Sub-Zero never did think that this day would come, but wrong he was. As clearly told by Johnny Cage, Shinnok had brought together every single enemy kombatant imaginable from his and his allies' memory into one spot: the massive Edenian crater, all fixed upon gaining some godly power. With the information from him, and the force rallying of their own from warriors like Kitana and Kenshi, now Sub-Zero and all the other heros of kombat were all united in one spot, with their intent on stopping this threat.
Looking around, he could see many familiar faces; Sonya Blade, Fujin, Bo Rai' Cho, even his ally Sareena had returned to him. She had told him that during her disappearance, she had been under the corrupted spell once again of Quan Chi. She also informed him of a strange warrior in some dragon armor that helped free her from it in kombat. Sub-Zero was glad that Sareena was back, and would have to thank the person responsible for freeing her, but now would not be the time. Up ahead, the heros could see a massive black line on the horizon in the crater. Sub-Zero saw this and began to freeze the water vapor around his hand, then froze the ice into the shape of a sword. A tinge of reassuring confidence flowed through him as he gripped the frigid blade.
Then the command was given, and all broke into a run towards the advancing line of enemy warriors. This was it; this was where they would prevail over evil, or die trying. Sub-Zero gripped his Kori Blade tighter, and searched for the most immediate threat in the line ahead.
As they drew closer to the mass of enemies, Sub-Zero identified a certain adversary in the other line, a warrior with a long spear, with flags sticking up from his back.
'Hotaru,' he thought. It was soon clear to Sub-Zero that the Seidan had his gaze fixed on the Outworld warrior, Li Mei, who was in the direct front of their attack wave. The two armies kept charging, drawing ever closer to each other. They were getting closer…closer…
Then both met in a clash of steel and extremities. Sub-Zero watched as Hotaru claimed his first victim by plunging his spear into Li Mei's mid-section. She uttered a painful cry when the spear impaled her, and another one when Hotaru kicked her off the end. The feeling of being ripped off of something sharp, combined with the unceremonious fall to the ground, Sub-Zero doubted Li Mei could've survived the encounter. Hotaru hardly had a second to savor the ill-gotten victory when he saw Sub-Zero approaching him. Sub-Zero brought his Kori Blade down, Hotaru parried with his spear, and their weapons were knocked loose from each others' grips and fell to the ground. Both knowing their alternatives, Hotaru assumed Pi Gua stance, and Sub-Zero assumed Shotokan stance.
Hotaru pressed the attack by striking furiously to keep Sub-Zero on his heels. Hotaru kept the distance between himself and Sub-Zero close so that the Lin Kuei warrior wouldn't be able to unleash an ice attack. Sub-Zero was left to contend with Hotaru's slow, but power-filled attacks. More than once he tried to fall back, attempting to give himself room to unleash an ice attack, but Hotaru always closed the gap and did not allow Sub-Zero an inch of space.
Suddenly, Hotaru sent a viper palm toward Sub-Zero's heart. Sub-Zero sidestepped to avoid it, but instantly, Hotaru changed the direction of the attack and judo-chopped the palm toward his throat. Sub-Zero ducked just in time, reached down, grabbed his Kori blade, and spin-slashed at Hotaru's exposed midsection. The point of the ice sword ripped through the Seidan's armor and bit through about a centimeter of the flesh beneath. Hotaru fell down to the ground as blood poured from his belly. Looking up one last time, he watched as Sub-Zero stabbed his blade into the wound, and blood spurted out his mouth.
"Curse you…" Hotaru uttered, then laid still. Sub-Zero took no time to savor his victory. He yanked his sword out of Hotaru's stomach, and looked for another foe to fight.
No sooner had he turned than he found Quan Chi charging him with dual broadswords in hand. Not the least bit intimidated, Sub-Zero hefted his own sword and braced for impact.
But to Sub-Zero's suprise, Quan Chi then came at him with a rising star kick that knocked him back. He was up again in a second, and immediately blocked a strike that would have sliced his head off. He then tried to counter with a strike of his own, but the sorcerer merely parried with one sword and slashed with another. Had Sub-Zero not step back a mere few inches back, his whole leg would have been taken off.
