Chapter 14
Bulls on Parade
Part 3
You Rascal You

Ermac and Reptile's ally, the Osh-Tekk, fell to his knees to the ground of the courtyard with a Tarkatan blade impaled in his heart as the same beast snarled down at him. The Tarkatan didn't get much time to revel in his victory however, when Ermac grabbed him in a telekinetic bind, twisted his head all the way around and threw him over the wall.

Gunshots rang in the distance, cutting through the clamor of battles around the palace and causing both guards to look towards were the sound was originating from. Remembering what Ermac had stated previously and knowing the gunfire could only come from one person, Reptile raised a scaly eyebrow in Ermac's direction.

"I thought you said Black was indisposed?"

The wraith didn't reply; the answer was clear enough that the ex-Earthrealmer was no longer succumbed to his illness; confirmed with each shot that echoed in the air.

With him being the only clue to where the Emperor might be, Reptile and Ermac gave each other a small glance before taking off in the direction of the gunfire.

Rain cursed slightly as a chunk of rock blew off from the stone wall he was hiding behind and managed to graze the flesh under his eye. He touched it lightly and frowned at the small trace of blood he saw on his fingers.

Another gunshot rang, blowing small dust particles from the rock and floated down on Tanya's dark hair. She looked over her shoulder at him and appeared as displeased as he was in their predicament.

They had been racing along an open walkway, merlons placed on both edges of the path when one of the Tarkatans leading ahead was killed by a bullet fired from Erron Black's gun. The Earthrealmer had them at a disadvantage as he stood on a balcony shooting at them from afar. They had made it to the middle of the walkway, and they were stuck where they were for now; if they moved from their hiding spots, they would be killed.

Rain heard another gunshot accompanied by a thud behind him and looked over his shoulder to see one of the Tarkatans with a hole on the side of his head; blood and bits of blown off flesh staining the stone under his distorted face.

He overheard Tanya say something in anger before she threw a fireball through the dip; Rain had to guess it was out of frustration rather than retaliation due to how far away Black was. The Hydromancer rolled his eyes at her childish act before another bullet punctured the stone she was behind and earned a peeved grumble from her.

Rain let out a small groan when he felt something cut across his arm and splattered in the stone by his feet. He tucked his arm, hiding it from view and sighed with annoyance at the slender red trail cut across his bicep from where Black's bullet nicked him.

The Hydromancer craned his head out and glared with detest at the figure with the rifle. He saw the gun aim in his direction and he barely ducked in time as a shot rang and the stone fragments of the edge of the merlon blinded him with dust momentarily. He rubbed his eyes, removing the remnants before he felt himself scowl at the abhorrent individual they were at the mercy of.

He knew that impertinent Earthrealmer well; their last meeting in Sun Do played bitterly in his mind and just recalling the thought made Rain grit his teeth. The last time they had an encounter, Kotal Kahn had beaten him and had ordered Black to finish him as if the task itself wasn't worth the Emperor's effort. He had kicked him in the jaw, held him down by his throat and nearly killed him before Mileena had spared him.

He snarled at the memory and felt the same discontent he had felt that day. Black had them trapped to his leisure like a couple of mice in a den, waiting for them comfortably from a bird's nest for them to reveal themselves.

There was only one option that Rain could think of that would end their crisis. He would have to teleport to the balcony and deal with Erron Black himself.

Rain smirked at the prospect of returning some long-expired due for his humiliation that day. In a way, he was pleased that they had been cornered so he had a justifiable excuse to exterminate the pest. He noticed Tanya looking at him with a questionable glance; almost as if she had the same idea and was reprimanding him for not leaving to deal with it already.

"I will rejoin you shortly," he declared as he flashed her a look full of grandiose certainty. "This will not take long."

With that last remark, he lifted his hand and teleported to the gunslinger's balcony.

He relished in the startled look the Earthrealmer gave him when he saw him suddenly standing next to him. Black tried to turn and aim his rifle towards him, but Rain knocked it away with the back of his gold-plated forearm. The barrel of the gun pointed harmlessly down at the ground and Black shifted it around, swung up the butt of the rifle and Rain cursed inwardly when he felt it connect under his jaw.

Black twirled the rifle around, attempting to shoot him again, but Rain lunged forward, grabbed the barrel and pulled it over his shoulder as the gun fired. He felt his palm burn against the steel of the barrel as the mercenary lifted his leg and kicked for his stomach. Rain managed to block him with his shin guard before delivering a jab. Black stumbled back, off balance, and released his hold on the rifle. Rain, holding the gun by the barrel, tossed it over the ledge of the balcony.

He went for his revolver, but the Edenian had anticipated his next move and was faster. Before he could lift it out, Rain gave him a spinning roundhouse kick to the face.

The mercenary grunted, his head snapping back as his spine connected with the railing of the balcony. Rain blasted a charge of lightning from his palm and grinned when he watched his chest arch up painfully as he fell to the ground.

Even though he was in agony, Black raised his gun out of his holster and aimed it in Rain's direction, fighting through the volts that shook his body and squeezed the trigger.

Rain simply moved out of the way as the bullet hit the railing behind him. Rain increased the intensity of the lightning and the Emperor's guard faltered; finally bellowing in pain as his eyes shut tightly. The sound of hearing him scream was music to his ears...

Something hard collided with the back of Rain's head and he was forced to halt his as he dropped to the ground. Rain shook his head, his eyesight adjusting through the haze to find himself on his hands and knees with splintered pieces of wood around him. He turned his head to the side to see another elderly Earthrealmer holding a piece of a wooden chair's leg in his hands standing above him.

He struck him hard across the face with the piece, sending him to the floor of the balcony. Rain groaned as he rubbed his jaw through his purple mask; feeling his jaw bruise and glowered. If the old fool thought it would take a chair to the back of the head to subdue him, he was in for an undesirable revelation.

Rain heard him calling out to another in the room that he could not see over his form. Rain stood up and raised his hand, blasting his back with a jet of water. He lurched forward and flew deeper into the room, landing on top of the other individual he was addressing.

