A/N: Hello, fellow readers, I have returned with a new chapter. Also, I'm going to make this one a two-parter, so bear with me on this. So, with that out of the way, enjoy.

Disclaimer: This is my sign: I do not own Killer Instinct nor Carrie.

ARIA sat on her throne inside the Pinnacle, using a drone and the Stalker units to watch Carrie, and receiving new information. The Pinnacle changed as ARIA rose from her chair. Walls crumbled in a hexagonal pattern, revealing glass, and light flooded the once dark room. The table folded itself in two and sank to the floor, and in place were two static cyborgs standing on either side. The cyborgs resembled armored knights from Medieval times with red slanting eyes. ARIA viewed the city, with several blimps drifting the sky. The doors opened and closed on their own, and Cinder stood next to ARIA.

"Welcome back, Cinder. I take you've completed your task," ARIA said.

"Yup. Gave Spider-Woman the pink slip, so where is that promotion you promised me?"

"You earned it as my lieutenant."

"That's it? No big party? No confetti or something? That sucks, but whatever. What have I missed from the friendly neighborhood telekinetic girl?"

"Carrie and Jago have gone into hiding. I have the Stalker units and a drone on their location for surveillance. The same drone had discovered a group of cultists, and they're seeking the girl for a different reason." ARIA played an audiotape recorded from a Stalker unit.

"Long ago, when Gargos slew the Astral Beings, he suspected those rising against him, so he wanted to make an Heir. To do that, Gargos needed someone worthy to bear his child," a new voice said.

ARIA stopped the tape. "The voice belonged to a shapeshifter named Pemba. This 'Cult of Gargos' intends to bear a child for an evil creature from Carrie. I have sent silent drones to women at risk to the cult. If their victims get pregnant with this 'Heir of Gargos,' I must send an Ultratech agent to…abolish them."

Cinder reflected on the time he watched Maury during his break. "That will suck for whoever gets that child, but what if this 'Successor of Gargos' thing is a scare tactic parents use on kids?"

"A risk I'm not willing to take." A loud beep echoed through the room as ARIA uploaded a screen, showing a factory set on a mound of volcanic rock. "There's a security break-in at the lab. The location is in Colorado, in the town of Dotsero. I'm sending the Fulgore units. You should head there, Cinder."

"I'm calling first dibs on whoever dumb enough to pull this stunt."

Cinder arrived at the workshop with the Fulgore units. The intense heat damaged parts of the lab storing odd-looking creatures within the capsules. A lake of lava boiled on the right side of the factory and within it was a giant tower contraption. It brought back memories for Cinder of when he underwent the procedure of being the fiery creature after ARIA caught him stealing data. She might have killed Cinder or send him to jail, but she offered him to join her cause due to his potential.

"Well, I don't see what caused that break-in to happen. Must've been a false alarm," Cinder said.

"Sensors show the one causing the break-in is near," a Fulgore unit reported.

A soft, harsh caw repeated in the room as a crow perched on an object resembling a buoy floating in the lava. Cinder found this unusual but did not care as he formed a small fiery bomb and tossed it. He clicked his fingers, and the bomb exploded, causing the crow to fly away. Cinder found it amusing until the same crow returned, this time with friends. They swarmed around the lab until a thundering boom banged on the entrance.

Dents molded until the door flew from its hinges and into the lava, and the crows flew away. Cinder and the Fulgore units stared into the unknown until a man emerged from the darkness. Warpaint covered most of his shirtless body, including his face. A feather war bonnet etched on his head and a bear claw necklace wrapped around his neck. The man sported desert-colored pants with shin guards and combat boots. He carried two tomahawks in each hand.

"Target scanned: Thunder," a second Fulgore unit said.

"Wait, if he's Thunder, where's Lightning?" Cinder joked. "So, Geronimo, to what do we owe this visit?"

"I've come for my brother, Eagle," Thunder replied.

"I hate to break it to you, Chiefy, but your brother is in another castle, so why don't you shoo before things get hot?"

"Do not test with me, demon, and you will not stop me."

"Oh yeah? You and what army?"

Another set of stomps boomed towards the room, but heavier. A pair of cyan eyes gleamed from the dark until the figure emerged: a rusted bronze golem with stones as a body, constricted with vines and brushes.

Despite his body comprising flames, a sudden chill raced inside Cinder and glanced around for exits. "Oh, hey, Aganos, how are you doing? No hard feelings between us, with the whole mind control thing."

Aganos said nothing, glaring at Cinder while memories lingered in its mind.

A dark veil surrounded Aganos as voices shrieked to conquer Ultratech enemies. It wanted to escape until a spark of light gleamed, enveloping the golem until a ceiling lined with structures of rock came to view. Drips of water stirred the golem, and a campfire lit the cavern. A loud boom rumbled outside as rain poured from the clouds. Aganos glanced upon the several cuts and charred marks in its hard-rock exterior.

"Where…am I?" it uttered.

"You're at Devil's Landing." A man appeared at the cave to escape the roaring storm, holding something black in his hands. Cuts and bruises lingered his body from an earlier battle though hard to see with the war paint.