Again the cryomancer tried to attack, but Quan Chi blocked with one sword, and then knocked the Kori blade out of his hands with the other. Sub-Zero saw his chance and kicked him in the chin, causing him to drop his swords in a back flip while collecting mass of green energy in his hands. Sub-Zero saw Quan Chi launch the dark skull, and launched an ice ball to counter it. Sadly, the dark skull obliterated the ice ball on contact and continued its path toward the Lin Kuei warrior. Sub-Zero fell backwards to the ground in agony. He witnessed Quan Chi pick up a fallen broadsword and approach him.
Quan Chi raised his broadsword for the finisher, and turned his head suddenly. Something trailing a reddish in color sailed down towards Quan Chi. To Sub-Zero it appeared to be a fist, as it made contact with the sorcerer. Quan Chi was knocked back a few feet as his attacker came into clear view to Sub-Zero.
"Scorpion..." Sub-Zero spoke.
The ninja spectre nodded and helped Sub-Zero to his feet.
"We face a common enemy now;" Scorpion spoke, "Destroying him will avenge my family and clan!"
Scorpion and Sub-Zero ran towards a waiting Quan Chi and unleashed a teamwork assault upon the sorcerer. Even Quan Chi himself seemed to be pushed to fend off the assault of two skilled warriors. A few times the sorcerer attempted his Rising Star Kick, but to no avail.
Suddenly, Sub-Zero got an idea. Scorpion at this point had felt a sudden surge to end the battle right there, and fully occupied Quan Chi. The sorcerer suddenly let loose a roundhouse kick that would have taken Scorpion's head off had he not ducked. Scorpion saw his chance and unleashed a flaming back flip into the sorcerer. Quan Chi's fate was sealed as he stumbled back into an ice spike that the Cryomancer had created. The sorcerer's blood ran down the ice spike and created a red glow to it.
Quan Chi let out a deathly cry as he tried to move, but he never got his chance as Scorpion shot his spear into his head. Scorpion tugged once... twice... and the sorcerer's head exploded from the body. Sub-Zero felt self-elation at the sight of the death of such a long-time foe, as he assumed Scorpion had.
Suddenly, an enormous tremor shook the crater, shattering the spike into pieces. Quan Chi's corpse fell to the ground a bloody mess, and had what looked like a large clear red circle in his midsection. Sub-zero looked around to see who was attacking, and was amazed to see what appeared to be a giant pyramid structure breaking its way through the ground upward. The warriors ceased their fighting to turn and stare at the structure. Its full height had to be at least 100 feet high. As they looked on, they could see a slightly spinning circular flame at the very top. That must be what the evil warriors came here for,' Sub-Zero thought to himself.
Suddenly, Sub-Zero saw Stryker of Earthrealm break up the silence by punching Mileena in order to get a head start up the stairs. But sadly, Stryker had only made it to the first level before Shao Kahn the Konquerer jumped up beside him, uppercut him back somewhere into the crater.
Following those actions, other Kombatants surged forward, while some stayed behind and locked themselves in continuous Kombat with each other. Sub-Zero and Scorpion raced after the emperor. They both tore up the stairs after Shao Kahn, who was knocking down anyone foolish enough to challenge him with his hammer. By now he had reached the third level of the pyramid when he was knocked down to his right by an unknown force. The force became known as a figure trailing with fire. The face could still not be identified as Shao Kahn regained his feet and charged the intruder. But the figure was ready and popped his elbow forward. Sub-Zero knew that any mortal's uppercut would be ineffective against the Emperor, yet Shao Kahn himself had been popped into the air! The figure leaped into the air in pursuit and grabbed Shao Kahn. The motion from the figure was enough to send them both over the side of the pyramid.
Suddenly, as quick as this information was processed, four shuriken projectile shot past Scorpion and buried themselves into the stairs in front of them. A second later, they vanished in puffs of familiar black smoke in the order they hit the stone. Sub-Zero and Scorpion turned around quickly to face a familiar looking wraith and a cyborg companion.
Noob Saibot stood before them, dressed in the traditional garb of a brother of shadow. His eyes shone with a dim and empty light. To his left stood the transparent gray cyborg, Smoke. He too stared at the two warriors with the dead, two soulless orbital sensors.
He spoke first, breaking the silence. "Surprised to see me again?"
"You're the one who killed me!" Scorpion declared, drawing the wraith's attention to him. Noob simply stared back at the spectre, taking in what he saw, and showing no signs of being intimidated.
