Final Confrontation

by Jcarlton

Stories that start before the first MK movie and then pick up after it ended. The world holds surprises for the kombatants once they return from Shang Tsung's island, and some adversaries refuse to stay dead. Note that MK Annihilation never happened.

7. Final Confrontation 7

Neckor galloped as fast as his four legs could carry him as he chased the herd of Centaurs while those were about fifty yards ahead. The group's final run around the fields was coming to a close as the thirty Centaurs reached their destination. All the members turned to the left and kept galloping as they came upon Motaro. Charging for about twenty yards towards the left, they didn't stop once they saw the side of a mountain blocking their path. Instead, each Centaur rushed directly towards the nearly vertical natural wall with his head lowered ahead of the rest of his upper body. One Centaur after another slammed his horns into the side of the mountain in an effort to knock out as much stone as possible. Neckor reached the others in the group only a few seconds afterwards, but his lateness was noticed by Motaro, who kept a watchful eye over the entire crowd.

Once all thirty students were finished charging into the mountain side, they stopped and quieted down as they saw Motaro approaching them. The deep blue night sky of the Centaurs' realm surrounded that one's shoulders from behind as he came closer, his facial expression telling the nervous students nothing about his plans. Motaro passed a number of the students as he proceeded towards Neckor, the relatively young Centaur getting more nervous as he came near. Motaro was easily the largest figure there, so he knew he had to look downwards whenever he wished to talk to another Centaur. It was only a matter of how much he was forced to lower his face to make eye contact with students. The tense and cool air was silent as their master reached the student who had arrived late and stood directly in front of him, locking eyes with that one.

"You were slow!", Motaro exclaimed as he violently slapped the student across the face.

The slap was strong enough so that it sent Neckor's face twisting aside, but it was only an embarrassment. It was known that such a strike wouldn't even come close to injuring a Centaur. The slap was meant as a warning and it was realized, especially since Motaro wasn't known for giving many second chances.

"It will not happen again", Neckor lowered his head.

Motaro grunted while stepping away, being sure to let the student know that he was dangerously close to being punished. As their trainer proceeded deeper into the fields, the students followed, knowing the physical exercise was not finished yet. Tuma, the only other Centaur in the group who even came close to being identified as a friend, approached Neckor from the side as they trailed their leader.

"That was close", Tuma whispered to him in a scolding voice, "Be more careful".

Their next assignment was the exact copy of the procedure that had ended the run around the fields. They were led towards the side of another mountain and watched briefly as Motaro lowered his head and dashed into it. His horns impacted into his intended target and large pieces of rocks were shattered off the mountain side. The chief Centaur raised his head as he proudly surveyed the amount of rocks that were knocked loose on the ground near his front feet. He next motioned the first student in the group who was behind him to copy his actions. That Centaur lowered his head and bolted into the mountain side as well, knocking loose a fair amount of rocks, though clearly less than the leader. Motaro said nothing as he turned his attention at the second student in the group, nonverbally telling the first that the result was acceptable. The second Centaur rushed ahead also.

The routine continued until it was Neckor's turn and the young Centaur lowered his head and aimed for the mountain as well. He ran forward with all his strength, but his legs were still overworked after the run around the fields. His horns slammed into the rocky mountain side and he felt the impact. Raising his head, he viewed the damage done. Although the area hit showed signs of the collision, almost no rocks were knocked loose.

"YOUR SECOND FAILURE!", Motaro thundered, startling all the students.

Neckor was speechless. He didn't know how to respond as fear overtook him. The next sight seen was Motaro pointing at two large Centaur guards, although they still were not as big as him. Both guards approached the group of students and quickly restrained Neckor before dragging the timid Centaur away. None of the students dared to utter a word as all quietly watched, realizing Neckor had failed in his mission to reach physical purity. Tuma saw Neckor being forced into a small cavern about five hundred yards away which had a tiny opening at the ceiling. The dreaded cave had been at that sight ever since the first day the students arrived for training. The fact that it was open at the top and allowed anyone inside to see the sky had indicated to the students that it was artificial. None of them had been allowed to come near it during their long hours of practice and they had only witnessed condemned Centaurs being driven there. The students also knew that no condemned Centaur ever left the artificial cavern alive. Neckor remembered that last fact also as he finally noticed where he was being led and turned to face Motaro.