The old man rolled off who he had knocked down and Rain raised an eyebrow at who it was he had landed on.

The Earthrealm servant girl he had run into from the day previous.

She narrowed her eyes skeptically at him, almost as if she were fighting with the uncertainty that this was the first time they had met. After a moment, her eyes widened in recognition and he prided himself in the fearful look she gave him. He noted her wounded condition, the stab wound on her shoulder fresh, and particularly enjoyed the small frightened 'you...?' that escaped her mouth almost inaudibly.

The Hydromancer smiled darkly with amusement and was about to enter the room when he was interrupted by Erron Black colliding into him. He gripped him around the midsection and threw him to the ground and on his back with Black above him.

Before he could aim his gun at him, Rain punched him across the face, knocking him off. The Prince rolled over, grabbed him by the collar of his black shirt and lifted him as he got back on his feet. He aimed his revolver at him, but Rain caught his wrist and quickly leaned his head out of the way as Black fired; he felt a gust of wind from the bullet as it passed by his ear.

Erron Black head-butted him, causing him to snap his head back before Rain pushed him into the doorframe. He punched him in the stomach, causing the marksman to hunch over with a pained groan before Rain gave him a solid punch across his cheek. Black hit the ground, landing on his hands and knees but forced flat to the floor when Rain pressed his foot squarely between his shoulder blades. Black struggled to get back up, coughing hoarsely.

"Why does this seem so strangely similar?" Rain sarcastically questioned, placing a hand on his chin before his eyes narrowed. "Oh, yes. Now I recall."

The Prince released his foot from his back and stepped forward to give him a brutal kick to the jaw, earning pained yell from Erron Black as he landed on his back. He coughed, a small bit of blood running out of his nose as he struggled to stay awake.

Rain clicked his tongue with disappointment. A strange inkling crossed his thoughts that made Rain wonder if Black was ill; he certainly looked poorly. He sighed with boredom; he had expected more of a fight out of Kotal Kahn's guard and was somewhat annoyed their tussle was over so quickly. Nonetheless, he had two others he could kill time with until he was ready to get back up.

"I will deal with you in a moment after I have taken care of your pets," he sneered. He placed his foot on Black's stomach as if he were a floor rug, and purposely put all of his weight on his foot as he stepped over him and entered the room.

The old man shielded himself in front of the girl and he rolled his eyes at the pathetic sentimentality of it. He stepped forward as they walked back, both understandably guarded and apprehensive about his sinister presence in the room; he felt his ego swell at their fear.

The old man turned and whispered sternly to her: "Norah— go."

The Hydromancer raised a hand. "No. Stay."

They flew back, both of them soaking wet as they hit the large cabinet that had been used to blockade the door. She rolled off the piece of furniture and yelped when she hit the ground, grasping her injured shoulder as her wet hair hung around her face like a curtain. The old man lay sprawled on the top of the cabinet, groaning painfully and braced his hands against the wood.

He cried out in pain when Rain unleashed lightning on him, the elderly Earthrealmer quivering as he flopped on top of the furniture. It didn't last as long as he would have liked, when the girl foolishly ran at him with the same knife he saw on her from their previous encounter.

His lightning stopped as he grabbed her wrist almost effortlessly, crushing it in his hands as small flickers of electricity danced and pricked along her skin. The girl moaned in pain as she tried to pull away from him and he gave her a light shock with his hand, earning another quick yelp from her.

He tilted his head and noticed that the same hand holding the blade was the same side as her afflicted shoulder. Rain frowned when he saw her other hand lift to strike him, and he punched her wounded shoulder as a reward for her idiotic boldness. The knife dropped instantly, and she hunched forward with a cry of misery, her eyes filled instantly with tears as her other hand flew over her wound.

Rain snatched her by the throat and squeezed, earning a startled and gagged sound from her as her hand left her shoulder to scratch over his fingers. He let go of her wrist, allowing her to secure her grip with both hands, as her eyes bugged wide in alarm.

He brought her face to look at his and she cowered under his stare. "I am pleased to see that you remember me despite the masquerade," he told her with a haughty tone.

While maintaining his strong grip on her throat, he spun her into him so her back was to his chest. She fought against his hold, trying to claw his hand off her throat as she wheezed for air. He released his hand slightly, not wanting to end their conversation so short, but continued to hold her against him.

"How entertaining it is to run into you again," he chided to her from behind. "Although I must admit, you do not look as lovely as you did since our last encounter. Such a shame you stained your dress, it was a nice shade on you.

She tried to wiggle away as he lowered his head to whisper in her ear; she flinched and turned her head away. "Perhaps red will suit you better."

He rubbed his thumb in a circle against the skin of her throat and gave a breathy mocking laugh when she shivered in disgust. Rain glanced at her blood-soaked shoulder and smirked at the stitching zigzagging across her skin under the open, keyhole torn section of the purple blouse.

"What a pity about your shoulder. Tell me, does it hurt?" he heckled before he brought his other hand up and jammed his thumb into her damaged flesh. Her reaction was instantaneous, and she wailed as she struggled desperately to get out of his grasp.

He felt blood coat his hand as he started to pluck at the strings by hooking his thumb underneath and tugging; causing her to scream even louder. The sound delighted him, and he continued to burrow his thumb in deeper. However, he had been so distracted that he did not notice the old man had recovered, heard her screams and raced over to stop him. He pulled her out of his arms and punched him across the jaw.

Taken aback, he was able to grab Rain by the collar, yell: "Get off her!" before he punched him in face and then kneed him hard in the crotch.

Rain groaned loudly, falling to his knees as his extremities exploded with pain. He boiled over with rage as he watched the old Earthrealmer pull her to her feet and try to help her to the door, fresh blood coating her wounded shoulder. Rain's lips quivered with rancor from behind his mask.

The audacity to attack him in such a manner!