"And that foolish ninja spectre..." Noob Saibot replied, intimidation dripping from his words, "True my mortal form was weak enough for you to defeat me, but what makes you think you have a chance against a wraith?" Scorpion was fueled with rage at this comment, as Sub-Zero could tell.
At the motioning of Noob, Smoke both leapt at them, but Sub-Zero was already moving. While he occupied Smoke, Scorpion leapt forward towards the wraith. Sub-Zero deflected a strike from Smoke, and then slammed a fist into the metal chest that sent him reeling back. The cyborg suddenly swept Sub-Zero's feet from under him. The Lin Kuei warrior came crashing to the ground, and suddenly rolled to his left as Smoke thrust his fist downward in a brutal punch that mini-cratered the brick. The Lin Kuei Grandmaster came out of his roll and was on his feet.
He continued to block the metal fists crashing against his forearms and sending tremors up his arms. Smoke just kept pressing the assault by attacking too fast for Sub-Zero to get a strike of his own in. Just then, Smoke folded his arms and fell straight backwards. There was no sound of impact, for Smoke had vanished in a black cloud beneath where he had landed. Sub-Zero instantly recognized this attack, but was too late to react when he felt a fist connect itself with his back. Sub-Zero staggered forward and was facing his foe again. He rushed at Smoke by sliding forward on ice toward the cyborg's now unguarded stomach with his shoulder, and Smoke fell flat to the ground. Seizing his chance, Sub-Zero leapt on top the cyborg and froze the wires that supplied power to his mechanical brain. The cyborg went limp at once, and Sub-Zero turned around.
Sub-Zero watched as Scorpion and Noob Saibot battled on, Mugai Ryu vs. Troll Hammer. Noob would swing, Scorpion would evade; Scorpion would swing, Noob would evade. Just then, Sub-Zero noticed Noob snap his fingers silently and only known to him and Noob, a cloud, black and circular, formed behind the spectre. Then, Noob took another head swing at Scorpion, and to Sub-Zero's horror, Scorpion stepped back, right into the black cloud where he just fell.
Sub-Zero then saw Noob jump up with a trail of transparent blackness trailing him and sailed upwards toward Scorpion who was coming down fast. Being experienced against such a move, Sub-Zero was not surprised with what was to happen: upon contact, Noob bent his back to pull Scorpion over him, straight into the ground. Scorpion uttered a grunt of pain as he fell and tried to get to his feet unsuccessfully. The wraith then turned to Sub-Zero, the blueness in his eyes were like daggers.
"Finally, your end is near..." Noob hissed.
Both adversaries ran full tilt at each other. The wraith cocked his fist back to make the first strike. At the last second, just as Noob drove his fist forward, Sub-Zero popped his arm up into defense, feeling a twinge of satisfaction sparking in his guts as he saw Noob arm go no further than it needed to. With the block forceful enough to throw him off balance, he stumbled, and Sub-Zero quickly swept his leg in back of him that caused Noob to crash to the ground.
His enemy recovered quickly, though, answering with a blindingly fast high kick that went flying towards his head. Sub-Zero tried to deflect it, but wasn't quick enough, and Noob's foot crashed into his chest. Sub-Zero grunted in pain as his chestbone felt the impact. Natural instincts kicking in, he ducked as Noob threw another punch and sent a midsection punch to the wraith. Sub-Zero then tried to end it quickly with a brutal looking knife chop, but Noob's arms shot upward just in time to catch the arm and pulled it over his body. Sub-Zero crashed to the ground, but had enough time to roll to his feet.
Noob then raised his hand up for his own brutal downward knife hand chop, and Sub-Zero saw his chance to finish it. Sub-Zero gathered all of his remaining energy and unleashed an immense ice ball, freezing Noob solid.
The thing that had been his older brother now stood trapped in ice. Sub-Zero stepped up to the frozen wraith, grabbed the head, and with a hard tug, ripped it off of the structure. Blood bits flew everywhere in small ice bits, rather than liquid form. He then stepped back some as he then slid backward on his ice to give him room to perform his fatality. His right hand held the frozen wraith's head for a moment...
... Then flew forward. The wraith's head sailed towards the ice-covered statue. Upon connection, it completely shattered. Pieces flew everywhere, decorating the ground with glittering crystals that shone with a dull black light or a dull red from the parts of the dark corpse still encased inside them. The sorrow still hung heavy in Sub-Zero's heart, but now it was mixed in with a feeling of relief, the happy idea that his brother had finally found peace in death.
