and left.
Meliza took her plate and drink, and returned to the table where her friends were. It would be to her surprise that two newcomers had joined their table. She didn't recognize them, but Victoria was talking enthusiastically with one of them, the woman.
"Hey, Meliza!" Victoria chirped, waving her friend over. "I want you to meet my friends Lilly and Yang…"
----------
Kay Lee did not know where he was, but the setting was not an unfamiliar one. The blackness was like a void, and after a few moments, Kay knew he was in the Psychic Zone. Another person stood across from him, someone whom he did not recognize. The man wore simple clothing with an exotic flair of foreigness to it. His looks were handsome and generally friendly, but a great sadness was within his eyes hiding the anger beneathe.
"My name is Darius." the man introduced himself.
"Kay Lee." Kay replied after a pause, when he got the idea he was supposed to introduce himself as well. "Why are we here?"
"This…" Darius spun his arm towards the void. "Is our mind."
"Ours?"
"Or rather, yours." Darius nodded his assent. Looking around at it, Darius pursed his lips. "I should not have awakened, yet I have." Shaking his head, Darius smiled sadly at Kay. "I almost wish I had not, for I see what has happened to my dear Julianna, lost within her rage and sorrow." Darius' eyes hardened. "But I still love her nonetheless, and am happy to be with her once more, no matter the situation."
"That would hurt Ayame's feelings." Kay whispered.
"Then, there is that." Darius nodded sadly.
The two sat in quiet contemplation as to what they should do, eventually they began to share their lives and experiences with each other. Kay, living without having ever seen the face of his mother in person. Darius, to watch his lover taken from him. As they talked, a faint blue glow emitted from the distance, but neither noticed it.
"I am sorry about what happens when I take control at times." Darius bowed his head shamefacedly. "The power… can be overwhelming. And I have so much rage within my thoughts."
"Yeah, don't worry." Kay shook his head. "I've been under the influence myself, it seems as if we're not really ready to handle such a power."
The blue glow suddenly appeared between them, shining brightly, curling with wonderful energy with much promises. Darius and Kay stared at it, stepping back and wondering if they were in any real danger. Soft tendrils of energy reached out towards both, touching their foreheads.
"I see…" Darius whispered.
"…our mind…" Kay whispered.
"…was separated…"
"…and only…"
"…when we…"
"…become one…"
"…will we…"
"…control the power of Wisdom!" both said unision as an explosion of bluish light erupted from between the two. From the middle, a figure slowly stepped forward. His features and physical form were Kay's own, but his hair had become white and his eyes blue. From his eyes showed wisdom beyond Kay's years. Wisdom hidden, as 'Wisdom is a hidden virtue.' "Now, its time for me to wake up." Kay paused for a moment before thinking out loud. "Well, I guess we were wrong thinking I was Nature."
----------
When Locke finished giving Crimson and Zero1 drugged water, he turned to look over the condition of Kay Lee and Acinomia, the latter was slowly smoothing back the former's hair. He would let the drug wear out from Acinomia, as she could prove to be a valuable ally to himself. Looking down towards Kay Lee, his eyes slowly widened when he noted how the hair upon Kay Lee's head changed to white, except the eyebrows. The young man's eyes were beginning to flutter open, and Locke hastily crushed a sleeping pill into powder, mixing it into a drink and placing the cup to Kay's lips.
Kay drank down the water and eventually fell asleep. Locke had seen what happened with Kay Lee earlier, and he didn't want to risk allowing the young man to go berserk and reveal his hiding place. Seating himself in a chair in the room, Locke rubbed his temple for a moment before serving food to his captives.
----------
"Thank you, thank you…" TS whispered in thanks to the Almighty Who's Name Could Not Be Spoken. Ignoring the fact that it was the Almighty Who's Name Could Not Be Spoken's fault in the first place. Looking around at his spotless domain, TS was reviled at just how sickeningly clean his domain had become when the Almighty Who's Name Could Not Be Spoken had sent HER. Clearing his throat, he called out. "Oh, Miko!"
