Ch. 3: The Feast
Shina lay awake, staring at the ceiling amid the gentle heave of the waves. For four hours her eyes didn't move from that spot. Was it anger that prevented her from looking at the man sitting in the far bed? Fear? Maybe both.
"Of all the people on this boat, they had to bunk him with me," she grumbled.
Still, the man said nothing. Perhaps even more unsettling were the noises coming from the next room. Sarah and Kane's room. She squirmed at the screams that entered her ears, no matter how hard she tried to block it out. "What is this, the sexual Olympics?" she muttered.
"If so," Long said, "they must be going for the gold." Shina let out a quiet chuckle.
"That's the most you've talked this whole trip," she said, her stare moving from the ceiling to Long.
"I could say the same about you," Long responded. Shina fell silent, and sunk her gaze back at the ceiling. "I apologize, I did not mean to offend."
"No, you never do, do you? You never mean to do anything." Shina shot back angrily.
"What is that supposed to mean? I thought we already discussed this." Long replied.
"Come off your high horse, Long. The fact is you walked out on me, plain and simple." Shina growled
"I told you, I didn't want you in danger, Shenlong..."
"...Isn't a problem! God dammit, I told you I didn't need your protection! I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself!"
"I just didn't want you to get hurt because of me," Long said as he got up to leave. "I never stopped loving you." He walked out the door.
Tears filled Shina's eyes. "I still love you, Long." She closed her eyes in an attempt to sleep, but although the noise from the next room had subsided, her own tormented mind prevented her. A knock came at her door, and Sarah walked in.
"I heard yelling, are you two okay?" She asked.
Shina said nothing. She only looked at the ceiling with a saddened frown.
Sarah rose to leave, but looked back. "You let a wound like this sit, it will fester and become infected. You must tend to it, treat it, and heal it."
Shina gave a heavy sigh, and walked out. She made her way outside, to the deck of the boat. The moon hung high in the sky, shining down on her. The stars seemed to speak to Shina; "The Song of the Night", they call it.
Long waked up to her, with a solemn look in his eyes. "I'm sorry, for everything," he said.
"I'm sorry too. After the tournament, you wanna give 'us' a second chance?" she asked.
"If you are," the kenpo master replied. Shina rested her head on Long's chest, as the sun slowly rose from the ocean.
The island crept up slowly, and as the morning wore on, the boat came up to it. It looked inviting to some, but to Shina, it was the most forbidding place she had ever seen. Sheer rock cliffs surrounded the island on three sides, while a temple overlooked the island from the tallest mountain in its center. They were only 300 miles from the big island of Hawaii, but it still seemed as if any sort of civilization was a world away.
"'Mokupuni a ka Make', the 'Island of the Dead'. That is what the natives call this place," Kane said approaching Shina. He wore a gray robe with a brown surplice, white pants and wooden greaves. But even more surprising to Shina was his head. All his hair was gone. Before she could speak, he cut her off. "I always shave my head before a tournament. It gives my opponents less to grab on too."
Shina grunted in approval, and looked towards the other fighters. Long disembarked. Carrying a small bag, with his few person possessions. Victoria carried a small pink pull-string back, while Irvine had a large, full Adidas bag. Kenji walked down with a briefcase while Sarah carried a medical bag. They all congregated on the beach, and were greeted by a single man.
He was an older man, tall, of a medium build. His features were distinctly Chinese, except for his red hair and eyes. He wore a crimson gi with a black dragon design. His old features were sharply defined, his gaze unwavering. It sent a chill down Shina's spine.
With a voice of age and wisdom, he spoke. "Welcome to my island. I am known as Red Dragon, I assume you are here for the tournament?"
"Yes," Kenji said. "I am their representative, Kenji Ohgami. We have five fighters total. Kane Darkholm, Shina Gado, Long Shen, Victoria Styles, and Irvine Christians. This is our medic, Sarah Reilly."
"Ah good, come please. I'll lead you to the temple," Red Dragon smiled.
