Samurai Jack: Renegade Samurai

Rating M for graphic depictions, language, violence and suggestive themes.

Warning:

The following is a work of fanfiction and is not intentionally connected to real world places, events, or people, nor intended to copy others' work. Samurai Jack is the work of Genndy Tartakovsky, his team and affiliated studios and companies. This is solely fanfiction for fun and not profit.

Chapter XII: Confronting the Lord Protector

An old Aztec temple ruin, long abandoned, laid undisturbed in the dense lively forest. That tranquility was interrupted as aircraft landed near a clearing, the loud engines scaring off nearby wild life. "Move, secure the perimeter!" shouted a lieutenant. Cyber Troopers stormed out to survey and secure their surroundings. Normally, they would just dismiss this as routine and wouldn't be so tense, but with who they were escorting, work stress was at an all-time high.

Out from the lead vehicle stepped the man of the hour, Lord Protector Magnus. "All seems to be clear, Lord Protector." reported the lieutenant. ""Seems" isn't damn well good enough, lieutenant. Don't be fooled, this place will kill you if you let your guard down. Try not to die." Magnus told the lieutenant sternly.

"Y-yes, Lord Protector, you are wise and know best. I suppose that is why you brought the Inquisitor along." the lieutenant surmised. The other person he referred to just stepped out. She was a robbed, gentle looking woman who seemed blind. Compared to the Lord Protector, she seemed feeble, and the Cyber Troopers were more than a little perplexed as to how she became Inquisitor. But it was the Lord Protector's decision, and no one was stupid enough to question it.

The lieutenant left the two of them as they assessed the structure. "Thank you for coming on such short notice, Inquisitor Anima. I know you were on a mission of spiritual nature." Magnus apologized. "It was no trouble, Lord Protector. Everything I do is to serve the Protectorate and its people. The cities and villages I visited have already been uplifted and healed, and so our benevolence is known. Though, I am perplexed as to why you brought me to such a mission. Are there issues with the others?" Anima inquired.

"Nothing so trite. Rather, the nature of this mission is rather…lacking, in details. The opposition is many unknowns, but may test the spirit and mind as it does the body. For such trials, your talents are appreciated, just in case." Magnus explained.

Magnus knew very well that this woman was extraordinary, even before she became Inquisitor. She had something almost akin to a sixth sense, felt the emotions and thoughts of others, matters of spirituality, and guided others through such tribulations. She had been screened and trained by the Magnus Protectorate, and was given the opportunity to help many more people in return for agreeing to be Inquisitor. Magnus then awakened her true power, and felt her calling as a spiritual protector. But just as she felt and eased the suffering of the good, she saw evil in the wicked and punished them for it. That was what made her effective at the typical role of Inquisitor.

"I see. I will do all I can to eradicate the danger, whatever lies in there." Anima said in understanding. "RAUGH!". A monstrous cry came from the temple, as all the Cyber Troopers stood at guard. "Good then, as it seems the danger has come to meet us." Magnus said as he unsheathed his family sword.

A zooming vehicle flew over a Protectorate city nestled within the countryside, flying towards the forested horizon. Jack could see that even though it was the typical futuristic city, it carried the cultural aspects of the local area, and seemed vibrant in its activity. He saw how the city contrasted yet did not upset the nature around, and saw old ancient ruins dotting near and there resting in the foliage.

"Wow, Brazil! They really turned things around since the Near End War. Wish we could visit." Agalia beamed. "An abroad cultural vacation does sound rather nice now, huh?" Cassius remarked. "Yeah, we're on the run so much that we can't really take in the sights." Ashi commented.

"Yes, yes, the land looks mighty dainty and exotic, but focus! We're gonna be fightin' the lord of all bastards." the Scotsman reprimanded. "Yes, I'm afraid he's right. If the information is correct, Magnus is somewhere in that forest. I doubt he's alone, and he will be dangerous." said Jack.

"Um, like how dangerous? I mean, you took him on yourself and lived right? He can't be that tough." Agalia questioned. "My mind was not clear when I fought Magnus, blinded by hate and grief as I was. But I fought a warrior who had battled with such force and skill I have seldom encountered. That's not what bothers me most. What does bother me is that he did not fight at his best, and he let me live." Jack recounted.

"So…he took pity on you? That's the secret? Well, this will be fun." Cassius said without enthusiasm. "Ha! Well, enjoy it as best you can, and give him a good thrashin' for me! Oh, I think I see the bucket heads, Dad!" Shamus shouted from the cockpit.

