Ch. 8: Gotterdammerung, part 1
göt·ter·däm·mer·ung or Göt·ter·däm·mer·ung (gtr- dm-rng, gtr-dm- rng)
n.
[After Götterdämmerung, an opera by Richard Wagner, from German,
twilight of the gods
"This has gone too far," ShenLong muttered to himself. "I let the game get out of hand." He sighed, rose from his chair, and towards a small, velvet lined box. He knew that freak Busuzima and his own pet Shina had found the traitor and his woman. "I will have to end it. With my own hand."
Shina slowly advanced, the flames of Hell dancing in her eyes. Never before had she shown such emotion, and never before had Kenji realized the perversion of her former self she had become. Once a woman, just and noble, now a demon spawned straight from Cocytus itself. What unholy science had dredged her from Hell? What evil had Busuzima wrought?
With the bat of an eye Shina rushed him, bringing to bear her full fury. Kenji did the same, fully intending to bring down the beast here and now. Without warning he lunged his claws forward, impaling Shina. As her blood trickled down his fingers, she simply grinned.
"You'll have to do better than that," she said. She grabbed his arm, and with a grunt began to spin around. After three full revolutions she let Kenji's momentum take him. The mole flew through the air and into a concrete wall, cracking it in the process. Shina took the chance to rush him, throwing a forceful blow that would have decapitated him had Kenji not dodged at the last second.
Kenji regrouped while Shina struggled to extricate herself. He thrust his arm at her, impaling her in the back. Shina quickly backhanded him, then pulled herself free. She pounced, and lifted her arm with murderous intent.
"Time to die, little rat."
"Oh no, Kenji!" Uriko yelled. She started to run towards him, but a sinister giggle stopped her cold in her tracks.
"Now now little kitty, oh so pretty. So have trouble-wooble of your own..."
"Busuzima..." she mouthed.
Kenji avoided Shina's fists, each blow shattering the ground beneath them. Kenji slashes Shina's face, blinding her with her own cold, dead blood and giving Kenji a chance to free himself. She let out a fierce howl, transforming into a black panther with glowing red eyes. She stared dead into Kenji's eyes, letting out a growl that made his blood run cold.
"You've been a bad girl, little girl..." Busuzima said, lurking in the shadows.
"Go to hell," Uriko retorted, trying to find the crafty chameleon.
"Naughty naughty naughty naughty naughty naughty naughty!" Busuzima ranted. "I will simply have to discipline naughty little Uriko.
ShenLong's limo pulled up. e slowly climed out, then pulled out a long He slowly climbed out and pulled along a small, silver briefcase. He walked to the driver and peered at him from the corners of his eyes.
"Stay here, I won't be long."
"Die!" Shina seemed to yell as she wildly swiped her claws at the agile young ninja. Kenji managed to stay two steps ahead, barely avoiding her vicious assault. Suddenly, Shina lunged, wrapping her arms around Kenji and squeezing him tight. His breath began to escape him.
"Where are you?"
"Now that would be telling-welling, little naughty girl." Uriko's ears perked. She grinned to herself, spun around, and made a singe shot. She smiled at Busuzima, who stood in front of her with a gaping hole in his head.
"You breath to loud," she said. Busuzima's body hit the floor, filling the factory with a sickening thud.
Kenji reared back, and delivered a hard headbutt to Shina. She lost her grips, allowing Kenji to slip free. But the damage was done; Kenji lacked the strength to maintain his beast form and reverted back. He cursed, and jumped up, using his natural agility to climb the series of catwalks that crisscross the battlefield.
Shina, devoid of such talents, merely plowed her way up, crashing through the catwalks in pursuit of her prey. "Time to die, mouse," she growled when Kenji had reached the top catwalk. She approached, as Kenji too his stance.
"Bring it, you freak," Kenji said tight-lipped. Shina roared, shaking the foundations of the building and rushed him. Kenji ran at her, ducking her claws and elbowing her in the stomach. Seizing the opportunity, Kenji delivered a stiff roundhouse kick to Shina's chin, then a second. He jumped into the air, attempting to deliver a jumping kick to Shina.