"No! Please, great one!", the doomed Centaur pleaded as the two stone-faced guards kept pulling him away, "Have mercy!".

Motaro only watched as Neckor was then pushed into the only entrance of the cavern. The guards then worked together to place a large and heavy stone ball at the entrance, thus making it impossible for him to leave. The chief Centaur then placed his hands together and prayed for a few seconds in a language even the students or the guards couldn't understand. Tuma heard Neckor screaming as a red lightning bolt shot out of the sky and entered the cavern through the small opening in the ceiling. Neckor's screams stopped after a few seconds as smoke then rose from the hole. Seeing it, Motaro turned his attention back to his students. The workout wasn't over.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You wish to speak to me?", Motaro didn't bother to hide his belief in his superiority as he slowly marched into Shao Kahn's castle.

Emperor Shao Kahn was seated at his throne with Shang Tsung standing by his side as his second-in-command. They had both been waiting for the head of the Centaurs to finally come into the room.

"Yes", Shao Kahn replied, "I believe you already know what this meeting is about".

"It's about you wasting my time!", the Centaur snapped.

"No, it's about me giving you the chance of your lifetime", Shao Kahn calmly answered.

Motaro spat on the shiny floor as a sign of his disrespect for Kahn's empire. Both individuals in the room forced themselves to remain unaffected at the sight.

"You are here because I am offering you the chance to be my second-in-command", the seated emperor told him, "It is a spot that Shang Tsung has earned only after centuries of service and you can have it instantly".

Motaro said nothing, so emperor Kahn decided to break the uneasy silence.

"It is an honor to be my second-in-command, chief Motaro", he went on.

"Are you done?", the Centaur asked, annoyed.

"Yes", Shao Kahn stood and walked towards him, "What is your answer?".

Despite his height of seven feet, emperor Kahn had to look up as he stood in front of Motaro and stared into that one's face. Motaro was about a foot and a half taller.

"My answer is I will destroy your kingdom and make you my slave", Motaro grinned as he looked down at Kahn, "Once the human mortals are out of the way, you are next".

Without another word, the Centaur turned and walked away. As he got further, Shang Tsung spoke up for the first time.

"One thing I cannot understand is why you warned the humans of your attack", Shang Tsung addressed the Centaur, "You lost the element of surprise by announcing your planned arrival".

Motaro stopped and turned his face around so he'd see both individuals out of the corner of his eye.

"I would think that even an idiot like you would understand that", the Centaur grinned again, "I warned the humans because I wanted to show you that the kombatants who beat you in the tournaments were defeated by me. This way, you will not be able to say that they did not have adequate time to prepare a defense, like they did when they faced you. I know I'm better than you, and by conquering the Earth realm, I will prove it".

With that, the Centaur was gone. Shang Tsung eyed his superior as they both thought about the consequences of Motaro's actions.

"He will be difficult to control if he takes over the Earth realm", Shang Tsung stared at the direction that Motaro had left, "He will be able to use it as a base against our armies".

Shao Kahn said nothing, only nodded his head.

"Perhaps we should help the Earth humans in this", the emperor finally replied.

"But why, my lord?", his second-in-command was confused.

"Think", Shao Kahn said, "If the humans effectively resist, either the Earth kombatants will kill Motaro or he will kill them. Either way, we win".

Shao Kahn smiled. He had a plan.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Major Jackson Briggs walked down the carpeted hallway followed by Johnny Cage. Both men proceeded towards a closed door. Once reaching it, Jax stopped and knocked on it three times.