"Yes?!" the housemaid created by the Almighty Who's Name Could Not Be Spoken skidded before him, featherduster and brooms held at the ready.
"Miko, what is that you're holding in your hand…?" TS was afraid of the answer.
"Oh, I saw that these cards with people who all wear caps had a little dust on them, so I decided to try the vacuum to get rid of the dust, and when that didn't work, I tried the laundromat…" she continued on and on, explaining the process as to how she destroyed his prized baseball card collection.
*Why didn't they give her a job in hell?* TS whimpered in his thoughts. *She would have been so perfect there.* Regaining his composure, TS decided to inform Miko Eliana of the new job that the creator now had for her. "Miko, the Almighty Who's Name Could Not Be Spoken, has decided to send you on a 'special' mission to the living world."
"Really?????" Miko's eyes grew wide like teacups.
"Yes, there's a real big mess growing down there, and the Almighty Who's Name Could Not Be Spoken has decided that you would be perfect for the job." TS shrugged. "Who knows? You might even find that purpose in life you've been nagging all of us about up here."
"Yay!" Miko jumped up and down in joy. "Whoohoo! I'm going to the living world and gonna find my purpose! Yay!"
*Twelve more hours…* TS gritted his teeth. *…just… twelve more hours.*
----------
The next morning, a young man by the name of Claude Kujiranami, was walking towards a familiar hot springs resort, when he suddenly felt an odd shadow over him. Looking up, his eyes were wide as someone fell on him, crashing the two into the ground.
"Wow! That was an easier landing than I thought!" Miko chirped, then noticed an arm sticking out from beneathe her. Miko stood up and looked down at the dazed young man in the ground. Then she brightened. "Oh! you're hurt, let me help you out there!" Immediately, she pulled out a large medical kit, and began to work on him.
----------
Chun Li yawned as she pulled on her bathrobe, rubbing her eyes blearily as she opened the door to her room. She stared at the amazingly cute young woman with a young man covered in bandages draped over her shoulder.
"Er… good morning." Chun Li stared, now where was that coffee?
----------
"To revive someone from the dead is a difficult process." Shadow Dragon said seriously. "Only with the determination and power of those who knew the dead can the soul return to the body." Shadow Dragon looked at the body briefly. "Fortunately, the body has not deteriorated so badly that we need to rejuvenate the tissues and such. I know the incantation, we need only the power."
"Kay should be here, then." Kumori said, but shook her head. "No time, this is the best opportunity, as magic is strongest in a full moon. I'll lead the chanting."
Shadow Dragon looked at her for a moment before instructing her on the incantations. Kumori listened it several times, asked a few times, then nodded in affirmation that she would know what to do. Volpe, Iwa, Kumori, John, and Shadow Dragon stood in five points of a certain star with Ayame in the center. An ancient sybol of magic, such was the five pointed star.
Kumori chanted long and low, raising her voice several octaves in certain moments and sometimes to a whisper that could barely be heard. Magic involved many elements depending upon the magician. Kumori's usage of her voice helped to shape and strengthen her power, Shadow Dragon was impressed by this, as he could not perform such a difficult task. The intricate weave of her chant was almost complete, even as the others felt their power drawing forth from their forms.
~"Liberi Fatali" (Fated Children) by Nobuo Uematsu (FFVIII)~
[Drumbeats "Fithos… Fithos…"]
*[Drumbeats "The succession… The succesion…"]*
Another presence was appearing, and Kumori smiled slightly when she recognized it. Chanting fiercely now in the strange melodious language, a faint haze appeared above Ayame's form, leaning over her in a show of concern. The spectre was Kay Lee in his astral form, projecting his mind through dimensions now that the full power of the Essence of Wisdom was in his control now. His white hair signified that. Blue eyes looked upward with his face turned upward towards the heavens, awaiting someone.
["Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec! Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec! Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec!"]