He teleported quickly, placing himself behind the old man, and in a flash, wrapped his arm around his neck and snapped it before they could get the door open.

Much to his pleasure, she had seen him do it and he grinned at the horrified look she had on her face. His lifeless body slumped towards her and she attempted to catch him, but his limp weight brought her down to her knees.

She let out a sorrowful sob as she held on to him in her lap. A cry of tortured 'no' escaped loudly from her before she started to bawl with her head hung low. He must have been someone she cared dearly for. Good.

"Yes," he shot cruelly at her.

He reached for the left side of her head, attempting to grab her by her wet hair, but as soon as she felt his hand, she turned to him, shrieked with anger and slapped him sharply across the face. His head snapped to the side and his eyes flared with distemper as he met her furious, tear stained expression; her teeth bared like an animal at him as she trembled with outrage.

Rain seized her by the neck and pulled her towards him, dragging her over the body of her fellow dead Earthrealmer. She let out a choked cry as her hand wrapped around his wrist while he pulled her to her feet.

He heard something move behind him and his eyes shifted over to where he had discarded Erron Black. Quickly, he whirled her towards the direction of the balcony and draped his arm across her chest with his hand cupping her shoulder while the other held her strongly by her forehead.

Erron Black held his revolver, aimed it in his direction and pulled the hammer back. Rain forced her head to an unnatural angle, twisting it to the side as he turned her shoulder to point in the opposite way.

"I wager bounty hunter, that I can break her neck faster than you can pull the trigger in your ail condition," Rain taunted with a smile. "Would you care to test it to see if I am correct?" He gave a small tug on her head to demonstrate his point and she whimpered.

"Drop her," Black ordered, his eyes narrowed.

Rain 'tsked' as he addressed her with his eyes still on Black, "How saccharine and pathetic."

Forgetting about the elderly Earthrealmer, a thought crossed into his head at the possibility of why she was in his room for them to even have this little impasse. He gave a small, disgusted snort as he looked back and forth between them before he turned his head and whispered in a berated tone playfully into her ear: "Are you his little bed warmer?"

"Burn in Hell, you filthy Edenian cur," she seethed malignantly at him. His lip curled up in a snarl and he gave her head another tiny, but uncaring jerk as a warning, causing her to let out a minuscule cry of pain.

"If anything's pathetic, it's you using her as armor," he scolded gratingly back. "Does Tanya do most of the fightin' while you are pissin' yourself in the corner?"

Rain felt a flash of anger ignite inside him at the comment, making his blood boil as he lowered his head dangerously in Erron Black's direction. He would make sure this putrid and lowly Earthrealmer knew well what came to those that offended him in such a disgraceful and derogatory manner.

His eyes looked over the girl once more before he released her from him. Instead, he moved his hand to ravel harshly in her hair with a firm grip, holding her steady out in front of him. He pulled back on her scalp, earning a small whimper of pain from her as one of her hands flew back to grab the back of his hand, trying to claw it out of her hair.

"What was it you said to me in Sun Do that day?" He thought for a moment, trying to recollect the exact words before his eyes narrowed at the memory and he chuckled maliciously. "Oh yes, I remember and unlike you, I can promise with certainty, that 'you will not be touching her again.'"

He wiped his hand with a backhanded motion and propelled her towards the trunk by the end of the bed. She hit it face first and let out a sharp cry before she crumpled to the floor; her eyes closed and a small cut on her forehead. Though she was not entirely unconscious, she was indisposed, and he would enjoy resuming their little fight once again after he killed Black. Rain looked at his palm and dusted away the small chunk of wet hair stuck to his palm.

Kotal Kahn's guard pulled the trigger, shooting off a couple of bullets but missed as Rain jumped out of the way for each one; although he did feel them graze his skin. Rain lifted his hand and shot a powerful stream of water at him that Erron Black spun out of the way of; most of it flying over the balcony.

Black fired again but missed as Rain stepped in close and batted the arm that held the gun off to the side; the bullet ricocheted harmlessly around the room. Rain jabbed him in the jaw and the marksman hit him with an uppercut to his obliques.

Erron Black tried to snap kick for him, but Rain blocked it with his plated-shin. Rain delivered a punch to his chest, sending him away from him as his back hit the wall. Black jumped forward and before he could stop him, felt the mercenary grab him behind the shoulders, move to the side and forced his face into the wall. Rain groaned in pain, tasting blood in his mouth in his hunched over position before he felt Black shift around and bring his knee and fists to connect with his abdomen multiple times.

Rain brought his elbow back and felt it hit the side of his face, allowing him his freedom. The Edenian pivoted on his feet, brought his fist up and hooked the opposite side of Black's jaw. The mercenary stumbled back, nearly tripping over the girl who was starting to recover slowly as Rain came towards him.

Erron Black raised his revolver again, but Rain suspended him in a water bubble before blasting lightning at the bubble and pushing him further into the room. Black hit the back of the cabinet, slumped for a moment before he jumped to his feet as Rain ran to him.

Rain swiped at him with a hook that Black blocked with the outside of his arm. The gunman brought up a fist and landed a punch to the center of Rain's nose. His head went back, his nose damaged, but push-kicked Black. He hit the back of the cabinet, cornering the marksman while Rain assaulted him with blows to his face and chest. Black caught one arm and pistol-whipped him across his facemask, once to make distance, and a second to maim as the Hydromancer stumbled back.

He saw the Kahn's guard lower the gun towards his head and Rain quickly teleported behind him. He grabbed Black from behind, his attention focused on the weapon in his hand and tried to remove it out of his grip with both hands.

The Earthrealmer clamped his hand on Rain's wrist and quickly reached into his other holster to grab the other gun. He pointed it at him, aiming it over his shoulder at Rain's head. Rain shifted his head quickly out of the way as Black fired it, missing him by inches. Black craned his head forward before he whipped it back, hitting him in the nose the same time Rain kicked him in the back of the knee.