The old man led them to a temple, and down it's primitive looking halls. "These are your quarters. If you will, there is a banquet for all the fighters and their staff at seven o'clock in the banquet hall. It is the fourth door on the right. At that time the first fights will be announced. I will see you there" With that; the old man took his leave. Sarah and Kane took a room, as did the others. Long and Shina found themselves having to share a room. They spent the rest of the day talking, until the sun sank below the horizon, and the dinner bells rang loud. Shina made her way to the banquet hall.
Twin doors stood before her. She opened, and inside found dozens of fighters. She joined her team, and looked around. There were many different foods laid out on the table. Everything from sushi to mutton, filet mignon to hamburger was served. She took a t-bone steak and began to eat, while looking around. Finally, after 15 minutes of feasting, Red Dragon stood up.
"Friends, fighters, managers, lend me your ears!" the old man said. "Tomorrow, you will be involved in a tournament the likes of which you've never seen before. Two will enter the ring, but only one will leave. I give you now, a demonstration!"
With that, two men entered the stage to at the end of the table. One was dressed in ninja garb, the other in a karate gi. The karate fighter tried to punch the ninja, but missed. The ninja flattened his hand into a blade fist, and swung at the other fighter's neck. They stood still for a moment, until the karate fighter's head slid off his shoulders and landed with a sickening thud on the ground. The ninja stood tall, and bowed to Red Dragon as several guards dragged the body away. The old man laughed, and turned to the fighters.
"As you can see, Edge is one of my best fighters. And these fights are indeed to the death."
"What kind of sick joke is this?" Shina thought.
"Under your place mats," Red Dragon continued, "is the name of the fighter you will face tomorrow as well as where you will be fighting. I wish you all good luck." Red Dragon left the hall, with some of the fighters in utter shock. Shina slowly lift her card, and noticed a familiar name on it.
"Whom are you fighting?" she heard Kenji ask.
"Ganesha," she replied.
"Funny, Kane's facing Cronos tomorrow," he said. "I don't know the fighter that Irvine drew, and Victoria drew our 'old pal' Xion."
Shina looked over to Long, who sat with his eyes closed and arms crossed. "You didn't get a card?" she asked.
"No, I already know my opponent. I challenged him once we reached the island."
"Who?" she asked anxiously.
Long spoke the name with solemn and fierce determination. "Red Dragon."
Shina lay awake, staring at the ceiling amid the gentle heave of the waves. For four hours her eyes didn't move from that spot. Was it anger that prevented her from looking at the man sitting in the far bed? Fear? Maybe both.
"Of all the people on this boat, they had to bunk him with me," she grumbled.
Still, the man said nothing. Perhaps even more unsettling were the noises coming from the next room. Sarah and Kane's room. She squirmed at the screams that entered her ears, no matter how hard she tried to block it out. "What is this, the sexual Olympics?" she muttered.
"If so," Long said, "they must be going for the gold." Shina let out a quiet chuckle.
"That's the most you've talked this whole trip," she said, her stare moving from the ceiling to Long.
"I could say the same about you," Long responded. Shina fell silent, and sunk her gaze back at the ceiling. "I apologize, I did not mean to offend."
"No, you never do, do you? You never mean to do anything." Shina shot back angrily.
"What is that supposed to mean? I thought we already discussed this." Long replied.
"Come off your high horse, Long. The fact is you walked out on me, plain and simple." Shina growled
"I told you, I didn't want you in danger, Shenlong..."
"...Isn't a problem! God dammit, I told you I didn't need your protection! I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself!"
"I just didn't want you to get hurt because of me," Long said as he got up to leave. "I never stopped loving you." He walked out the door.
Tears filled Shina's eyes. "I still love you, Long." She closed her eyes in an attempt to sleep, but although the noise from the next room had subsided, her own tormented mind prevented her. A knock came at her door, and Sarah walked in.
"I heard yelling, are you two okay?" She asked.
Shina said nothing. She only looked at the ceiling with a saddened frown.
Sarah rose to leave, but looked back. "You let a wound like this sit, it will fester and become infected. You must tend to it, treat it, and heal it."
Shina gave a heavy sigh, and walked out. She made her way outside, to the deck of the boat. The moon hung high in the sky, shining down on her. The stars seemed to speak to Shina; "The Song of the Night", they call it.
Long waked up to her, with a solemn look in his eyes. "I'm sorry, for everything," he said.
