Ch. 4: Tears of Blood
Kane sat in complete silence, as across the ring Cronos looked on with anticipation. He was afraid, that was apparent, but still had that cocky grin. But Kane betrayed no emotion; he sat rigid, still, in deep meditation. Shina looked around the mountain arena. Cliff surrounded the ring; a fall from any side would be fatal. An advantage, perhaps? But to whom? Sarah walked up, and whispered into Kane's ear.
"Remember what we discussed yesterday." She said.
The gong sounded, and Kane stood up. Shina walked over, and put her hand on his shoulder. "Good luck," she said.
Sarah stepped up and kissed Kane. "I love you," she said in a semi- concerned voice.
"I love you, too," he said stepping into the ring.
"Thank you, but I will not need it," the Shaolin master replied. He walked to the center of the ring, and Cronos walked over opposite of him. He still had that cocky smile that Shina just wanted to smack off his face. But this was Kane's fight. The two fighters stared each of the down for what seemed an eternity. A bead of sweat drew down Cronos' brow, but Kane remained calm. A second gong rang, and the fighters assumed their stances. Cronos stood in his ballet-like stance, while Kane stood tall, looking at his opponent with glaring eyes.
"What is he doing?" Shina asked, "I thought he used Shaolin..."
"Just the principles, really. He just does his own thing, whatever works for the situation. He doesn't like rigid stances or defined styles," she told her.
Another gong sounded, and Cronos leapt with a spinning kick. Kane merely raised his arm and blocked the attack. With a single blow Cronos was sent sprawling to the ground. Cronos got back up, and lunged with another kick. Kane swayed out of the way, and responded with a thunderous blow from his elbow to Cronos' midsection. The young man bent over, holding his stomach as if had been shot.
"The strikes are derived from Baji Quan, and his evasive maneuvers are derived from the Dragon style of Shaolin," Sarah explained. "Baji Quan focuses on using the entire body as a weapon. Right now, Cronos feels as if he had been shot with a canon."
Shina watched attentively. "His attacks are so quick, and no matter what he does, Cronos can't seem to hit him. I'm glad I don't have to fight Kane again."
Cronos rose to his feet, still clutching his ribs. Kane looked at him and grinned. "I hope you're done whining. I'd like to finish this fight sometime today."
Cronos' eyes grew red with rage. "Damn you!" he yelled lunging again. But this time, Kane grabbed his attack arm and threw Cronos over his shoulder in a Thai Chi Chuan fashion. Cronos again lunged, but was met with the same counter.
"He's agitated," Kane thought, "making sloppy mistakes. He'll tire himself out eventually. Cronos rose to his feet again, breathing heavily. "I'll kill you," the young prince threatened.
"Don't talk, do," Kane replied. Kane rushed with several spinning kicks, all of which Kane avoided, and responded with a stiff uppercut to Cronos' stomach, followed with a hook kick to his head. Blood now freely flowed from Cronos' nose and a cut along the side of his head. "Look's like I draw first blood," Kane taunted. Cronos slowly rose, and attacked again.
"Time to put this kid out. I don't want him to suffer," Kane thought. He quickly sidestepped, and delivered a thunderous knee strike to Cronos' back. He screamed in pain, and Kane brought his hand down on the prince's throat. He fell to the ground, writhing and whimpering, unable to scream. Kane lifted him by the collar of his shirt.
"I'm sorry," he said striking Cronos' nose at an upward angle. Cronos went limp, and Kane set him gently on the ground. Red Dragon rose from his seat and to where Kane stood.
"The winner of this bout," the old man said, "Kane Darkholm!" He raised Kane's arm, but he wrestled it free defiantly, nearly knocking over the old man.
As the crowd left and the guards came to remove Cronos' body, Shina looked back. She noticed Red Dragon. He looked younger somehow, less wrinkly. She shrugged it off, and followed Kane.
The day went on, more people died. Shina spent the afternoon with Long, trying to dissuade him from his chosen course.
"I just don't like it Long. We don't know anything about Red dragon or his abilities. There's something about him..." she told him.
"If I can defeat him now, then this mission is over. I can prevent further loss of life in this ridiculous tournament."
Tears began to fill Shina's eyes, but she held them back. "But what if you don't? What if he's too powerful?" she buried her head in his chest.
"If I don't come back, my Goddess, I will die knowing that I will be avenged," he said in a comforting voice.
Two of Red Dragon's guards made there way to them. "Long Shen? Your bout is to start soon."
Long reluctantly pulled himself away from Shina. He walked away, and Shina regained her composure. She stood still as he walked away. Kane walked up to her, and looked down the hallway. Without looking at her, he said, "Forget not your strength, Shina Gado, we will need to rely on it in the future."