Erron Black's leg shot forward as he bent down to one knee and Rain wobbled back: blood now coming out of each nostril. The gunslinger turned, raising both guns as he spun on his knee he was forced on and pulled the hammers back. Rain came forward, grabbed both wrists and pulled his arms apart as the guns discharged off into the corners of the room.

Rain brought his leg up and booted it into his face. Erron Black groaned, landing on his back with a thud. Black gritted his teeth at him as he raised one his of guns that Rain pinned to the ground quickly by stomping on his wrist. He attempted the same thing with the other one and Rain grabbed his wrist, gave an uncomfortable twist and enjoyed that Black let out a pained yell as it fell from his hand. The Hydromancer, one hand still holding on his wrist, hovered his hand above Black's face and placed only his head in a water bubble.

Rain hummed a jaunty tune, one from his childhood, as he watched Kotal Kahn's bodyguard shutter inside the water bubble; trying to escape the trap with little effort. He bucked underneath Rain, his legs starting to kick wildly as he fought to get out of it. He saw him scream mutely inside it and Rain knew it wouldn't be long until he drowned...

Fire exploded across his shoulder blade, earning a pained cry from him. The second time he felt it, he released the bubble and staggered away from Erron Black, the latter sputtering water out of his mouth. Before it could happen a third time, he flung his elbow back and hit his assailant.

Rain heard a feminine whine and a body hit the ground behind him, but he already knew who it was that had attacked him before his elbow hit her jaw. He felt his blood run down his back and soak into his purple cape when he turned around and loomed over her fallen body. He felt himself scowl furiously when he saw the small knife that lay by her hand; the silver of the steel coated in crimson. His blood.

How dare that little peasant slut stab him!

Rain narrowed his eyes viciously at her as she cupped her bruised jaw, her face grimacing. She noticed he was fuming above her and glared in wrathful hatred at him.

She glanced over at the knife, and with a growl, he grabbed her ankle and pulled her towards him before she could grab it; sliding across the floor with enough friction to burn the exposed skin of her back. Her hands came up to him as she shrieked angrily at him, beating him against his chest as he moved to straddle her waist. She punched him in the nose, sending pain through his bruised face and he gave her a solid backhand, silencing her screams and whipping her head to the side as her lip cut open. He grabbed her by the throat with both hands and received her attention as she fought out of her daze.

The girl looked up at him with blazing livid eyes as she grabbed his wrists. At first, he couldn't understand what had given her the unwise boldness to attack him until his eyes glanced over at the dead old man he had killed lying by the door.

He saw her crane her hand out for the knife desperately, just slightly out of her way by centimeters and he laughed at her efforts. She managed to touch the handle before he leaned over and simply tapped it out of her reach. It clattered away, a couple of inches too far and her face fell while a frustrated moan escaped her; the hopelessness evident on her face as he looked down at her.

"Was he your father?" he questioned trenchantly. "Do not fret, you will be joining him soon even if your death will not be as brisk as his was."

A cross expression crimped on her face and she spat at him for his remark. He felt it disgustingly land in his eye and he grumbled in repulsion as he raised a hand to wipe it away. He placed his hand back on her throat and pressed down on her windpipe.

She let out a strangled cry, her hands at his fingers as he watched her face turn red and the vein in her forehead jut out. Her eyes closed as her face scrunched in agony as he strangled her mercilessly. He could have easily snapped her neck, but instead took elation in prolonging her suffering.

After a few moments, her face began to turn purple and he could feel her heels dig into the floor more fiercely. Her hands left his wrists and began to beat blindly against him in a final attempt to fight him off. Rain squeezed harder and her hands went back to his hands while airy gasps and grunts escaped out of the little room she had left in her throat.

Much to his gratification, he felt the nails on his fingers begin to slacken and watched with mirth as her face started to relax.

A strong arm wrapped around his throat and another under his arm, forcing him into a chokehold as he was lifted off her and pulled to his feet with a startled groan.

Rain brought his elbow up and hit the point of it into Black's rib-cage repeatedly; trying to break the hold. Erron Black didn't falter despite the blows and he began to grow nervous when his vision started to blur and he wheezed for air. The mercenary must of noticed because Rain heard him growl bitterly behind him: "How do you like it?"

He gritted his teeth at the comment and pushed against Black, forcing him to the wall. He grunted and his arm slackened when his back struck the wall, but it wasn't enough. Through the fog, Rain eyeballed the balcony and got an idea. With Erron Black attached to him, he lifted his hand and teleported the both of them.

He felt them fall through the air, and in surprise, Black let go of him enough for Rain to teleport once more to safety; leaving the mercenary to fall to the ground of the courtyard below.

The Edenian smiled when he reappeared and turned towards the direction of Black's balcony, expecting to see his broken body under it, but instead felt the grin immediately stolen from his face when he saw him safely hovering above the ground in a green mist, courteous of Kotal Kahn's other guard Ermac. He placed him carefully on the ground as Ermac floated over in his direction, Erron Black also following behind him as the two guards approached him.

Rain lifted his hand, about to give them both a dose of lightning, when suddenly something moist and firm wrapped around his wrist and jerked him powerfully to the side. He flipped in the air, spinning uncontrollably before he landed hard on his arm. The Zaterran, Reptile, materialized out of the air nearby and pulled his tongue back in his mouth with a wet snap.

He climbed back to his feet as Reptile came after him, throwing a hook that Rain managed to stop with his forearm. Rain gave Reptile an uppercut and accompanied it with a hook to the face.

Rain lifted his hand towards the Zaterran until what he compared to a large gust of wind abruptly knocked him off his feet. Ermac stood off to the side, his hands glowing from the energy ball he just shot at him before he felt the wretch pick him up by his feet and dangled him over the ground. Rain anticipated what he was trying to do and tucked his chin to his chest as Ermac dropped him.

The top of his shoulders flared with pain, but at least his neck was in one piece. He ignored it and flipped his feet over his head. Standing back up, he was forced to stumble to the side with a groan when Reptile sailed through the air and hit him in the jaw as he passed. Rain twirled, his jaw exploding in pain when Reptile punched him once again and then kicked him with the flat of his foot.