Just as the pilot Shamus indicated, there seemed to be Protectorate aircraft huddled at a clearing near an old Aztec temple. "Take us in close, me boy! We're gonna drop straight into the action!" the Scotsman jeered to his son. Shamus did as he was told, bringing the ship dangerously close to the area.

"Wait, the old coot doesn't mean…?" Cassius realized in trouble. "Take a landing pack, that's exactly what we're doin'." the Scotsman affirmed as he handed them all packs. Shortly after, he jumped right out, laughing maniacally. "Well, better go with it." Ashi explained, as she dropped out like it was nothing. In truth, she pulled stunts like this before, and without an improvised rocket pack.

"Are you crazy?! You're supposed to get off when you land!" Cassius cried out from the open door. "Geronimo!" Agalia screamed as she ran and jumped out. "What the hell?!" Cassius asked. Jack stood beside him, simply gazing at the divide. "Come on, Jack, let's just…", and with that, Jack free fell out of the aircraft. "Ah, fuck it." Cassius relented, as he jumped out of, screaming.

All five of them landed in the clearing, the jets from the landing packs giving a soft landing. Jack looked up, expecting opposition, but surprised by the violent scene before him. Around them lay several Cyber Troopers, all dead. "What could have caused all this carnage?" Jack asked. "Gughgugh…" coughed a voice nearby.

Jack rushed to the source, a dying Cyber Trooper. "What happened here? What did this to you?" Jack asked. "Th…they just came out of the temple…the dead, they came pouring out…tore through some of us before the Inquisitor…" the Cyber Trooper said incomplete before his life left him.

"The dead?" Ashi asked. "RAUGH!". Jack and the others followed that sound to the temple and saw what had victimized the Cyber Troopers. The dead, living dead Aztec warriors were now fighting the cyborg soldiers. The Cyber Troopers were shooting them down, but the dead warriors kept charging till shot to pieces or gorged their enemies.

"Well, you don't see that very often. At least they're doing the fighting and dying, right?" the Scotsman jinxed. "RAUGH!". Suddenly a swarm of the Aztec skeleton warriors charged them. "Bah, more fun this way. CHARGE!" the Scotsman commanded.

Everyone began fighting in close quarters with the dead warriors. Jack and Ashi were bisecting them with ease while Agailia blasted them with gunfire. Cassius similarly slashed three to pieces, but the one really taking score was the Scotsman. "HAHA! These wimps could use haggis for meat on their bones. At least haggis puts up a better fight!" the Scotsman said as he cleaved a line of them with his claymore and smashed last one to pieces with his fist.

Just when it seemed clear, more could be seen coming from the distance. "Enough with the stiffs, we got to get to the temple!" the Scotsman instructed. The group ran to the temple cutting down any undead warriors in their way. "Huh?! Damn it, it's the renegades! Open fire!". The Cyber Troopers standing ground at the temple fired on group, but the Scotsman grabbed his clan shield and it expanded mechanically to cover the whole group.

Grabbing a grenade from his pouch and unpinning it with his teeth, he threw it at the Cyber Troopers that blocked their way. "Get going! I'll hold off these bastards!" the Scotsman asserted. Jack nodded, just as confident in his friend's abilities as the Scotsman himself was that he would not fall. With that, the group of four charged in, as the Scotsman jumped downward sword in hand, screaming "YAGHHH!".

"How are we losing people to skeletons? I swear, it's like our army's a joke." Magnus grieved. Though he was underestimating the opposition, he was right that most of the Cyber Troopers that came inside with them died. "They are more resilient than you think. The enchantment about them is ancient and powerful, and they don't succumb to ordinary wounds. Gunfire might not have been best." Anima explained.

"Yes, cutting them to PIECES, ugh, works much better." Magnus grunted as he cut one right in front of him. "It's a good thing you know how to sever the spell. Any idea how it works?" Magnus asked. "That's my sister's specialty, but…it's magic brought on by death. Death and…blood. They're warriors made into blood sacrifices." Anima said with sadness.

"So many? If they went to these lengths, then the Key must be here." Magnus stated. He held one of the Keys he possessed, and glowed in the direction in front of and beneath him. Before them was a stairway, and crawling from the stairway were countless ancient Aztec warriors. "Um, could you…?"Magnus asked, as Anima already focused spiritual energy at the enemy. The supernatural flames in their eye sockets died as they all fell to pieces. "Easy enough. Rest in peace." she offered.