Just then, peering down the side of the pyramid, Sub-Zero was certain he saw blurs of green and red surrounded a yellow and a red figure. Suddenly, the red figure popped his elbow into the yellow figure's chin and caused him to stagger back. At this point, Sub-Zero had identified the figures as Cyrax and Sektor. The red cyborg moved in for another attack, but stopped. Sektor dropped to his knees and collapsed forward, blood-like oil dilating around the head. A tired looking Sareena had thrown her knife into the back of the cyborg's head. Sub-Zero just watched with a face of mixed surprise and sadness.
Sub-Zero almost saw Sareena meet up with Cyrax, when he felt great heat on his back. The Dragon Medallion began to glow as it released its cold to protect Sub-Zero. He spun around and instinctively up at the top of the pyramid, fearing for what might be seen. There were two characters that stood at the top, giant swords in their hands, and were facing the flame.
After further inspection, Sub-Zero discovered that one of the beings was Taven, the one whom he had met when Noob and Smoke invaded the Lin Kuei temple. But what was he doing here? Then it hit him; Taven had mentioned something about saving the realms. 'So, this must've been the fight which he wanted the armor for…' Sub-Zero thought.
Just then, a gigantic roar was heard, the surrounding area began to shake more and more violently as Sub-Zero tried to identify the second character. But he never got his chance as the figure suddenly glowed a pink color, and exploded inaudibly in various directions as small telendrils of energy. One of these 'worms' coated itself around Taven, as if to consume him…
Sub-Zero had no time for further thought as one of the worms of energy was suddenly headed straight for him. Taking this as an attack, he tried to form another sword, but the worm was already to him. The energy coated itself around his body as it had done to Taven. Expecting to feel some kind of pain, he felt none. Looking over at Cyrax, Sareena, Scorpion, and the unconscious body of Smoke, they were coated with the pink energy as well. 'What's going on, I feel no form of pain. What is this energy?' was Sub-Zero's last thought before…
The explosion.
As if the forces of a thousand Lin Kuei catapult impacts occurring simultaneously. Such a force was so great, Sub-Zero flew off the pyramid. Looking all around him he could faintly catch glimpses of other kombatants whose fate or soon to be fate was unknown to him as they flew through the air as well.
Sub-Zero looked all around fearfully for something that could just help him break his fall, when he caught sight of the body of the black cyborg. He reached out for the unconscious Smoke's seemingly outstretched arm. 'Just a little further…yes!'
Sub-Zero pulled himself closer and located a button on Smoke's utility belt. Not wasting a second, he pressed it, and a few seconds later felt the jerk of gravity as a parachute popped out. Viewing the ground below, Sub-Zero had an unimpeded view of the shockwave as it spread across the Edenian landscape as far as he could see. It appeared that this orange shockwave had its effect on living creatures only, as not a single solid structure within the crater appeared to be scathed any. Each unfortunate 'unprotected' kombatant was sent violently ablaze. For example, he caught sight of Onaga the Dragon King himself being sent to flames, ironic for a being with a notoriety for doing just that. The shockwave appeared to wan as it spread out away from the pyramid, thus allowing some other kombatants to remain safe. Some of those other kombatants like Dairou and Nitara rather than resume fighting just retreated for an exit from the crater.
Sub-Zero looked all around to view a few kombatants who had survived the shockwave and their fall from the pyramid. He identified Jax, but had a metalic stump for a left arm. Sonya appeared to be still standing was administering some field dressings to the blind swordsman Kenshi. A few moments later, he touched down on the loosely cracked ground, near the still standing Ermac, Sindel, and Kitana. Sub-Zero laid the unconscious body of the cyborg on the ground.
"My Queen," he said, "are you alright?"
"Just a few cuts and bruises, but we all will survive," she replied. Looking at the princess and the fusion being, Sub-zero could see that she wasn't mistaken, Kitana and Ermac both looked alive and well.
"But never in my years studying Edenian magic has something like this ever been experienced," Sindel continued and indicated to her body. The pinkish glow was clearly still present on them all, even the body of Smoke. It was then that Cyrax, Scorpion, and Sareena joined the party when suddenly, the energy that coated their bodies dissipated, as if to signal that the worst was over.