"I'm sorry too. After the tournament, you wanna give 'us' a second chance?" she asked.
"If you are," the kenpo master replied. Shina rested her head on Long's chest, as the sun slowly rose from the ocean.
The island crept up slowly, and as the morning wore on, the boat came up to it. It looked inviting to some, but to Shina, it was the most forbidding place she had ever seen. Sheer rock cliffs surrounded the island on three sides, while a temple overlooked the island from the tallest mountain in its center. They were only 300 miles from the big island of Hawaii, but it still seemed as if any sort of civilization was a world away.
"'Mokupuni a ka Make', the 'Island of the Dead'. That is what the natives call this place," Kane said approaching Shina. He wore a gray robe with a brown surplice, white pants and wooden greaves. But even more surprising to Shina was his head. All his hair was gone. Before she could speak, he cut her off. "I always shave my head before a tournament. It gives my opponents less to grab on too."
Shina grunted in approval, and looked towards the other fighters. Long disembarked. Carrying a small bag, with his few person possessions. Victoria carried a small pink pull-string back, while Irvine had a large, full Adidas bag. Kenji walked down with a briefcase while Sarah carried a medical bag. They all congregated on the beach, and were greeted by a single man.
He was an older man, tall, of a medium build. His features were distinctly Chinese, except for his red hair and eyes. He wore a crimson gi with a black dragon design. His old features were sharply defined, his gaze unwavering. It sent a chill down Shina's spine.
With a voice of age and wisdom, he spoke. "Welcome to my island. I am known as Red Dragon, I assume you are here for the tournament?"
"Yes," Kenji said. "I am their representative, Kenji Ohgami. We have five fighters total. Kane Darkholm, Shina Gado, Long Shen, Victoria Styles, and Irvine Christians. This is our medic, Sarah Reilly."
"Ah good, come please. I'll lead you to the temple," Red Dragon smiled.
The old man led them to a temple, and down it's primitive looking halls. "These are your quarters. If you will, there is a banquet for all the fighters and their staff at seven o'clock in the banquet hall. It is the fourth door on the right. At that time the first fights will be announced. I will see you there" With that; the old man took his leave. Sarah and Kane took a room, as did the others. Long and Shina found themselves having to share a room. They spent the rest of the day talking, until the sun sank below the horizon, and the dinner bells rang loud. Shina made her way to the banquet hall.
Twin doors stood before her. She opened, and inside found dozens of fighters. She joined her team, and looked around. There were many different foods laid out on the table. Everything from sushi to mutton, filet mignon to hamburger was served. She took a t-bone steak and began to eat, while looking around. Finally, after 15 minutes of feasting, Red Dragon stood up.
"Friends, fighters, managers, lend me your ears!" the old man said. "Tomorrow, you will be involved in a tournament the likes of which you've never seen before. Two will enter the ring, but only one will leave. I give you now, a demonstration!"
With that, two men entered the stage to at the end of the table. One was dressed in ninja garb, the other in a karate gi. The karate fighter tried to punch the ninja, but missed. The ninja flattened his hand into a blade fist, and swung at the other fighter's neck. They stood still for a moment, until the karate fighter's head slid off his shoulders and landed with a sickening thud on the ground. The ninja stood tall, and bowed to Red Dragon as several guards dragged the body away. The old man laughed, and turned to the fighters.
"As you can see, Edge is one of my best fighters. And these fights are indeed to the death."
"What kind of sick joke is this?" Shina thought.
"Under your place mats," Red Dragon continued, "is the name of the fighter you will face tomorrow as well as where you will be fighting. I wish you all good luck." Red Dragon left the hall, with some of the fighters in utter shock. Shina slowly lift her card, and noticed a familiar name on it.
"Whom are you fighting?" she heard Kenji ask.
"Ganesha," she replied.
"Funny, Kane's facing Cronos tomorrow," he said. "I don't know the fighter that Irvine drew, and Victoria drew our 'old pal' Xion."
Shina looked over to Long, who sat with his eyes closed and arms crossed. "You didn't get a card?" she asked.
"No, I already know my opponent. I challenged him once we reached the island."
"Who?" she asked anxiously.
Long spoke the name with solemn and fierce determination. "Red Dragon."