A bid for revenge! Betrayed
and left for dead by Dimitri,
Lien-Da has begun a deadly
game with her former Master,
launching a secret assassination
attempt against him with the help
of her kin, the mysterious
Yagyu.
Deceived into thinking the Shinobi
were behind the recent attack,
Dimitri has travelled across the
galaxy to enlist the Yagyu
in his quest for vengeance….
Dimitri's ship landed outside the temple on Beryl where Enchantress and the sisters were waiting. He exited the ship and saw the sisters surround him but he showed no concern "Enchantress" he said respectfully, "Dimitri. Come, we have much to discuss". They entered the temple "Thank you for receiving me, sister. I believe the old alliance can again be what it once was. You would only have to pledge your clan's allegiance to the Separatists cause. We could certainly use the powers of the Yagyu against the Shinobi". Enchantress gave a fake smile "Such a generous offer, Dimitri. But our loyalties are reserved for only each other. The only reason I'm aiding you is because I owe you a debt. After this matter is resolved I hope our paths never cross again" "As you wish" he replied politely. They entered a small room and sat at a table that had a crystal ball sitting in the centre. The moment Dimitri sat a goblet appeared from nowhere in front of him, "Drink. You must gather your strength after such a long journey" Enchantress said. Dimitri took a drink from the goblet "Thank you" "Black root. To replenish the body". Enchantress sat down opposite him "You have heard of the Raiju warrior, Scourge the Hedgehog. Have you not?", Dimitri nodded "Yes. He was slain on Albion at the hand of Espio the Chameleon after killing Maria Kintobor" he said with a hint of regret. Enchantress smiled as if she knew something he didn't "A few still remain in his blood line. The males' dwell on the far side of Beryl. What if I could provide another of his kind?". "A warrior of the same calibre?" Dimitri asked her, "Yes. But I will warn you. Men are easy to acquire but hard to control". Dimitri looked regretful "With Lien-Da dead and the Shinobi's attacks against me increasing, procuring a new personal assassin is essential" "Very well. It shall be done, my Lord".
Later after Dimitri left Enchantress was speaking to Lien-Da "So he has agreed to take another apprentice. A barbarian no less" "A barbarian who we will deliver to him with all of the training an assassin can posses. But he will be our pawn". Lien-Da smirked "Yes" "We will use our magic to manipulate the assassin and when the time is right". Lien-Da nodded "Dimitri will pay for his betrayal with his life" "Yes. You will go to the far side of Beryl and select the most suitable candidate. One with great strength and skill. One we can use to our advantage".
Lien-Da travelled on a speeder across Beryl and eventually reached a village. She stopped at what looked to be a training ground and the squirrel leader of the village greeted her "Welcome, Sister" he bowed his head. "I have come for the selection" "Yes, of course. Line up!" he told them all. A hedgehog and a rabbit were part of a group and were lining up, the older yellow hedgehog to the grey rabbit wearing a red jacket "Johnny, try not to draw attention to yourself" "I don't think that will be a problem for me, Fleetway" the rabbit responded. Lien-Da walked around all of them as they continued to stare forward. She stopped at a lion "What a fine-looking specimen. But looks aren't everything" she grinned sinisterly as she grabbed his throat and he immediately fell to the ground, no one reacted to this. She walked past a skunk who was half her size "Too small" she kicked him out of the line. She then punched an echidna on her other side who then fell to his knees "Too weak". There were six remaining including the hedgehog and rabbit "These will do" "These men are to your liking, Sister?" the squirrel asked. Lien-Da stood in front of them "Yes. Now for the tests. There will be three of them. Whoever survives will be my champion and go on to serve me. Understood?" "Yes, sister" they all said.
The six of them were in an arena holding weapons with Lien-Da in the middle. The squirrel stood on a platform and clapped his hands together beginning the test. One at a time they charged at Lien-Da who effortlessly took them all down. Fleetway tried and managed to dodge her attack forcing her to push him back against the wall with the Force. She grabbed a spear form one and killed another with it before throwing it through the stomach of another. Johnny then charged at her but she kicked him to the ground. "Johnny!" she turned to see Fleetway who instead of attacking her went to see if his brother was okay "Brother, get up!". She walked up to him "Pathetic" she said coldly before punching him in the face "Where are the warriors I came for? Is this all the power you possess?".
Later that night she was standing in front of the remaining four who have barley healed after the last test. Lien-Da was holding a knife was holding a knife "In order to fight the Force, you must see what cannot be seen" all the lights in the arena turned off. They could barley see her but they could hear her knife scraping against stone "Only four of you remain. Who will be the first to fall?" she disappeared into the darkness and the four warriors formed a circle. They could hear her laughing when suddenly something rushed past them and one of them fell to the ground dead "Not fast enough". It happened again killing another on leaving only Fleetway and Johnny who went back-to-back. Fleetway concentrated, he could hear something heading towards them. He quickly grabbed Johnny and pushed him out of the way of the next attack. He then turned around "Show yourself". Lien-Da then stepped out of the darkness looking impressed "Good".