Hunched over, he managed to give him a jet of water, sending Reptile away before he could shoot acid at him.

Just as Rain happened to look up, he watched as Ermac flew and collided his foot into the center of his gut. Rain sailed back, hitting the ground with a pained yell before he felt Ermac's telekinetic energy grab him and throw him over his head and into the wall under Black's balcony face first.

Rain slumped against the wall with a pitiful groan, barely able to stand as he turned around to meet fists pummeling his face shortly after. Black forced him into the wall with each blow. Rain managed to hit him in the jaw and teleport, fazed enough to only manage to transport to the middle of the courtyard before Reptile sprinted towards him.

The Zaterran swiped at him with his claws and Rain managed to dodge and block them before he felt him rake one across his chest. Rain punched him, forcing him away as he looked down to see three jagged marks running diagonally down his body. Distracted, he suddenly cried out in pain when he felt a bullet from Black's gun enter his side and tucked and rolled to avoid the other rounds that pierced the ground near him. He staggered back to his feet and covered the wound with his hand.

Reptile's tongue wrapped around his ankles from behind, causing him to fall face first and hit the point of his jaw against the stone. A twinge of pain blinded him for a moment as he lifted himself up— only to meet a foot connecting with his jaw and send him falling to his back.

The Zaterran hovered over him, about to stomp a clawed foot on his chest before Rain raised his hand and summoned lightning on him from above. The Zaterran snarled, retreating away as best as he could out of the shower of sparks, as Rain tried to get back on his feet.

The second he did, Ermac lifted him once more and threw him like a ragdoll into a wall. Ermac levitated over to him, caught the first Rain tried to throw and forced his own fist to jab him in the face. Rain kicked Ermac's torso, managing to bounce him slightly before the mystic's hand formed into a fist.

The Prince couldn't move as he was bound by the green mist and lifted high. The wraith drove forward with a yell, headbutting Rain brutally in the forehead before he floated above him, placed his feet on Rain's back and used his telekinetic energy to slam Rain into the ground below face first with Ermac's weight on top.

Ermac lifted off him, picked up Rain and once again slammed his back into the wall. He fell face forward, and this time Rain tasted blood swirl in his mouth while something bounced around; clanking against his teeth when he rose to his hands and knees. When he reached under his face mask and spat it out, he knew it was a tooth he felt roll around in his palm. He tossed it to the ground with a pained grumble, the small act alone feeling tremendously troubling to do.

Rain tried to stand but couldn't muster the energy to do anything other than lift himself feebly to his hands and knees. He raised his head with a groan and watched as they approached him. He stared at them with one eye narrowed— the other one closed shut now that he had a chance to rest and take notice.

Ermac's hands glowed brighter as he ceased levitating and dropped his feet to the ground.

Rain scowled as Erron Black clicked his revolver back into place and spun the cylinder wildly in a smug display.

Reptile flicked his tongue out, lashing it before it went back into his salivating mouth: "I will enjoy this."

You are disgusting cretin. You will never receive the opportunity.

Even with his internal proclamation and as deplorable as it was to admit, he knew he would not win this fight, and this was not the fight he had traveled all this way for.

With the last bit of strength he had, he punched his hand into the stone of the ground. Lightning crackled over the ground, looking like veins against the surface as they snaked towards the three and sent them flying backwards. With them disorientated for the moment, he took his opportunity to teleport.

He landed on the parapet across Black's balcony and teleported once more.

On the other side of the courtyards, a Tarkatan widened his eyes in alarm as Kotal Kahn placed his foot on the outside of Torr's massive arm and let the brute catapult him in his direction.

The last thing the Tarkatan saw, was the Emperor bringing his macuahuitl down and breaking through both arm-blades placed out defensively in front of him. He was dead before he felt himself sliced all the way from the top of his head down to the pit of his intestines; if not for the blades, he would have been cut entirely in half.

Kotal Kahn tucked and rolled forward, holding onto his macuahuitl as the momentum from being thrown by Torr, freed it from the Tarkatan's mangled body. He came back to his feet and swiped his club for Tanya, who used her naginata to block his weapon.

She gritted her teeth spitefully at him as he pushed his macuahuitl to the side and unlatched her weapon from his before delivering a solid punch to her face.

The Edenian let out a discontented cry of anger before she brought her hand up and chucked a fireball. He raised his club and blocked it from hitting his face but felt the heat of it spread across the surface of his club on the other side. He heard her heels click against the stone, giving him a distinct warning she was running towards him and swiped his macuahuitl for her head.

She ducked, detracted her staff and acrobatically flipped in the air, the spiked heels of her boots hitting him in the face as the club went to the side.

He heard the staff clicking back to its full length and Kotal brought his arm guard up to avoid the naginata blade that came down over his forehead. She pulled it towards her, the metal of his gauntlet and her blade screeching unpleasantly, before she twirled it up and hit him under the chin with the end of the staff. His eyes faced up at the black sky, long enough for him to see the naginata's blade cut through it and fall towards his head as Tanya swung it overhead like an executioner's axe.

He placed his macuahuitl horizontally in front of him, blocking the blade before he pushed it to the side and spun in a circle with the club. He felt a satisfied smile pull at the corner of his mouth when he heard Tanya cry out in pain and saw the cut across the outside of her bicep; he would have preferred to have skinned more flesh from her, but the angered look on her face was decent enough to take a small flicker of elation in.

With a growl, her hand ignited in a fireball and launched in his direction that he shielded easily with his club; an almost bored expression graced his face. He saw her swing the blade for his legs and he jumped out of its path as his sword club curved around for her as well and, unfortunately, missed as she rolled to the side.

He barely caught her retracting the staff end of the bladed weapon before he felt her wrap her leg around the back of his head, forced his eyes to the pavement and gave him a high axe kick with the other leg.