They were about to descend when they heard sounds of battle, not like the previous clashes like before. "Report." the Lord Protector said on the comms. "Lord Protector, new hostiles appeared! One them is holding us up while the rest when inside! It was…!" the communication turned to static. "It couldn't be…" Magnus said in disbelief.

"Lord Protector, I sense others coming towards us. Spirits of animosity, with lethal intent. They…they are here to assassinate you." Anima said flatly. Magnus sighed. "Again? Fifth time this year. They actually got close to me, I admit that. Inquisitor Anima, I am heading off for the Key, I can't risk the enemy getting wind of it. Stay here and eliminate them. But, if it's Samurai Jack, as I suspect, let him come to me. I will make him pay in blood for all he's done." Magnus stated. "As you command, Lord Protector.".

"Weird, I thought there would be more Cyber Troopers and traps." Ashi stated. "I think that's because they sprung most of them. I spotted all the triggered death traps. Snakes, blades, gas chamber, death pit, a giant bowling ball. You'd think that they'd expect that." Agalia mused. "Thought there'd be one more, like the one with the walls and…", and with that, walls came down front and behind as the two walls to the side started closing in. "Ah, crap." Agalia realized.

"Why do you people keep jinxing yourselves?" Cassius said as he threw a grenade at the front wall, blowing a hole. "That was…simple." Jack said, dumbfounded by how easy that was. "Shamus really knows his stuff, I'll give him that." Cassius remarked. "Hmph, I could have made a better one." Agalia said bitterly.

Ashi noticed something seemed wrong with Jack as they kept running down. He wasn't just tense about the upcoming fight, he looked uncomfortable about something else. "What is it, Jack?" she asked. "Oh, nothing, it's just…does this place look familiar?" Jack asked. Ashi recollected the sights of the temple seen so far, and thinking back, it did seem to match something, a rather troubled memory.

"Yes, it reminds me of the temple where…where my sisters and I fought you. It's kind of different though, maybe not the same temple." Ashi recounted. There were no undead warriors that time, and the geography was different, but the resemblance was still uncanny, and therefore an uncomfortable reminder of their bloody first meeting. Jack and Ashi both felt remorse over these events, even when they technically never happened.

"Uh, you guys, you might want to see this." Agalia said. She was looking at a pictograph on the wall. Jack stared to discern the meaning of the images. The language he didn't know, but from what the images depicted, the people were worshiping something, a…key? A key?! Jack was taken aback, as he remembered the Key Magnus stole from his father? Was this related to that?

From what the drawing said, the ruler held and guarded the Key, and used it to see into rifts and attain knowledge, perform mystical feats, appearing divine to the people. People were even sacrificed to this key, believing it an instrument of the gods. But there were those who wanted it for themselves, and started wars for it. Fearing it would be used for evil after he was gone, the ruler returned it to where his forbearers found it, then built the temple over it. From there, he used the mystical knowledge he gained enchant a ritual. An entire legion of his best warriors was made into blood sacrifice, and the ruler even spilt his own blood, so that when the time came, the Key would be defended.

But that wasn't what was most bothersome. The last image showed the Key as one of twelve, surrounding some kind of structure. "Twelve…twelve Keys?" Jack asked. "There's more of them out there, and one has to be here." Ashi assessed. "But why would Magnus want all twelve of them? He can already time travel with one, so why gather more?" Agalia asked.

"Maybe…it's the same as collecting bottle caps?" Cassius cracked. Jack and Agalia looked at him awkwardly, with Ashi just looking unamused. "Well screw you guys, maybe I like to tell the jokes once!". Cassius retorted. "Let's…just move on. Magnus must be ahead." Jack asserted.

The company moved ahead, and saw a large chamber with a stairway running further underground. Littering the floor were countless skeletal remains. Jack realized this had to be Magnus's doing, they needed to hurry. Jack ran toward the stairs and down them, with his friends following.

Or so he thought. He did descend down the stairs, but not with his friends. He saw them coming with him in his mind's eye, not realizing his mind had been deceived.

"J-Jack…"Ashi whispered, unable to move. She, Cassius, and Agalia watched helplessly as the Samurai descended the stairs, oblivious to the enemy holding them prisoner. She was a robed, gentle woman who seemed blind, for her gaze did not meet theirs. But she seemed specially aware of her surroundings, and Ashi felt, somehow dreaded, this to be a dangerous enemy.