"What sort of sorcery could have caused this?" Sareena questioned aloud.
"The defeat of Blaze." All turned around to see Taven walking towards them. He was wearing his armor, the very one that Sub-Zero had seen before.
"Taven...?" Sub-Zero said.
"Yes, Sub-Zero," he spoke. "Finally, my quest has reached an end, and it looks like this was it's result..."
"What do you mean?" Sub-Zero asked.
"This whole quest had been designed by my parents for Daegon and I to resolve stability within the realms," Taven replied, "The power released by Blaze's death was supposed to pass through my armor, and disperse into every kombatant within this crater, resulting with death or power annulment."
At that last sentence, all warriors had shocking thoughts running through their minds.
'If I had known that it would come to this, I would've finished our fight without hesitation!' Sub-Zero thought.
"You should all be thankful," Taven continued, which put a temporary damper to the others' violent thoughts, "if Xeron had not been there to sacrifice himself, you would've been destroyed in the shockwave of Blaze's death."
"So, that pink energy around us was the energy of an Elder God?" Sindel asked.
"Exactly," Taven replied, "My mother, Delia, had sent him forth to save the kombatants who were undeserving of death."
"A noble sacrifice, indeed," said a voice. All turned to face Raiden before them. But one distinct characteristic of him was his eyes, they were no longer glowing their violent red color, but were now their original white color.
"Raiden!" Taven exclaimed, "You will pay your treachery with your life!" Halos of fire formed around Taven's fists, but Raiden held out his hand and stopped him.
"No Taven, I am no longer the enemy; you defeating me in Kombat managed to cleanse me of my corruption, and I thank you for that." Taven lowered his fists when he heard this. Raiden spoke again,
"And now that you have completed your quest, what will you do now as a full god?"
"My first task..." Taven started, and pulled out Shao Kahn's decapitated head with the helmet still on it, "all the destruction and suffering Shao Kahn had caused shall end on this day!"
With that, Taven gripped the head's spinal cord stump and began to tug. Sub-Zero could not believe it; the great Shao Kahn the Konquerer was finally dead, and all that was left of him was his head. He saw a look of strain about Taven's face as he attempted to remove the head from the helmet. Suddenly, Taven separated the head from the helmet and a great soul-rending howl could be heard. Colorful spectral lights burst from the inside of Shao Kahn's helmet and flashed outward.
Sub-Zero and the others witnessed one of these spectral lights shot into the body of Ermac, and the fusion being was left screaming as this energy began to reform him. There was a flash of light so bright, even Raiden had to shield his eyes.
A few minute's later, the Lin Kuei warrior could open his eyes again, and was amazed at what he saw; there was no longer a single Ermac, but at least a thousand surrounding them. Each one had a specific characteristic about them that Sub-Zero remembered as Outworld's fallen warriors from the past.
"Can it be?" One of the Ermac's asked.
"It is!" another exclaimed. The Ermacs let out a cheer that shook the Edenian crater.
"Uhh... where am I?" Sub-Zero heard someone.
The uproar instantly died down as the Ermacs turned to a familiar voice. The figure stood a few feet from Sindel and Kitana, was a man, who appeared to be in his fifties in Earthrealm years. He had a brown mustache and a goatee to match, with short hair on his head. His attire was the battle raiment of an Edenian knight, but it looked too royal to be on just anyone of them. No, this armor was clearly only made for...
"Jerrod..." Sindel uttered as she and her daughter captured him in a deep embrace. At the sight of the old king before them, the other kombatants including Taven and the Ermacs knelt before Jerrod. Sub-Zero himself was humbled to see King Jerrod alive again.
"Sindel, Kitana," Jerrod said as he released his embrace, "I can't believe it's you again."
After a moment, they pulled out of their embrace and the late king continued good looks at the family he had lost so long ago.
"My, my," he said, looking at Kitana," how my little girl has grown up. It seemed only yesterday that I last saw Sindel hold you in her arms. Now you're a young woman, but do tell, how long has it really been?"
"From what I can remember," Kitana recalled, "I have not seen you my whole life; more than 5,000 years!"
"I had no doubt in my mind that you would live a long and at least managable life with your mother around," he said as he kissed her forhead. Kitana then blushed and Jerrod turned to view the surrounding area.