He faltered back and lifted his club up as Tanya swung her weapon, twirling it and detracting the staff as the bladed end aimed for his head and clanged against the obsidian shards of his club. The weapons crossed and he stepped forward, sending her backwards and off-balance.

Kotal charged her, but she was prepared and stabbed her naginata into the ground. Gripping the staff, she lifted herself into the air with her feet pointed out in front of her. Her boots hit him under his jaw as she flipped herself up onto the top of the staff and perched on it with an arrogant smile to meet his narrowed eyes.

"I would have thought the real Ko'atal would have put up a bigger fight," she jeered.

Annoyed, Kotal Kahn bunted the tip of his macuahuitl hard against her staff and sent the vain Pyromancer to the ground. Unfortunately, she landed on her feet and swung the naginata high. Kotal Kahn blocked it by placing his club horizontally over his face before lifting his foot and kicked her in the stomach. She recoiled with a groan of pain, clutching her hand protectively over her midsection as she fell onto her back.

"And for someone who risks the promise of their own execution if they failed, I would expect them to put forth a more earnest effort to not celebrate so prematurely. As if this were a game," Kotal Kahn returned with a glower. "Or are you simply stalling and awaiting for your cohort to come to aid you in assassinating me? That is, if he hasn't already preferred to abandon you."

"I do not need Rain's help to kill you," Tanya retorted back with a dark glint in her eyes; informing him she was offended by his remark.

She detracted her staff, brought her legs back and kipped-up, landing on her heels. Her eyebrows flicked up briefly at him in a cocky manner, "Especially considering how easily your lackluster copy was to defeat. You should have seen the look on his face when I smeared his guts into the ground. I do have to admit, Ko'atal, he really is a dead-ringer— apologies, I should say, was a dead-ringer— since how unrecognizable his face is now after my boot print."

Kotal Kahn's eyes narrowed hard as a small growl rumbled in his chest at her words. She smiled, pleased that she had managed to burrow under his skin.

Tanya shrugged as she extended her staff and placed the end to the ground with a small pretentious spin, "A shame you both will not live to see another sunrise."

She charged him and whirled her naginata in large, fasts circles, the staff and the blade hitting all the sides of the macuahuitl as he backed away from her assaults.

Tanya speared the air for him that he managed to pivot away from while the blade slid across the flat red surface of the club. With the blade out in front of him, he lowered his club and quickly grabbed the staff just below where the blade and stick connected. With an iron hold on her naginata, he pulled her in his direction and lurched her forward with a startled look. He swung it around, causing her to loosen her grip and send her flying to the ground with a pained thud.

He detracted the staff as she glared at him from the ground.

"You will arrive at a dissimilar opinion on your knees. That is if I allow you to continue to draw breath long enough for you to watch the sun break," Kotal Kahn derided darkly as he tossed her naginata to the side.

Her teeth bared at him as she jumped to her feet and flung a fireball at him. He protected his face with the club as she persisted, sending fire in a large blazing stream as he continued to shield himself. After a few moments, she gave up, unable to hold the rush of fire but Kotal could hear the wood of the macuahuitl crackle as it caught fire.

With a hard toss, he threw the inflamed club in her direction and frowned when Tanya dodged it by splitting her legs apart, ducking down and letting it hit the unfortunate Tarkatan that stood behind her. The club shattered into fiery splinters as it collided with the Tarkatan and sent him to the ground in an unconscious heap while Tanya returned to her feet and dashed to him.

Kotal withdrew the tecpatl dagger from his belt and slashed for her midsection. Tanya tucked her stomach and stopped his hand with the palm of her smaller ones. He felt her grab onto his wrist and before she could pull his knife away, he gave her a hook across the jaw before delivering a backhand with the same hand.

She stumbled away with a cry of pain the same time he heard someone's feet running towards him from behind. With a sharp turn, he threw his dagger at the Tarkatan trying to skewer him from behind.

The dagger buried itself in the Tarkatan's neck, earning a gurgled scream muted by the blade in his throat, before Kotal ran to him, grabbed the hilt of the blade and twisted it along with his neck before pulling it free from his broken neck.

Due to the momentary distraction, he found himself pelted with a fireball in his back, earning a groan from him. He turned to see another launched at him that he avoided by quickly leaning out of the side of. He felt the ball sail over his shoulder and smolder the tips of the feathers from his headdress.

Tanya jumped in the air for him, aiming a heel for his face, but Kotal managed to grab her outstretched leg and swing her towards the ground. The Pyromancer grunted with pain when her back hit the ground. Before he could stomp down on her chest, she brought back her other foot and planted it flat into his face.

He released her leg and wobbled back as she flipped her legs over her head and got back on her feet.

"You leave Big Bossy alone!" Ferra called with rage from Torr's back, who also roared in agreement as the duo charged towards her; seeing that there were no more Tarkatans in their path to deal with first.

Before they were upon her, a purple bubble teleported onto Torr's back, held on to Torr and clamped a hand on the back of Ferra's neck and zapped them. Ferra/ Torr pulsated violently, Rain's attack on them unrelenting as he held on to both and electrocuted them. Torr's knees hit the ground with a thud, his breathing haggard as Ferra slumped against his back with a strained groan.

Rain teleported off Torr and reappeared in front of Kotal with both fists entwined tight in a ball and brought them towards Kotal's nose. He grabbed Rain's encompassed fists with one hand, forced Rain's own fist to collide with his face, before planting a hard kick to his stomach.

Rain stumbled back with a groan and hunched over for a moment before he went to attack him once more. Kotal caught his hook with the back of his gantlet and brought the heel of his hand towards his jaw with the other fist, sending the Hydromancer away.

The Emperor sensed Rain was already weak from a previous fight; his attire bloody and the hook that Kotal blocked felt sluggish. Kotal punched him across the jaw, sending his face to the side before giving Rain a side-kick to the stomach.