The next challenge was about to start "There are only two of us left, brother. Only one will survive" Johnny said sounding scared, "Not if I can help it". The squirrel clapped his hands and different sections of the arena rose up creating a maze "Stay together" Fleetway told Johnny. The two of them ran down one of the trails hoping to find a way out when a wall suddenly rose between the two of them "Fleetway!". Johnny ran back the way he came while Fleetway climbed the wall and got to the top. Lien-Da jumped down in front of Johnny and she effortlessly knocked him to the ground. She started to strangle him with the Force but Fleetway suddenly appeared, grabbed her arm and threw her into another wall "As long as I live you will not harm him!". Lien-Da looked impressed and then glanced at Johnny. She fought the hedgehog and he was able to push her back "Please spare him. Take me" he pleaded. Lien-Da paused for a moment and then "Leave us" she told Johnny who looked to his brother. Fleetway gave him a nod and Johnny hesitantly ran out of the maze. The two fought and while Fleetway was obviously outmatched he showed a great deal of resilience against Lien-Da's attacks. Eventually though she was able knock him down and she pressed her foot against his throat "My life is yours" he said. Lien-Da grinned "Yes, it is".
The next day Fleetway was taken back to the Yagyu Temple, he didn't even get to say goodbye to Johnny. Lien-Da took him inside where Enchantress was waiting "He has surrendered his life to me". Enchantress looked as if for a moment she recognised the hedgehog in front of her. She then examined him "He is strong. And i feel... much hate. The sheer power of it. He will serve us well" she touched his forehead with the tip of her finger which caused him to fall back unconscious.
Fleetway was lying on a stone slab with the sisters chanting around his body. Enchantress was at the front of the slab waving her hands when a green orb of energy appeared. The orb shot beams around Fleetway which caused him to hover in the air. He his arms, legs and spines began to grow until he was now similar in size to Scourge. He fell back down "He is ready, sisters. Look at the strength. The power". Enchantress touched his forehead again which woke him up. His eyes opened revealing them now have red spirals. Lien-Da leaned over to examine him but he suddenly grabbed her by the throat "Let… me…go" she ordered. "Calmly, sister" Enchantress told her, "Let me go" Fleetway did so before standing up "That's better". "Bring in the prisoner" Lien-Da said which seemed to surprise Enchantress, "Now for the final test" Lien-Da said. Two sisters entered carrying an injured Johnny, Enchantress looked surprised to see him but said nothing.
Johnny looked up to his brother "Fleetway" "Kill him" Lien-Da ordered. "Fleetway, you know me. I'm our kin. Don't do this" he pleaded, Lien-Da slapped Fleetway "I said kill him". Fleetway stepped forward and lifted his brother by the throat, Enchantress looked like she was about to reach out and stop him but didn't, she knew she couldn't show weakness. "Brother, please", Fleetway scowled at him "You beg? Weakling!". Enchantress looked away right before Fleetway crushed Johnny's throat killing him. Lien-Da grinned "Good. Very good. You will learn to draw your strength from your emotions. Hate will feed you. Never sympathise with the enemy. Not even for a moment". Fleetway stared blankly forward "Yes, sister". Enchantress composed herself and gave Fleetway an axe "For you, an enchanted blade. Blessed with our most potent magics. Now it is time for you to meet your master".
A shuttle arrived on Megaopolis and landed just outside of Dimitri's castle where he was waiting. Enchantress exited the shuttle "Dimitri, may I present Fleetway the Hedgehog". Fleetway stepped out of the shuttle carrying his axe, Dimitri was impressed "He certainly is a sight to behold". Enchantress looked proud "He is the fiercest of his kind, my lord. He shall serve you well". Dimitri grinned "Yes, he shall", Fleetway kneeled to his new master.
In Dimitri's office he was sitting at his desk with Fleetway in front of him "Enchantress speaks very highly of your skills. Still, I require proof of your abilities as a warrior". He activated the holo-unit which showed some sort of structure "The Shinobi are in control of a vital outpost on the jungle planet of Devron. A temple". Fleetway looked unimpressed "A Temple?" "Do not be fooled, Fleetway. The temple serves only as a front for the military operations of the Republic. It is essential that we seize it if the Separatists have any hope of controlling that corner of the galaxy. You shall go to Devron and take what is rightfully ours". Fleetway nodded "It shall be yours, my lord".
Fleetway landed on Devron a short distance from the temple. There was only one bridge that allowed you to enter the temple and a battle was taking place on it between badniks and a group of clones with two Shinobi, an octopus and owl. Fleetway ran across the bridge pushing the badniks out of his way, a clone fired at him, but he was able to stop it with his axe. Fleetway then hit the clone in the chest with the axe before continuing. "Get him!" the clone commander yelled but Fleetway manged to kill any clones that got close eventually leaving him and the two Shinobi. "Shinobi" he said angrily, the owl leaped forward worrying the octopus "Master?" "Stay back". The owl charged and tried to strike Fleetway who managed to quickly dodge all his attacks and eventually managing to trip him up. He pierced the Shinobi's chest with the axe "NO!" the young apprentice yelled. The octopus charged at Fleetway and waved his lightsaber mindlessly. Fleetway grabbed his wrist and pushed the lightsaber back until it cut the young Shinobi's head off. Fleetway then took out a holo-disc which showed Dimitri "My lord, the temple has been taken" "And the Shinobi?" "Dead". The echidna smiled "Very impressive, Fleetway. Return to Megaopolis immediately" "Very well, my lord".
Dimitri walked with Fleetway through his castle "You have done well, Fleetway. I'll have much use for you" "Thank you, my lord" he said blankly. Dimitri looked happy "I foresee that we shall do great things together. I shall teach you the ways of the dark side. Soon your powers will rival that of the great Raiju Lord Scourge the Hedgehog. We shall be even more powerful than Lord Mephiles. We shall rule the galaxy together, my apprentice".