She stuck our her arm, grabbing Kenji's leg and throwing him to the ground. She lift her arm high abover her head, and struck down. Kenji managed to swerve out of the way, causing Shina to drive her hand into the catwalk. With a flip kick to Shina's chin, he was back on the offensive.
"You can't hurt me, mouse," Shina growled.
Kenji said nothing; he just pressed his advantage, each blow driving the undead beast back. He paused, trying to gauge his opponent's state of well- being. Shina merely smiled, turning back human. "Tell you what, mouse. I'll let you have one more free hit."
Kenji again said nothing, just ran at the gloating Shina. His muscles tensed, his mind focused, he stopped, skidding into Shina. Hitting her with both palms, releasing all if his anger, his rage into one concentrated point. Shina took a step back, then another.
Only to find, she didn't have two steps to take. Kenji walked foreword as Shina disappeared under the catwalk. She became smaller, eventually hitting the vat of liquid metal. Sparks flew and fire burned as the air became filled with something neither Kenji noe Uriko thought they'd ever hear from her.
A scream of pain. Shina's body melted under the intense heat. Her arm stayed raised a mere moment, reaching towards the heavens, and Kenji himself. "Ashes to ashes," he muttered.
Kenji turned around, and saw Uriko walking towards him. Her warm, inviting face, her perpetual smile. His hear swelled with the prospect of holding her in his arms after such a long, harsh battle. He smiled, for perhaps the first time in his life.
A smile, soon marred. A warm, all-to familiar liquid splashed across Kenji's face as Uriko's chest sprayed a crimson stream. Everything seemed in slow motion as she began to fall. Kenji rushed to her, catching her in his arms. He glanced at the sky, and at a familiar figure holding a large handgun. A black coat draped over his sholders and an evil smirk on his face.
"You know where I'll be Kenji," he said as he walked away.
"Ken... ji..." Uriko said weakly.
"Uriko, don't speak. You'll..."
"I'm free." She whispered as tears filled her eyes. "Kenji, I'm... fin... ally... free..." With her last breath she kissed Kenji, and pulled away. Uriko's chest rose, paused, and then fell again.
For the first time, Kenji felt himself cry.
göt·ter·däm·mer·ung or Göt·ter·däm·mer·ung (gtr- dm-rng, gtr-dm- rng)
n.
[After Götterdämmerung, an opera by Richard Wagner, from German,
twilight of the gods
"This has gone too far," ShenLong muttered to himself. "I let the game get out of hand." He sighed, rose from his chair, and towards a small, velvet lined box. He knew that freak Busuzima and his own pet Shina had found the traitor and his woman. "I will have to end it. With my own hand."
Shina slowly advanced, the flames of Hell dancing in her eyes. Never before had she shown such emotion, and never before had Kenji realized the perversion of her former self she had become. Once a woman, just and noble, now a demon spawned straight from Cocytus itself. What unholy science had dredged her from Hell? What evil had Busuzima wrought?
With the bat of an eye Shina rushed him, bringing to bear her full fury. Kenji did the same, fully intending to bring down the beast here and now. Without warning he lunged his claws forward, impaling Shina. As her blood trickled down his fingers, she simply grinned.
"You'll have to do better than that," she said. She grabbed his arm, and with a grunt began to spin around. After three full revolutions she let Kenji's momentum take him. The mole flew through the air and into a concrete wall, cracking it in the process. Shina took the chance to rush him, throwing a forceful blow that would have decapitated him had Kenji not dodged at the last second.
Kenji regrouped while Shina struggled to extricate herself. He thrust his arm at her, impaling her in the back. Shina quickly backhanded him, then pulled herself free. She pounced, and lifted her arm with murderous intent.
"Time to die, little rat."
"Oh no, Kenji!" Uriko yelled. She started to run towards him, but a sinister giggle stopped her cold in her tracks.
"Now now little kitty, oh so pretty. So have trouble-wooble of your own..."
"Busuzima..." she mouthed.
Kenji avoided Shina's fists, each blow shattering the ground beneath them. Kenji slashes Shina's face, blinding her with her own cold, dead blood and giving Kenji a chance to free himself. She let out a fierce howl, transforming into a black panther with glowing red eyes. She stared dead into Kenji's eyes, letting out a growl that made his blood run cold.