Rain fell to his back, just as Tanya grabbed Kotal from behind by his headdress and pulled hard. Kotal's elbow went behind him and hit her face, releasing her hold. The Osh-tekk whirled, punched her in the face and then flipped his knife in his hand to stab her stomach with an underhand strike. She noticed and brought her foot up, knocking his hand down before spinning on her heels and giving him a roundhouse kick with the opposite foot.

He spun, noticed Rain struggling to stand and punched him with the momentum from Tanya's kick. The Hydromancer let out a yelp that bordered between frustration and pain as he fell back to the ground as Kotal spun back around on his heels to face Tanya.

A high axe kick descended upon him that he blocked by grabbing her by the back of the ankle. Kotal turned his body and swung her over his head like a sack on top of the Hydromancer. Rain let out another miserable yelp as Tanya sailed into his back and sent him once again to the ground.

"Get up and fight you useless sack of water!" Tanya seethed viperously at him, helping him to his feet with a careless lift under his arm.

"Be silent, Tanya! " he returned while he blinked, trying to fight through his pain as he stood with the Pyromancer.

Kotal Kahn scoffed at the both of them; the pair resembling something closer to bratty, squabbling children instead of warriors.

"Pathetic. Even with both of your efforts combined, still you are incapable in accomplishing what you came here to do. The evidence of why both of you are unfit to rule anything larger than a speck of dirt is in abundance this night."

The Edenians narrowed their eyes in furious unison at him, both of their prides equally damaged by his comment. Rain shot lightning at Kotal but missed as he stepped out of the way. Rain charged him and swung a fist at his face. Kotal grabbed him by his outstretched arm and kicked his foot hard into the side of his knee.

Kotal raised his tecpatl dagger as Rain shrunk to one knee with a pained yell, however Tanya jumped onto his arm, wrapped her legs around the back of his neck from behind and pulled him towards the ground with her weight. Kotal's head grazed the stone and he felt the knife fall from his grasp but held onto the Pyromancer as he rolled them until he was sitting atop her.

He pelted her with fists, her head whipping to the side with each strike. With her dazed beneath him, he grabbed the tecpatl dagger that fell to the side, raised it and aimed for her heart.

Kotal flew off Tanya and landed to the side— wet— with a grunt escaping him and the knife clattering away; Rain's hand lowered as he grasped his knee. Tanya ran for Kotal with an angry scream, throwing a series of fireballs in his direction that he rolled out of the way, each of them hitting the stone inches from him, before he lifted himself back to his feet in time to catch her as she leapt into the air for him with his dagger in her hand.

Kotal caught the knife hand and taking advantage that she had her legs wrapped around his waist, jumped in the air and slammed her back into the ground with all of his weight, cracking the stone beneath her as she bellowed in agony. He grabbed the tecpatl from her hand, rose with it in his hand and planted a foot on her chest, earning a hollow and pained groan from her before he felt Rain's lightning at his back.

Kotal, vibrating and in pain, turned towards the Hydromancer and advanced; each step ripping slowly up as if his sandals were glued to the stone. Rain hobbled back to his feet, even with the mask covering his face, Kotal could see him straining to hold the lightning. After a moment, the prince ceased and breathed heavily. Kotal faltered, his body racked with pain, but ignored it and dashed forward.

He raised a fist that was caught by Rain's golden-guarded forearm, stopping him from sinking the knife in the side of his neck. Kotal dropped the knife, caught it in his other hand and sliced Rain's exposed side, causing the Hydromancer to cry out before Kotal Kahn flipped it in his hand.

Before Kotal could bury it into his gut, Rain's hand shot out a defensive blast of water, sending the Emperor to his back.

The Osh-Tekk felt a heel land on his wrist, pinning his knife-wielding hand to the ground and he punched high, hitting the Pyromancer in the kneecap of the leg that held his arm down. She grabbed her knee and backed away from him, her face twisting in pain as he stood back on his feet and swung the dagger for her face. While she was able to push the majority of the dagger away, the tip still sliced the flesh of her cheek with a slender cut before he side-kicked her.

Tanya paused, touched her cheek with her hand and frowned heavily at the blood smeared on her palm. With a growl, she threw her fist while she ignited a fireball in the same hand.

Embers entered into his eyes as he blocked her arm, blinding him temporarily for her to launch her foot high and strike him with an axe kick that he grabbed with his hand; her ankle landing in his palm. He punched her squarely in the face several times, snapping her head back with each assault before he hugged her leg and tossed her to the ground on her back. Still holding on to her leg in the crook of his arm, he gave her kneecap a sharp jerk to the side; the snap almost unheard over the sound of her pained screaming.

She shot a fireball and landed it in his face. He stumbled back, his eyes stinging and felt someone whirl him around and shove a knee into his midsection. His eyes cleared for him to see Rain's fist uppercut his jaw.

Kotal's head flew up and he decked Rain with a massive headbutt to his nose. The Hydromancer floundered back, a wet sniffling coming from him and the purple mask staining dark with blood. He heard Tanya limping behind him, lifted his foot without glancing behind him and mule-kicked her in the stomach.

She howled in pain, the olive skin of her abdomen beginning to show signs of her injuries as blue bruises painted themselves on her. He twisted around, bringing the knife towards her in a backhand that she caught by bracing both of her arms out in front. She grabbed his arm and snapped her foot up, kicking Kotal in the jaw while she used his arm to help balance on her injured leg.

Kotal pulled her to him and wrapped her neck in a vice with his arm and crushed it. She caught his hand as the knife hovered inches from her heart as she coughed for air.

Tanya brought her foot up straight over her shoulder and hit him in the face. He grumbled, the strike blunt enough to release her from his hold. Still holding onto his arm with both hands, she twirled around and kicked him once again in the jaw before placing her foot against his chest, rolled backwards and pulled her over her head and kicked him off with her good leg. He landed with a thud onto his back and felt Rain's hand fall down on his face.