"Enter", a voice inside permitted.

Jax opened the door and stepped in. The actor followed him and made sure to close the door behind them.

"Sir", Jax saluted the four-star general, "Thank you for agreeing to see me".

"At ease", the general replied with a smile, "I figured it was the least I could do, considering your commendable record with us, major".

"This is Johnny Cage, the man I told you about", Jax pointed to the other kombatant.

"Yes, I know", the general extended his right hand, "It's a pleasure. I'm a fan, although not as much as my kids".

Both men shook hands before Jax and Johnny briefly locked eyes.

"Go ahead. Tell him everything you told me", the major told him.

Johnny sighed. The tale he had to recount didn't get any easier the more often he told it. Staring into the general's eyes, he then remembered everything that had happened to him ever since the original tournament with Shang Tsung. He made sure to put extra emphasis on the recent occurrences in Outworld when he was met Motaro. The general listened intently, smiling at times in a nervous manner but not interrupting because Johnny didn't seem to stop talking.

"Major", the general addressed Jax when the actor finally stopped, "If this is a joke, you better tell me know".

"It's not a joke, sir", Jax replied.

"Have you seen these... creatures?", the general next asked the major about the Centaurs.

"No sir", Jax had to admit, "But Johnny has and I've worked with him before. He wouldn't exaggerate".

The general next stared at the actor, his pleasant attitude having given way to a much more serious one.

"It sounds more like the plot to your next movie than a threat", he told the kombatant, but he seemed to believe Johnny's tale.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two months after that conversation between the three men, the military had been mobilized with weapons that proved to be more aggressive than the standard M-16 rifle. The public wasn't told about it yet in order to avoid a panic, but Special Forces members were already training for the predicted invasion. By this time, Scott found himself back in Hong Kong, addressing some of the troops that he used to serve with. His right arm had healed because of the time passed since he had returned from Outworld.

"I barely beat one of these Centaurs even though I had help", he remembered how Sonya had saved his life by shooting Qarro, "I was also high on adrenaline at the time. Bullets only scratched him and we were told the Centaurs will be stronger when they pay us their visit. So one-on-one physical confrontations are definitely out of the question".

The soldiers were still trying to absorb all the new information as Scott stopped.

"I would like to stay here and train, if it would please you, sir", he looked at the general who was in the room also, "Only on an unofficial basis, of course, since I did discharge myself from duty, as you well know".

"I'd like you to", the general informed him.

"Good", Scott smiled as he next looked at the colonel who used to be the head of the base when he and Sonya first met, "And there's someone else also. Lieutenant Blade would be very good on our side right about now. Remember lieutenant Blade, colonel?".

"Absolutely not!", the colonel snapped, "No".

"We don't have time for this!", the ninja snapped back, "Her experiences with these freaks as well as with the military make her invaluable to our side".

"I agree", the general interjected, "She's in".

"Thank you", Scott told him, feeling relieved.

"Did you hear the Centaur threatening us, by the way?", the general next asked.

"No sir", the ninja replied, "I was out cold at the time".

"Well, we shouldn't be so helpless if and when they do come", the general then told him.

"When they come, not if", Scott corrected.

"Right", the general went on, "We have an advantage, even if their anatomy is as strong as you say. We have Arol on our side".

The other men in the room knew what their superior meant, but Scott still didn't.

"Arol? Who's Arol?", he asked.

"Not who, what", the general informed as a private handed him a large-caliber weapon, "Arol. The 45 millimeter portable Assault Rocket Launcher. We've been rushing to build it ever since the first day we were warned".

The weapon seemed to be no bigger than an M-16 rifle, but it's barrel was clearly much thicker as the general held it.

"It can carry two shells at a time", the general proudly told the visitor, "Needless to say, if these horsemen do invade, we're dying to find out just how tough they really are"...

When all was said and done, Scott left the room with a smile.

He found the nearest phone in the base and picked up the receiver, intending to send a long-distance phone call. He dialed the number and began counting the number of rings. The person on the other end picked up after the third ring.