Kane followed Long, leaving Shina to ponder his cryptic words. Shina soon followed. They were led down a hallway lined with ebony bricks. Cauldrons of fire sat next to pillars that seemed to reach for the sky. Strange writing ran down the halls. They entered a room, lined with similar cauldrons. They gave off an eerie orange glow. The spectators lined the ring, where Red Dragon waited. Long stepped up as the first gong sounded. The second, and they got into their stance. The third gong rang, and the fight began. Long threw a flurry of punches, which Red Dragon avoided and parried. Red dragon threw out a counter attack, which Long dodged.
The fight was intense, both sides fielding quick offenses and fierce counters. Long's punches countered Red Dragon's, and vice versa. Finally, Red Dragon leapt back.
"Nice warm-up," he said with a smirk, "now time for the main event."
Red Dragon ran up with speed that belied his age, and swiftly delivered a kick to Long's stomach. The kenpo master leaned down, and found himself hit with a kick to the back of the head. He rose as quickly as he could, but was besieged with a constant offensive by Red Dragon. Each punch harder than the last, until he started to go numb from the pain. But each blow struck harder than even he could imagine. Each kick and punch struck at the heart and soul of Shina Gado.
He found himself knocked back, and on the ground. Battered and bruised, he tried to stand, but to no avail. He could only kneel, and even shaky at that. Shina prepared to run to him, but Kane's arm barred his way. He shook his head, and she looked back to the ring. Red Dragon approached long, life him into the air, and delivered a swift, powerful kick to the Kenpo master's temple. Blood leaked from his mouth and nose, and all Shina could do was watch. Red Dragon turned around, and walked away.
"I am the winner." He said disappearing into the shadows.
Shina couldn't take any more, She wrestled free of Kane's grip and ran to the fallen Long. She cradled him in her arms, as listened to his jagged breathing. She cried openly, sobbing with Long's each tormented breath. She stroked his brown hair, and stared deeply into his eyes.
"I'm sorry, my Goddess." He said weakly.
"I-it isn't fair! We had just found each other again," Shina sobbed.
"I will always be with you, Shina. I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too, Long," she cried. She brought her head down and kissed him. As their lips touched, she felt the last breath of life escape his lips. She pulled away, and Long went limp in her arms. She summoned all her strength, and cried out one word, in a cry so poignant, it echoed throughout the temple, saddening all those inside.
"LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNG!!!!!!"
Kane sat in complete silence, as across the ring Cronos looked on with anticipation. He was afraid, that was apparent, but still had that cocky grin. But Kane betrayed no emotion; he sat rigid, still, in deep meditation. Shina looked around the mountain arena. Cliff surrounded the ring; a fall from any side would be fatal. An advantage, perhaps? But to whom? Sarah walked up, and whispered into Kane's ear.
"Remember what we discussed yesterday." She said.
The gong sounded, and Kane stood up. Shina walked over, and put her hand on his shoulder. "Good luck," she said.
Sarah stepped up and kissed Kane. "I love you," she said in a semi- concerned voice.
"I love you, too," he said stepping into the ring.
"Thank you, but I will not need it," the Shaolin master replied. He walked to the center of the ring, and Cronos walked over opposite of him. He still had that cocky smile that Shina just wanted to smack off his face. But this was Kane's fight. The two fighters stared each of the down for what seemed an eternity. A bead of sweat drew down Cronos' brow, but Kane remained calm. A second gong rang, and the fighters assumed their stances. Cronos stood in his ballet-like stance, while Kane stood tall, looking at his opponent with glaring eyes.
"What is he doing?" Shina asked, "I thought he used Shaolin..."
"Just the principles, really. He just does his own thing, whatever works for the situation. He doesn't like rigid stances or defined styles," she told her.
Another gong sounded, and Cronos leapt with a spinning kick. Kane merely raised his arm and blocked the attack. With a single blow Cronos was sent sprawling to the ground. Cronos got back up, and lunged with another kick. Kane swayed out of the way, and responded with a thunderous blow from his elbow to Cronos' midsection. The young man bent over, holding his stomach as if had been shot.
"The strikes are derived from Baji Quan, and his evasive maneuvers are derived from the Dragon style of Shaolin," Sarah explained. "Baji Quan focuses on using the entire body as a weapon. Right now, Cronos feels as if he had been shot with a canon."
Shina watched attentively. "His attacks are so quick, and no matter what he does, Cronos can't seem to hit him. I'm glad I don't have to fight Kane again."
Cronos rose to his feet, still clutching his ribs. Kane looked at him and grinned. "I hope you're done whining. I'd like to finish this fight sometime today."