*["The Succession of Witches! The Succession of Witches! The Succession of Witches!"]*
Kumori continued her chant, glad that the slight modification she had made to the spell managed to reach Kay and he held enough power to cross the dimensions in an astral form. Her chant suddenly seemed to be echoed by a thousand voices all joining together in song. Ayame's form slowly floated between them, a bright golden pillar of light surrounded her. Kay's own powers were added to theirs, even as he gazed up expectantly towards the heavens.
[Excitate vos e somno, liberi mei. Cunae non sunt. Excitate vos e somno, liberi fatali. Somnus non eat.]
*[Arise from your sleep, my children. Your cradles shall no longer exist. Arise from your sleep, Children of Fate. Abandon your cradles.]*
From the heavens appeared a young woman, descending down the pillar of golden light. The robings of her clothes billowed about her as she held a glowing sphere of light. Kumori was concentrating hard upon the spell and did not note this, Volpe did not see anything odd about the image, and John was awestruck at the spectacle before him. But Iwa, Kay, and Shadow Dragon knew that the sphere of light within Ayame's small hands was not normal. The Essence of Life.
["Surgite! Inventite hortum veritatis."]
*["Arise! Discover the Garden of Truth."]*
For those who retained their abilities as Essences, their Essences seemed to react to the spell and the coming of a new Essence. The air about Kumori began glittering with prism colored bubbles, a powerful concentration of magic which surrounded and added to her power. The faint rune that represented 'magic' appeared upon her forehead. Iwa's form and stature began to appear more and more savage, on the brink of being out of control as was the trademark of an Essence of Nature, a glowing green rune appeared at her forehead.
["Ardente veritate. Urite mala mundi. Ardente veritate. Incendite tenebras mundi."]
*["Brilliant truth. Burn the evil of the world. Burning truth. Set ablaze the realms of darkness."]*
Kay's astral form curled with blue electrical currents running across his body. His eyes finally betraying the vast wisdom hidden within himself. A glowing blue rune glowed upon his forehead. Reaching his hands up towards the descending spirit, he grasped Ayame's outstretched hand and smiled as she smiled too. Slowly leading down, Ayame held the glowing sphere of golden light in her hands as she entered her body. Kissing her forehead once, Kay shimmered away as Ayame's spirit finally became one with her body.
["Valete, liberi, Diebus fatalibus."]
*["Prevail, children, Fated day."]*
----------
"To return to your world, we'll have to get past Tzor." Shadow Dragon said as they ventured into the center of the fortress. "For it is he who guards the Shadow Gate, preventing all escape to anyone without Naar's permission."
"Tzor? What does this fiend look like?" Volpe asked.
A sudden roar echoed the cavern they were in.
"That." Shadow Dragon pointed at one of the ugliest piece of creations in the world. It had the body of a horse, torso of man, eight arms, eight eyes and four pairs of energy whips. Smiling as he drew his sword, Shadow Dragon said. "You go ahead, I'll keep Tzor entertained, the two of us have a small history with each other." With that, the Kai Master leapt into action against the monster.
"Well, you heard the man." John Heagy said as he carried Ayame towards the Shadow Gate, his pace increasing with each stride despite the weariness he had felt before. "RUN!"
And they ran.
----------
"Welcome back." Locke whispered to the night sky, gazing at the stars from his penthouse suite. "To all of you… Children of Fate." And his gaze turned towards his chessboard… black was losing.
End of Final Part of Chapter 4.
IMPORTANT End Notes - Yes, it took a while in coming, but this is the
final part of the elusive Chapter 4 of season 2 of Board Fighters. Hope
it was worth the wait, and I did my very best to include EVERYONE (That
was approved). Basically, you'll now know where everyone is currently.
Sorry if there are any inconsistencies with previous chapters or parts,
tell me of any. And apologies for those who were expecting a bigger part
for their characters, most likely they were last minute reminders >.<.
A summary and listing of where the characters are at this point in the
end of the chapter will be posted right in the next post.