"Hello?", Sonya spoke into her own receiver over from Washington DC.

"Guess who?", Scott answered, "I've been welcomed here with open arms from almost everybody at least. They're making some real progress".

"Great", she was glad he was able to put his mind at ease, "So when are you coming back home?".

"Actually, that's another thing", the ninja told her, "I'm not coming back any time soon. They're interested in training with me since I've seen these horses before, and it doesn't only stop there. They're interested in you too".

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.

"Come again?", Sonya wanted to clarify what she had heard.

"They want you here. They need your help", Scott repeated, "How else can I put it?".

"No way".

"Yes way!", the ninja pressed.

"So what am I supposed to do?", she pointed out, "Just drop everything, leave everybody behind and fly over there?".

"Sonya, this is more important than that, you know that", Scott insisted, "Besides, you don't have to leave everybody behind. Grab Liu and Kitana and bring them with you. Johnny's already here with me and so is Jax. Hell, we can make it a reunion just for us".

Scott chuckled at the thought, although the silence from the lady kombatant's side didn't indicate to him how she perceived the news. He waited for several seconds, hating the fact that he only heard himself breath.

"I'll ask Liu and Kitana then", she finally told him.

"Great! Let me know how it goes", Scott mentioned, thinking she needed to find the two kombatants first, "I'll be here. Let me give you the number where you can reach me".

"Don't need to. They're both right here", Sonya replied as she was looking at Liu and Princess Kitana since they were in her living room.

She lowered the phone and smiled at the White Lotus monk.

"How would the two of you like to fly to Hong Kong with me?", she posed, "You'll meet the best the army has to offer once there. They need our help".

Liu didn't waste any time in answering.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sonya, Liu and Kitana walked into the weight room in the Hong Kong army base with the luggage they had brought with them from the airplane. They were definitely glad they didn't carry more than four gymbags for all three of them. Among the numerous weightlifting equipment, they saw Scott casually seated on a weightbench as he talked to Jax while that one was leaning against a mirror. Both men stopped and looked at the three newcomers as soon as the door was opened from outside.

"Hey, you made it", Scott spoke first, smiling, "It's about time. I was worried you weren't able to find your way back here because you got lost".

"Still as funny as ever", Sonya smiled back as she lowered her bag towards the floor and saw the ninja coming towards them.

"Major", she next offered her right hand to Jax as that one approached them also.

"Lieutenant", he gripped her hand with his own.

"Come on, you have got to see the new toy they have out", Scott motioned to her next, "It's a 45 millimeter cannon. Perfect toy for when the horsemen arrive".

"Liu, Kitana. Nice to see you", Jax was busy reacquainting with them as Scott withdrew an Arol he had tucked away in the weightroom itself.

"So, how's the preparation coming along?", was Sonya's first question to the ninja.

"Actually, it's coming along pretty good", Scott replied, still finding new ways to dissect the Arol, "The guys are definitely ready. The only problem is still that we have no idea when, or where, or how the Centaurs are coming. Once they are here, our only plan is to take them on in a door-to-door street warfare until one side eliminates the other. I don't have to tell you that ain't much of a plan".

"Yeah", Sonya agreed.

"And I still don't like the idea of not telling the general public about the invasion", the ninja continued, "I mean, these Arols are already available to half the regular and reserve military and they're being rushed to be sent to the other half, but the public as a whole still has no idea what's going on".

"It does make sense", the kombatant told him, "We want to avoid a panic, no? Obviously, it'll be better if everyone gets to brace themselves for it, but at what cost? We don't even know when the invasion is set for. It could be ten years from now for all we know".

"Yeah, or maybe tomorrow", Scott added before changing the subject, "Come on, walk around the base with me. I bet you missed this place since you were gone. I know I have".

"Not really", she bluntly said.

"No?".