"Devil's Landing? How did I get here? You're hurt."

"I'll be fine. Are you okay?"

"More than okay. The pain in my head, it's gone."

The man placed the black object on the ground and pushed it towards Aganos. "This was on you when you approached me. I had finished destroying that monster over there." He pointed at a Fulgore unit as cables exposed itself from deep slashes. "I sensed conflict within you during our fight until I spotted this object on your head. Once I bested you, I destroyed the device."

The golem grasped the gadget as pieces of memories returned to its mind. "I remember now…I was on a journey to find Kan-Ra. I found him in the cave where I'd mend, and as we fought, that damned monster put me in an illusion."

"Who is Kan-Ra?" the man asked.

"He was once my king's vizier. He tried to murder my master for power, but I stopped him. The king cursed him with a flesh-eating rot and banished him. He survived, and word of it reached my king. Before his death, the king tasked me to locate the traitor and kill him. Kan-Ra stole my life energy and escaped while I was under the illusion, but once it ended, a fiery creature appeared. It called itself Cinder. I tried to fight him, but my run-in with Kan-Ra weakened me, and he talked too much. Cinder bested me and put this thing on me. I can't thank you enough for freeing me…"

"Oh dear…" the man said in his native language as he palmed his head with his hand. Then spoke in English, "I should ask for forgiveness. We haven't introduced ourselves. I am Hinmatoom, but you can call me Thunder if you wish."

"I am Aganos. Though it means gentle in the ancient language, I am but when involved in battles. I must continue my hunt, and if I cross paths with this Cinder again, I'll make him pay for his crimes."

"We can work together, for I have a grudge with Ultratech."

"For what purpose?"

"They turned my brother into a horrid creation; a fate worse than death."

Thunder and Aganos set out together once the storm ended, leading them to an Ultratech lab in Dotsero where they faced Cinder and a small army of Fulgore units.

"You may have a golem, but I got an army of rock'em sock'em bots. Let's show 'em!" Cinder said.

The Fulgore units surrounded them, their plasma blades spinning and darted towards Thunder and Aganos. The war-golem slammed the ground with its fists, sending not only the cyborgs but a wave of volcanic rocks away from them. Though they suffered damage in their armor, the cyborgs were not out yet.

"You handle those machines. That Cinder is mine," Aganos said. Thunder nodded as they approached their opponents.

"What makes you think you can defeat me? I had beaten your ass once, and now, you're asking for a melting point," Cinder said.

"You only bested me because of Kan-Ra's illusion. Now fate is on my side."

"How do you prefer your rocks? Rare, medium, or toasty!" Cinder shot a blast of fire from his clawed hands, but Aganos formed an X with its arms, blocking the attack. Cinder changed into a fireball and charged, but the golem barreled towards its opponent, tackling him. After that, Aganos formed a barrier to surround each other. "I see what you did there, but you didn't close the air."

Cinder jumped and hurled a few plasma bombs at Aganos, exploding them with the snap of his claws. With the golem cornered, he attacked until Aganos slapped him. The golem curled into a ball and bowled towards Cinder, but the fiery hybrid dodged and formed a giant plasma bomb. He threw it at Aganos, and once he snapped his claws, a loud explosion rocked the lab. Cinder dusted his hands until Aganos emerged and punched him, crashing him through the barrier and collapsed.

The golem stomped towards Cinder. "You will pay for what you did."

Tired but brazen, Cinder stood. "You must catch me first." He chucked small plasma bombs at the golem, and with quick snaps, they exploded. Once Aganos backed into a corner, Cinder shot a stream of fire, encasing the golem. "What's wrong, Aggy, can't take the heat?"

The vines around Aganos crackled and snapped from the flames. With no time to waste, Aganos phased through the fire and punched Cinder. He flew into the walls, knocking him unconscious. The golem glared at its opponent before it shifted its attention to Thunder.

The Fulgore units were relentless as Thunder fought them until one cyborg opened its chest plates and fired a laser beam. Before Thunder could react, a large pile of rock moved in front of him, blocking the beam. Thunder glanced at his rescuer as the golem stood, smoke rising from its body.

"Thank you. Are you okay?" Thunder asked.

"I'm fine, although I am getting too old for this," Aganos said. The Fulgore units reformed and dashed towards them. Aganos bowled through the Fulgore army, paving the way as Thunder attacked from the rear. The battle ended as fast as it began as metal bodies littered the ground. "Is Eagle amongst them?"

Thunder scanned the downed units. "No, he's not."

"Don't worry, we'll find him."

"What of your quest to find Kan-Ra? I don't want my quest to be a burden with yours."

"It's no burden. Though I'll keep the wish of my dying master in my mind, I must carve my destiny. Besides, that sorcerer will have to show himself one day. Until then, I'll help you."

A/N: Well, that's it for the first part of the story. I had to bring up about the Maury show bit because it was my favorite show back then, even though it seemed staged to some viewers. Well, time to let my brain rest so that I can mentally prepare for the second part, so I'll see you later.