With a growl, Kotal grabbed the lapels of Rain's caped attire, brought his head down to headbutt him with his metal headdress. The Emperor jumped to his feet, just as Tanya did and punched her across the jaw, sending her spinning in the air and to her stomach with a grunt.

He turned to see Rain raise a hand, his gaze fuzzy as his mask dripped with blood, but never got the opportunity to shoot him with water when he was grabbed by a massive hand, lifted up and slammed to the ground before a large foot kicked him like a ball over Kotal's head towards the wall.

Rain hit the stone with a loud yell, spiderwebs of cracks ruining the wall were his back collided against it as Torr roared. Ferra sat on Torr's shoulder, looking as equally angry as her symbiotic counterpart; both of them huffing out of their noses and through their clenched teeth with each heated exhale.

Kotal caught Tanya's fist in his hand, crushed it to hold her still and gave her a side-kick of his own into her stomach. She hunched over, hopping on her leg, and he gave her an uppercut with his free fist, flying her to the ground. She spat blood out of her mouth the moment she was able to lift her head up, her eye beginning to swell shut.

He watched as she looked over in Rain's direction, the Hydromancer looking more grisly disheveled and blood-soaked than she was, as he breathed heavily against the stone wall, unable to stand and stayed sitting against it as Ferra/Torr stomped in his direction. Rain's head bobbed as his gaze fixed on one of the doorways of the courtyard and watched as Erron Black, Ermac and Reptile ran through.

With no more Tarkatans alive in the courtyard, the Edenians were now severely outnumbered, and to add even more to their forlorn situation, the sun began to rise over the horizon, causing the Emperor's tattoos to glow with a gold blaze as the rays peeked through over the walls of the palace.

They looked at each other, both confirming silently to each other with equal looks of despondency that their colossal egos couldn't alleviate as the bitter truth sank in.

They had lost.

Rain teleported out of sight, barely escaping Torr's fist as it punctured the wall where he once sat.

The Hydromancer never reappeared to collect Tanya.

The female Edenian slammed a fist against the ground and let out a loud chagrin scream, even if her countenance didn't seem surprised by Rain's departure; it was expected knowing the true colors of his character.

"Fine... I can do it myself..."

Her head turned to her fallen naginata that lay far off to the side; a mere hopeless and desperate attempt if anything, but one she would try nonetheless. She stood, balancing on her uninjured leg and hit Kotal Kahn across the face; a punch that he didn't bother to block. The Emperor gave chase by simply walking behind her, knowing full well there was no need for the effort.

Tanya hopped for her naginata, but found herself flown to the side by a blast of green energy from Ermac. She clutched her knee but climbed back on her feet, just before she felt Ferra jump on her back.

The Pyromancer let out a pained yelp as Ferra cackled and pulled on her ebony hair before Tanya shoved a small fistful of fire into the smaller girl's face. Ferra released her and rubbed her eyes with her palms, trying to clear the embers as Tanya continued towards her weapon.

Tanya almost reached it before she felt a tongue lash out and wrapped around the ankle of her damaged leg and pulled. She let out a loud scream of frustration and pain as she fell face first.

With her weapon feet out in front of her face, she crawled towards it, her hand almost reaching it before a leather boot stomped down on the staff and shoved it behind with a flick of his foot. Tanya looked up to see Erron Black cock his revolver at her head.

"How's that workin' out for you?" he questioned with a sarcastic drawl.

Ermac walked over to Tanya, grabbed her by the back of the neck and forced her to kneel as Kotal Kahn approached.

She hissed in pain as Ermac clamped his hand around the back of her neck, forcing her to stay kneeled on her damaged kneecap, as the other guards circled around her. They all stared down at her with displeased expressions adorning all of their faces; almost as if waiting her to quip some remark in retaliation as her embarrassment seeped into her at her failure.

Her answer, despite fully aware of how she would be paying for her flop, was spoken with a pompous smirk on her face and a shrug of her shoulders...

"I'm willing to negotiate."

The reply to her sarcastic statement was Reptile angrily snarling before stepping forward and kicking her in the face; now unconscious in Ermac's hand.

An hour passed after Tanya's capture, Rain still missing, as the aftermath settled as heavy and deluded as the smoke outside of the palace walls; most of the fire contained, but the smell still coagulating the air like a dirty morning fog. The smell of the smoke and the destruction abound, served as reminders of the siege orchestrated by two greedy individuals that cared nothing of the chaos they caused and remorseless about how it impacted the residents of the Outworld capital.

All but one person came out of the sanctuary of their locked rooms to view the damage done by the invasion.

The only person who did not leave, hadn't even noticed the fight was over. The only thing that existed and mattered in her world, was the body of the friend whose lay lifeless nearby as her hands tangled in her hair as she sobbed heavily with her back against Erron Black's trunk.

The only thought that ran through her head, only managing to be scarcely noticeable over the sound of her own choked heartbreak echoing in her ears as she shed the physical ache, was the small sound of her trembling voice.

"I-Im s-sorry... I'm s-so s-sorry... p-please... not t-this again..."

The words felt strangled in her throat, her voice feeling like a lump she could not swallow down, especially considering the horrid conclusion she couldn't help but reaching; the only affirmation that made sense and sent a burst of tremendous guilt and rebuke as more tears streamed down her face.

I did this.

This is my fault.

Norah cried harder, her chest heaving with every weep ripping out of her like a physical dismemberment. The gravitas of her own personal blame crumbled any forgiving thoughts to offer her as a balm despite her efforts to search for one; only leaving room for her to contemplate that Bert's death was in result of her actions.

If he hadn't come to this room, he would still be alive and the only reason he had done so was because of her.

"...I-I'm s-sorry... I'm s-sorry..."

She knew she was talking to no one, her words only spoken out to narrate her silent torment, however unbeknownst to her, Erron Black looked in on the scene through the broken section of the door; the only witness to her mourning.

He hung his head and walked away. Giving her the space she required until he could gather his thoughts. He would have to call himself a liar if he argued that he didn't have his own sullen thoughts to contemplate as well.