"No", Sonya was less generous than him when it came to judging the place, "Miss what? The colonel? The way I got kicked out? That colonel is still around, isn't he? He still belongs here but I don't".

"Don't let him get to you, sweetheart", Scott lowered his voice into a whisper and placed his right palm on her cheek, "What he says doesn't matter. He doesn't bother me that much, and do you know why?".

Sonya shook her head.

"Because everything he says goes in through one ear and out the other", Scott kept whispering, "Remember that. In one ear, out the other".

"I'll keep it in mind", she promised as she picked up the gym bag again, ready to head outside.

"I would be interested in seeing the training ground for your men", Liu was busy talking to Jax as Sonya and Scott reached him.

"Let's go, then", the major advised, "I'll show you three to your rooms so you can settle in first. Come on by to my barracks and let me know when you're ready to give a hand with the training".

"Thank you", Kitana replied, "Your hospitality is generous".

"No, I should be thanking you", Jax replied, "Believe me, any news we find out about these Centaurs is new for us. We're desperate for the help".

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Scott and Sonya were dressed in their traditional black commando outfits as they both dropped towards the ground on their stomach. Other soldiers nearby did the same as each person checked his/her Arol to make sure it was loaded with two shells. A soldier nearby stood first and fired once at a wooden target which was made to look like a Centaur. The target blew apart as the rest of the soldiers stealthily snuck by. Scott stood second and fired his first shot into another wooden Centaur as the rest of the soldiers took advantage of his supposed diversion to advance further. With the other soldiers crawling on their stomach in order to avoid detection by the supposed enemy, Sonya sprang to her feet and fired her first shell into a wooden Centaur forty yards away. The target blew apart as she next twisted behind her and smoothly fired a second shot into another target which was about fifty yards behind her, shattering that one to pieces also.

"Yesss!", she congratulated herself as she saw the result, confident that she was getting used to the new weapons.

Static was heard over a loudspeaker before the colonel's voice reverberated through the training ground.

"You were only supposed to fire one shot, Blade!", the colonel reprimanded.

"Oh, give me a break", Sonya spoke to herself as Scott was the only trainee to stand up, "You're gonna say that when the attack comes also? Things are always unpredictable when push comes to shove".

She looked over to where Scott stood twenty yards away to find out what his reaction was.

"Nice shooting", the ninja smiled and whispered as he raised his thumb, although he knew she would have to read his lips from such distance.

"Be more careful about following orders, Blade", the colonel next announced over the loudspeaker, "It's understandable that you have a problem with orders and such, but this is serious. So try to think of the whole squad instead of yourself for a change. Next practice is in section four".

The soldiers around them stood and those who were interested then proceeded to section four. Scott reached her as she was busy loading two new shells into her assault cannon.

"You did good", he let her know.

"Pretentious asshole!", Sonya angrily shoved the second shell into the weapon.

"What?", Scott questioned, thinking she referred to him.

"Not you", she replied, indicating she meant the colonel.

"Don't.. let.. him.. get to you", the ninja slowly said in order for his words to be realized.

He went inside the empty barracks room and she followed, closing the door behind them.

"Yeah, sure. That's a lot easier said than done, isn't it?", she answered.

"In one ear...", he made the first half of the statement, waiting for her to finish it.

"Out the other", she completed the statement.

"Listen", he advised, "Put the cannon away for now. It's been a long day. Relax, get something to eat. You'll feel better".

"Yeah, you're probably right", she casually tossed the Arol on the nearest bunk bed even though the bed wasn't hers.

"I know I'm right", he said.

Scott came closer to kiss her on the lips just as another private walked into the barracks room also, prompting the ninja to pull away and to look like they were just talking.

"Hi", he smiled at the soldier as that one returned his greetings.

The young man next sat on a bunk bed several steps away from them, making them realize they would have to go their own way exactly as they were now.

"Remember what I said", Scott locked eyes with her, nonverbally telling her that he wished the other soldier was somewhere else.