"You've been a bad girl, little girl..." Busuzima said, lurking in the shadows.
"Go to hell," Uriko retorted, trying to find the crafty chameleon.
"Naughty naughty naughty naughty naughty naughty naughty!" Busuzima ranted. "I will simply have to discipline naughty little Uriko.
ShenLong's limo pulled up. e slowly climed out, then pulled out a long He slowly climbed out and pulled along a small, silver briefcase. He walked to the driver and peered at him from the corners of his eyes.
"Stay here, I won't be long."
"Die!" Shina seemed to yell as she wildly swiped her claws at the agile young ninja. Kenji managed to stay two steps ahead, barely avoiding her vicious assault. Suddenly, Shina lunged, wrapping her arms around Kenji and squeezing him tight. His breath began to escape him.
"Where are you?"
"Now that would be telling-welling, little naughty girl." Uriko's ears perked. She grinned to herself, spun around, and made a singe shot. She smiled at Busuzima, who stood in front of her with a gaping hole in his head.
"You breath to loud," she said. Busuzima's body hit the floor, filling the factory with a sickening thud.
Kenji reared back, and delivered a hard headbutt to Shina. She lost her grips, allowing Kenji to slip free. But the damage was done; Kenji lacked the strength to maintain his beast form and reverted back. He cursed, and jumped up, using his natural agility to climb the series of catwalks that crisscross the battlefield.
Shina, devoid of such talents, merely plowed her way up, crashing through the catwalks in pursuit of her prey. "Time to die, mouse," she growled when Kenji had reached the top catwalk. She approached, as Kenji too his stance.
"Bring it, you freak," Kenji said tight-lipped. Shina roared, shaking the foundations of the building and rushed him. Kenji ran at her, ducking her claws and elbowing her in the stomach. Seizing the opportunity, Kenji delivered a stiff roundhouse kick to Shina's chin, then a second. He jumped into the air, attempting to deliver a jumping kick to Shina.
She stuck our her arm, grabbing Kenji's leg and throwing him to the ground. She lift her arm high abover her head, and struck down. Kenji managed to swerve out of the way, causing Shina to drive her hand into the catwalk. With a flip kick to Shina's chin, he was back on the offensive.
"You can't hurt me, mouse," Shina growled.
Kenji said nothing; he just pressed his advantage, each blow driving the undead beast back. He paused, trying to gauge his opponent's state of well- being. Shina merely smiled, turning back human. "Tell you what, mouse. I'll let you have one more free hit."
Kenji again said nothing, just ran at the gloating Shina. His muscles tensed, his mind focused, he stopped, skidding into Shina. Hitting her with both palms, releasing all if his anger, his rage into one concentrated point. Shina took a step back, then another.
Only to find, she didn't have two steps to take. Kenji walked foreword as Shina disappeared under the catwalk. She became smaller, eventually hitting the vat of liquid metal. Sparks flew and fire burned as the air became filled with something neither Kenji noe Uriko thought they'd ever hear from her.
A scream of pain. Shina's body melted under the intense heat. Her arm stayed raised a mere moment, reaching towards the heavens, and Kenji himself. "Ashes to ashes," he muttered.
Kenji turned around, and saw Uriko walking towards him. Her warm, inviting face, her perpetual smile. His hear swelled with the prospect of holding her in his arms after such a long, harsh battle. He smiled, for perhaps the first time in his life.
A smile, soon marred. A warm, all-to familiar liquid splashed across Kenji's face as Uriko's chest sprayed a crimson stream. Everything seemed in slow motion as she began to fall. Kenji rushed to her, catching her in his arms. He glanced at the sky, and at a familiar figure holding a large handgun. A black coat draped over his sholders and an evil smirk on his face.
"You know where I'll be Kenji," he said as he walked away.
"Ken... ji..." Uriko said weakly.
"Uriko, don't speak. You'll..."
"I'm free." She whispered as tears filled her eyes. "Kenji, I'm... fin... ally... free..." With her last breath she kissed Kenji, and pulled away. Uriko's chest rose, paused, and then fell again.
For the first time, Kenji felt himself cry.