"The Renegade Samurai shall meet justice at the Lord Protector's hands. Repent, and you may yet be forgiven." the woman stated. Ashi didn't lose her composure, refusing to relent to this assailant.

"I am Inqusitor Anima. By the Lord Protector's grace, I can hear, see, and feel the spirit. I see all that binds life, all that flows through life, both light and darkness, virtue and vice. I help the lost find their way to Lord Protector Magnus, and smite the wicked as penance. So, which are you?" Anima asked.

Anima stared at all of them. The pressure they all felt that restrained them, it was as though she could look into their souls, crush them even. She looked down on Agalia. "A pitiful child, not knowing her place in the world, lashing out on it, refusing to reflect and grow. They would be ashamed of you.".

Anima turned vehement when she saw Cassius. "You. You shamed him, you shamed all of us. Yourself as well, I can see it drowning you. You're beyond help." she said. Cassius looked like he wanted to curse back, but his passion couldn't break him free.

Finally, Anima turned to Ashi. "You, the traitor…what are you? Your soul, you carry a lifetime that should not be. Is that what led you astray? Hmph, it seems that treachery was your trait then as it is now. You carry a certain…darkness within you, different from these others. It sickens me the most, and should not exist in this world.".

"Like the fool you choose to follow, you cannot see why Magnus must do what he does, just as you cannot see or overcome yourselves. If you cannot face yourselves, you cannot face reality. Go, and be lost to your own shadows." Anima condemned.

Ashi saw Cassius and Agalia lose consciousness. She felt her mind seized, not by weariness, but by dark thoughts, horrible thoughts and feelings she unconsciously shut out, as though they were flooding back now. She tried to reach out, to stay focused on the enemy, to help her friends and Jack, to hold onto herself. But too late, just as Anima said, she was lost to her own shadows.

Jack ran down the stairs and through the corridor, emerging to see a massive tomb with a throne at the center. Sitting atop the throne was the emaciated corpse of a decorated Aztec Ruler, and before that King was Magnus. "There he is. Are you all ready?" Jack asked. He became disturbed by the silence that followed. "My friends?" Jack asked as he turned around, seeing no one. "Ashi? Cassius? Agalia? Where are you?!" Jack asked, realizing too late something was wrong.

"Hmph, I see you haven't changed since that day. Always a step behind, aren't you Jack?" Magnus said as he turned around. Jack tensed as his anger flared up, seeing in person the man who struck down his father, finally within reach. That anger only intensified by the implicit meaning of Magnus's words.
"Magnus, what have you done with them?!" Jack demanded. "Right now, Inquisitor Anima is having them see themselves as the monsters they are. Don't worry, you'll be joining them soon enough. But first, may I ask how you knew I would be here?" Magnus posed.

Silence. "I see. You must have friends who did you a favor." Magnus assessed. Jack was done fooling around. He drew his sword, reading to have this man answer for his crimes, then be ready to save his friends. "Guess I'll finish what I started long ago." Magnus said as he drew his own.

The two stared down for a minute, waiting for the first move. But neither made it, as a third force joined the fray. The two warriors saw magic and fire breathe life into the corpse of the ancient skeleton, more powerful than the others. The Aztec Ruler drew his own blade and looked down on Jack and Magnus, ready to rend them both.

"Damn it!" Magnus cursed as both he and Jack dodged the flames. For now, Jack decided to focus on the new enemy, though planned to watch his back in case Magnus got any ideas. The Aztec Ruler cried out, with more undead guardians rising from their sleep to kill the intruders.

"You handle the small fry, I'm taking him out!" Magnus ordered as he charged at the king. "What, no, I-" Jack retorted incompletely as he suddenly had to fend off an attack. He looked to see himself surrounded by a dozen of the undead. Jack cursed himself for letting Magnus use him like this, but decided it couldn't be helped now.

Jack cut down the first two that charged, then punched disarmed another, taking their sword for himself. Armed with in two hands, Jack parried the various attacks and responded with a frenzy of slashes, finally dispatching them all.

Jack looked towards where Magnus was battling the Aztec Ruler. It looked like Magnus had been holding his own, but now the flames surround the Ruler billowed as he prepared to exhale. Jack was a bit conflicted if he should be worried or not, just as the flames erupted towards Magnus.