"I will", she smiled back, understanding his thoughts.

He walked out of the main door to head for section four and she picked up her Arol before proceeding towards the back exit to get lunch.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

While that took place, Princess Kitana headed into the room where she had been told Liu could be found. She twisted the doorknob to the room and pushed the door open. The information was right since she saw the monk seated on his knees with his back straight as he meditated with his eyes closed. The only source of light in the space was the natural sunlight which came in from the small window near him. Despite her best efforts to be quiet, he opened his eyes as he sensed movement.

"Am I intruding?", Kitana asked.

"Not at all", Liu smiled, "Come in".

She took several steps inside after closing the door behind her. She sat on the floor next to the monk, eyeing him as that one closed his eyes again.

"Is there something you wish to ask me?", the monk broke the silence.

"Yes", she admitted, "What plans do we have when the invasion arises?".

"I do not know when it will arise", the monk opened his eyes again, "Nor where. It seems to me as if planning for something unknown would be a waste of time".

"In other words, we don't have anything", Kitana added.

"Not so", Liu corrected, "We can take the time to improve ourselves to as much an extent as possible. So we're are at our best when the invasion does occur".

"Uhuh", Kitana did not like what she was hearing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Scott walked into the weight room after his last training session in section four. Contrary to his expectations, the room wasn't empty. Johnny was seated on the weightbench closest to the door as the ninja walked in. The kombatant was simply staring at the equipment as the lights in the room were turned off, casting a dark shadow over everything.

"Johnny?", Scott asked, turning on the lights with a switch, "What're you doing here? I thought I'd just come in and lift some weights before I go to sleep".

"I was just thinking", the actor told him as the lights illuminated the large room, "This place looks so dark and gloomy without the lights on".

"Yes, I guess it does", the ninja agreed, still without understanding the kombatant's reason for being there.

"Have you ever noticed how scary a dark room looks?", Johnny asked him.

"A few times", Scott replied, "Did this place look like it to you?".

"Yeah", the actor let him know, "I came here for a workout too, about two hours ago. I haven't been able to move past the front door since".

"You're kidding", the ninja told him.

Johnny shook his head, still staring deeper into the weight room.

"You didn't see how menacing Motaro appeared", the kombatant turned to the ninja, "He was bigger than Qarro. Probably as big as Goro, except he had two arms instead of four".

"I know it's annoying", Scott realized, "We can work like crazy to increase our strength by a mere 10 only to then find out that our opponent is three times stronger than we'll ever be".

There was silence as both men looked at each other. They both sighed.

"Scary, huh?", Scott asked.

"Yeah", Johnny replied again.

"You gotta face your fears, Johnny", the ninja frankly told him.

"You know, everybody says that", the kombatant seemed annoyed, "It's so easy to say 'face your fears', isn't it? Since the person saying it isn't the one feeling the fear. Those are just words, nothing more".

"That's not true", the ninja let him know, "I do know what I'm talking about. I've done it too and I know it sucks. But they're not just words".

"No, I guess not".

"Well, here's what I do when things appear to get scary for me", Scott walked towards a stereo that was positioned on a nearby table.

Withdrawing a heavy metal music tape from his pocket, the ninja installed it into the stereo. He then played the music and turned the volume up high. The heavy metal screams and music quickly flooded the once quiet weight room.

"See? Things don't seem so scary now, do they?", the ninja smiled at the kombatant, raising his voice so as to be heard over the music.

"No", Johnny slowly smiled also, "No, they don't".

"Come on", Scott offered the actor his hand, "I'll work out with you".

Johnny gripped the hand and the ninja pulled him up to his feet. As both fighters proceeded towards the inside of the weightroom, looking forward to a grueling workout that the fast music drove towards, a spark appeared in front of them. The spark soon expanded as Scott kept his eyes on it and slowly walked back to the stereo. Shutting the music off, the silence abruptly returned as the glitter grew into the size of an average adult man. Rayden soon stood in that area as his facial expression indicated to the humans that he did not bring good news.

