Chapter 1
Reptile awakened in pain. Where did the wounds come from? He couldn't remember, his mind was a blur. He did recall Bat-wings and Metal-skin, and how they betrayed him. In the name of vengeance he tracked them to a cave, but by then they were both long gone. Then, suddenly, there was a beam of light that hurt Reptile's eyes, and power that burned inside of him. That was the extent of his memories, all he could think of. The rest was a blur of power. When next he woke, he was in this mausoleum, with the three female warriors before him, and his chest open and wounded, green blood beneath him. The Raptor leapt to his claws, back arched, muscles tensed. He was on all fours, acidic saliva dripping from between his carnivorous teeth and down reptilian lips. On contact with the stone ground, a hissing sound filled the air and alerted two of his enemies. Pale-eyes and Fan-hands took a battle stance, realizing that he was indeed not dead. Reptile hissed intimidation as the two combatants approached him, slowly but deliberately. They danced with their weapons, but must of felt enough fear for the Raptor that they held off their attack. How he'd love to kill them both, but weakened as he was it'd be a hard fight. His best choice would be escape. Somehow.
"Surround it my daughter," said Pale-eyes. "We mustn't let it escape." How he hated her. She had been so cruel to him when Skull-mask ruled all of Outworld. Worse, he could do nothing to defend himself lest he face the wraith of the Emperor.
"I know mother," said Fan-hands. He hated her too. She was responsible for his fall from grace with Skull-mask. Long ago Reptile and Green-staff were supposed to assassinate Fan-hands. But Green-staff betrayed Reptile and left him for dead. Wait, he thought. Where is Green-staff?
Reptile barely had time to shove his scaly form to his side. A deadly pole swung down through the air he occupied only moments ago. Green-staff! How could Reptile have been so foolish to allow her to surprise him? Pale-eyes dove at him and thrust her Kwan Do lance forward. Reptile grabbed the pole arm in his claws. He brought Pale-eyes to him and brought one of his hind claws up to her knee. She was faster though, and moved her leg to avoid the blow. Green-staff swung her shaft into Reptile's back. He roared in pain and released his hostage. Fan-hands leapt at him, her deadly weapons intent on cleaving Reptile in two. He ducked beneath the swipe and brought his clenched fist up to her jaw with an uppercut. He swung a leg and wrapped his hind claws around Pale-eyes' neck, dragging her to the ground. Green-staff dove and thrust her shaft into Reptile's knee. Fan-hands swung her deadly weapons into the Raptor's back and tore open new wounds. Reptile's tail lashed out and wrapped around Fan-hands' neck to choke her. The Raptor grabbed Green-staff's throat and pushed his thumbs into the front of her neck. Beneath him, Pale-eyes scratched desperately at the scales on his legs, but he held his grip strong.
Victory was almost at hand. He was so close to killing all three of these rivals, so close to surviving, when something burned into his back. Scales and skin seared at the touch of burning hot flames. Reptile stumbled forward. "Lui Kang," shrieked Fan-hands. She embraced the shirtless warrior. Green-staff quickly rose to her feet and lifted her shaft. Pale-eyes did much the same.
Reptile was scared. His eyes were those of a wounded beast, which wasn't far from the truth. What had started as a duel between he and two fighters had quickly evolved into a fight of four against one. Worse still, he had no weapon to defend himself and his various wounds were beginning to ache. Green blood dripped down his squamous body and pooled on the floor beneath his claws. The four combatants surrounded Reptile, who still vainly attempted to retreat. Realizing he'd never flee, and ignoring the dull pain it cause, Reptile lifted his arms in a defensive stance. Blows began to rain from all sides. Even as he fell to the floor, arms covering his head as he curled into a ball. Sometime in that endless assault, Reptile's mind slipped away, and he mercifully passed out.