"... The Edenian crater of the Southlands... AND the ancient pyramid constructed by Argus himself! Tell me, has that prophecy come full circle yet?" he asked his queen.
"Yes Jerrod, the final battle, as prophesized by the sorceress Delia, has taken place. The death of the firespawn Blaze has caused this." Sindel replied.
"So this is the man who has slain the firespawn?" looking at Taven, then back to Sindel.
At Sindel's nod, Jerrod turned to Taven, and ushered him to rise.
"Thank you for saving us all, Taven," he said to him, "by destroying Blaze, you have prevented Armageddon from destroying us and all the realms. Many lives have been spared due to your efforts... but I am afraid you are not done yet; you must lead these Kombatants into battle with Shinnok, and let me worry about the reconstruction of Edenia. Consider me and my family as your allies in the days to follow."
"Shinnok is still alive?" Taven questioned, "How is that possible?"
"Shinnok is a worthy opponent," Raiden replied, "but his kind rarely exposes themselves to direct danger, especially when they know their plans do not go as they anticipate. Nevertheless, you have our word, Taven; we will help you to make Shinnok fall once again. But for now, we must further prepare ourselves back in Earthrealm."
"I have no doubt in my mind that you will succeed," Jerrod said, "Shinnok may still at this point be the root of all deception, wars, and evil, we can all still overthrow him and maybe finish him off for good."
"My King," one of the Ermacs stepped forward and said, "we warriors of Outworld's past are quite familiar with the threat that Shinnok would impose. That is why we would all devote ourselves to joining your ranks in your Edenian army and attempt to defeat him."
"It is good knowledge that you are aware of the situation," Jerrod deduced to the Ermac, "but knowing wins only half this battle. Still... very powerful warriors standing before me with clear expression of fighting for a good cause... very well, you all are welcome to join in the ranks of my new Edenian army. Simply rejoin me at my old castle and the process for knighting will begin.
"Thank you King Jerrod," the Ermac humbly said, "I can guarantee that you will not live to regret your decision. We will fight until the threat is permanently removed."
With all that being said, the Ermacs and the Edenian family began to march off to the pyramid to honor fallen comrades. Raiden stretched forth his hand, and a portal to Earthrealm emerged out of lightning. He, Cyrax, and Sareena first stepped through followed by others.
"Well, Sub-Zero, this is where we must part for now," Scorpion said.
"No intentions of following or killing me I assume?" Sub-Zero asked.
"None for now," Scorpion replied, "Besides, I believe you still recall my vow I made some time back?"
"Still fresh on my mind, even from so long ago," Sub-Zero said, "But I can't help but wonder, what will you do now that Quan Chi is dead?"
"It is indeed an unknown thought even at this point," Scorpion summed up, "I guess part of my honest side would feel like joining you in the new fight against Shinnok. He IS the reason that Quan Chi came into existance, and gods only know what would happen if another equally evil sorcerer were to be created."
"We can all hope that your honest intentions prevail over your natural hellspawn instincts," Sub-Zero jokingly said. Scorpion apparently chose not to comment. Then the cryomancer stuck his hand out, and the hellspawn took it into a handshake.
"Until we should meet again, Scorpion," Sub-Zero said, and the hellspawn vanished in flames.
'And a lot must be done until then…' He thought, as he picked up the unconcious body of Smoke and entered the portal, 'provided that Sonya and the OIA can regain Smoke's soul.'
Netherrealm,
Shinnok had barely escaped with his life before Blaze's shockwave had gotten to him. He now sat upon his throne in his spire, deep in thought.
'I should have anticipated Daegon's failure,' he thought, 'now all of my plans must be revised!'
Suddenly, Shinnok recalled something very important,
Amidst the chaos of Kombat, Shinnok had stumbled upon the bloodily decapitated body of his vanguard, Quan Chi.
'Not even my servant was able to survive,' he thought, 'what a pity. Hmmm…?
It was right then that Shinnok had noticed the Kamidogu around Quan Chi's waist. He picked it up in his hand and observed it. His evil power flowed into it, and the center of the medallion began to glow.
'Finally, I have retrieved what is rightfully mine. I still should have known that Quan Chi had the original and had sent me a fake one in its place so many years ago...'
Shinnok pulled out the retrieved kamidogu and eyed it. It began to glow more immensely the more he held it. He smiled his evil smile, knowing that his new plans were soon to succeed...