Cronos' eyes grew red with rage. "Damn you!" he yelled lunging again. But this time, Kane grabbed his attack arm and threw Cronos over his shoulder in a Thai Chi Chuan fashion. Cronos again lunged, but was met with the same counter.
"He's agitated," Kane thought, "making sloppy mistakes. He'll tire himself out eventually. Cronos rose to his feet again, breathing heavily. "I'll kill you," the young prince threatened.
"Don't talk, do," Kane replied. Kane rushed with several spinning kicks, all of which Kane avoided, and responded with a stiff uppercut to Cronos' stomach, followed with a hook kick to his head. Blood now freely flowed from Cronos' nose and a cut along the side of his head. "Look's like I draw first blood," Kane taunted. Cronos slowly rose, and attacked again.
"Time to put this kid out. I don't want him to suffer," Kane thought. He quickly sidestepped, and delivered a thunderous knee strike to Cronos' back. He screamed in pain, and Kane brought his hand down on the prince's throat. He fell to the ground, writhing and whimpering, unable to scream. Kane lifted him by the collar of his shirt.
"I'm sorry," he said striking Cronos' nose at an upward angle. Cronos went limp, and Kane set him gently on the ground. Red Dragon rose from his seat and to where Kane stood.
"The winner of this bout," the old man said, "Kane Darkholm!" He raised Kane's arm, but he wrestled it free defiantly, nearly knocking over the old man.
As the crowd left and the guards came to remove Cronos' body, Shina looked back. She noticed Red Dragon. He looked younger somehow, less wrinkly. She shrugged it off, and followed Kane.
The day went on, more people died. Shina spent the afternoon with Long, trying to dissuade him from his chosen course.
"I just don't like it Long. We don't know anything about Red dragon or his abilities. There's something about him..." she told him.
"If I can defeat him now, then this mission is over. I can prevent further loss of life in this ridiculous tournament."
Tears began to fill Shina's eyes, but she held them back. "But what if you don't? What if he's too powerful?" she buried her head in his chest.
"If I don't come back, my Goddess, I will die knowing that I will be avenged," he said in a comforting voice.
Two of Red Dragon's guards made there way to them. "Long Shen? Your bout is to start soon."
Long reluctantly pulled himself away from Shina. He walked away, and Shina regained her composure. She stood still as he walked away. Kane walked up to her, and looked down the hallway. Without looking at her, he said, "Forget not your strength, Shina Gado, we will need to rely on it in the future."
Kane followed Long, leaving Shina to ponder his cryptic words. Shina soon followed. They were led down a hallway lined with ebony bricks. Cauldrons of fire sat next to pillars that seemed to reach for the sky. Strange writing ran down the halls. They entered a room, lined with similar cauldrons. They gave off an eerie orange glow. The spectators lined the ring, where Red Dragon waited. Long stepped up as the first gong sounded. The second, and they got into their stance. The third gong rang, and the fight began. Long threw a flurry of punches, which Red Dragon avoided and parried. Red dragon threw out a counter attack, which Long dodged.
The fight was intense, both sides fielding quick offenses and fierce counters. Long's punches countered Red Dragon's, and vice versa. Finally, Red Dragon leapt back.
"Nice warm-up," he said with a smirk, "now time for the main event."
Red Dragon ran up with speed that belied his age, and swiftly delivered a kick to Long's stomach. The kenpo master leaned down, and found himself hit with a kick to the back of the head. He rose as quickly as he could, but was besieged with a constant offensive by Red Dragon. Each punch harder than the last, until he started to go numb from the pain. But each blow struck harder than even he could imagine. Each kick and punch struck at the heart and soul of Shina Gado.
He found himself knocked back, and on the ground. Battered and bruised, he tried to stand, but to no avail. He could only kneel, and even shaky at that. Shina prepared to run to him, but Kane's arm barred his way. He shook his head, and she looked back to the ring. Red Dragon approached long, life him into the air, and delivered a swift, powerful kick to the Kenpo master's temple. Blood leaked from his mouth and nose, and all Shina could do was watch. Red Dragon turned around, and walked away.
"I am the winner." He said disappearing into the shadows.
Shina couldn't take any more, She wrestled free of Kane's grip and ran to the fallen Long. She cradled him in her arms, as listened to his jagged breathing. She cried openly, sobbing with Long's each tormented breath. She stroked his brown hair, and stared deeply into his eyes.
"I'm sorry, my Goddess." He said weakly.
"I-it isn't fair! We had just found each other again," Shina sobbed.
"I will always be with you, Shina. I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too, Long," she cried. She brought her head down and kissed him. As their lips touched, she felt the last breath of life escape his lips. She pulled away, and Long went limp in her arms. She summoned all her strength, and cried out one word, in a cry so poignant, it echoed throughout the temple, saddening all those inside.
"LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNG!!!!!!"