When the flames settled, Magnus stood unharmed, a stone wall protecting him from the flames. Jack was a baffled as to how he did that, but now wasn't the time. The Aztec Ruler saw Jack and turned its attention towards him. Blade in emaciated hand, the Aztec Ruler charged at Jack, with Jack blocking each strike.

The problem though was the burning flames about the Ruler made just getting close to him a danger. Jack felt the intense heat trying to burn him, and cried out and backed away as one strike still singed him slightly. He eyed Magnus, who seemed to be just observing. "Do you intend to just stand idle there? Or do you find this fortunate?" Jack criticized.

"Hmph. Don't expect me to care what befalls you, Samurai. Try to keep up." Magnus mocked. Magnus closed in on the Aztec Ruler, locking blades with the undead warrior. The King breathed fire right at him, but Magnus backflipped away in time, then fired his gun. The king tried to block the projectile, but the force of it destroyed part of his blade and skull.

The literally slack jawed Ruler roared, bellowing a wildfire that covered the burial area. Jack coughed amid the choking flames as he tried to peer through them. He was surrounded by fire as the Ruler gazed at him, ready to burn him to a crisp. "I do not like the looks of this." thought Jack as he braced himself.

But then, the flames all around began to stir, then move, all of them towards one point. Towards the Aztec Ruler? No, all the flames left the burial ground and flew towards the palm of Magnus. All gathered in a fiery sphere, Magnus then dispersed the fire, leaving only flickers that sputtered and died.

"Wha...what manner of sorcery…" Jack uttered, trying to understand what happened. Though Jack knew Magnus, like his Inquisitor followers, must have had powers of his own, he had never used them when he fought Jack, and Jack had never met a human with this kind of power. It couldn't simply be fire, as Magnus earlier erected a barrier of stone, so what was it? Jack was still trying to figure out the nature of Magnus's magic when the battle resumed.

The Ruler hurled fireballs in fury at the two warriors. Both Jack and Magnus run and deflected the firebolts, running towards the Ruler. Jack jumped and tried to slice the Ruler with an uppercut, but the Ruler locked his arms and blocked the strike. Jack held his blade there, trying to break though, just as the Ruler's mouth blazed with fire, preparing to incinerate the Samurai.

But the Ruler would not be allowed his last breath. The sound of metal cutting though bone came instead, as the Ruler was bisected from behind, falling to pieces to reveal Magnus dealt the final blow. The Ruler's damaged skull fell to the floor, the flames beginning to die.

"Hmph, so much for blood sacrifice. Now, where did we leave off? Oh, yes." Magnus remembered as readied his blade towards the Samurai. Jack gripped his sword in tension, realizing his current opponent was more powerful than the last.

But, in a chamber beneath the one the two dueling warriors stood in now, different in structure and origin, laid the object Magnus came for, the Key. The Key flickered in limited sentience, still connected to the Ruler who owned it in long past. In a last moment to protect itself, it saw the histories of both who sought it, and made a decision.

The Ruler's skull lighted with a blue glow, unseen by the two warriors. The skull screamed magic rings, as Jack noticed the scream too late as the rings surrounded him in a familiar way. "No! Not agaaaain!" Jack screamed as he was sent down into yet another time portal. The black and white vortex time portal blipped out of existence, leaving Magnus bewildered.

"That was odd. Oh well, so long Jack." Magnus said as he made his way to the throne, holding up his own Key as it glowed, the throne and floor coming apart to show a stairway. The architecture was different, with glowing blue geometric lining across metallic structure. Magnus began the descent towards his prize, confident he would never see the Samurai again. He would soon realize though, that not only would they see each other again, but see meet before as well.

Author Notes: Hey, it's been a long while, huh? Sorry, but I'm really busy these days. It usually goes where I'm so busy that I can only get in a few paragraphs before having to quit because work leaves me tired. I've been at this a long while, wit long breaks in between. So I left a bunch of cliff hangers, but I have next chapter planned out to resolve a number of them, and hopefully that comes soon. Jack and Magnus will have a big showdown, but first there will be some exposition. It was actually hard figuring out the dialogue, as they're supposed to be enemies, but having typical good guy vs bad guy long drawn out banter didn't seem right, as neither characters didn't seem to be into that, especially Jack. Rather, what came into my mind was one sided, "Hey, long time no see?", as Jack's in no mood to talk, and Magnus sees Jack as just an obstruction. They're the type, especially Jack, to let their actions speak for themselves. Let me know how you think the story's coming along. See you next time!