"I should've figured you'd come in here to bail us out", the actor spoke first, trying to smile.

"I wish it was that simple", the thunder god replied in a somber tone, "I know the Centaurs are planning to invade your realm and I cannot stop them".

"Please, someone like you should be able to trash those losers with one hand tied behind your back", the ninja said.

"You must realize, I am only one of many gods", Rayden regretfully explained, "My position is, and has been for millennia, the protector of this realm. But the deity who overlooks the affairs of the Centaurs' realm would not be willing to sit idly by as I decimated his realm's inhabitants".

"I'm not following you here", Johnny told him, disliking the path the conversation followed.

"If I intervened, the deity who protects the Centaurs' realm would too", Rayden continued, "He has made that fact clear to me. A battle between me and him could destroy the Earth realm in the process".

"You're telling me you can't take this guy?", Scott asked.

"It is not a matter of who wins and who loses", the deity answered, "But a matter of the price paid for the victory. The destruction of the Earth realm would mean the death of every person, animal and plant living on it. Bluntly, the end of the world. The deity I mention is as powerful as me. He is the one who supplies Motaro the power over his dreaded red lighting, as Johnny already has witnessed".

"Great", the kombatant raised his hands, "So much for having an edge in this fight".

"There is one piece of information you lack which may prove useful", Rayden told them, "Of what limited knowledge I have, the realm of the Centaurs is undergoing a massive shift, indicating the invasion force will be extremely large. All Centaurs are telepathically connected. Thus, there happens to be a way in which the entire invasion force can be repelled without any of Motaro's millions of students having to be fought".

"Which is?", Scott asked him as both fighters' eyes widened a bit.

"Motaro is almost looked upon as a god among his students", the deity clarified, "The way to destroy their faith in their mission to conquer the Earth realm and prove humanity's strength over the Centaurs would be if a human killed Motaro in singles combat".

Both humans quietly stared at the god for a few moments, absorbing the information. Scott nervously smiled as he decided to ask a question for which he already knew the answer.

"By singles combat, you wouldn't happen to mean that one of us can take an Arol and just pop him in the chest, would you?", the ninja posed.

"No", the deity regretfully shook his head, "I mean a battle without any weapons and without any outside help".

"As in mortal kombat", Johnny sighed, disappointed since the new information didn't seem to help them much, "A fair streetfight where the winner has to kill the loser with his bare hands".

"Yes", was Rayden's only response.

"Well, I guess that makes sense", Scott said, "But who the hell is gonna beat Motaro in a fair fight? I mean, Goro or Durak might stand a chance, but us?".

"I am sorry, that is all I know", Rayden seemed frustrated with himself.

"Well, thanks anyway", the kombatant told him, "I don't suppose, though, that you know when the invasion is set for".

The deity only shook his head.

"OK, thanks", Scott sighed, "I'll go tell the others. But until we get really desperate, we're gonna keep trying to hit these sons of bitches until one side gets wiped out. Nobody's gonna be asked to go on a suicide mission like that".

The ninja turned and headed out of the weight room in order to pass the information to the other kombatants outside. He heard Rayden turning into a mass of electricity from behind him before that one vanished.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The routine at the Army base in Hong Kong went on for three more weeks before it was decided that there were too many Special Forces members in the eastern half of the globe alone. Some of the troops were ordered back home to the continental United States in order to protect the mainland once the invasion took place. Fortunately for Sonya, Johnny and Scott, one of the areas that a fraction of the troops were headed for was the nation's capital. All three decided to return home, although Jax had a choice to go with them or stay in his familiar ground in Hong Kong, and he chose the latter. Liu and Kitana ultimately decided to remain with him, since it left the White Lotus monk closer to his temple. The day of departure for half the team was spent at the airport as embraces were shared back and forth. Each person was also made sure to have the address and phone number of the ones who were separating from his/her half of the team. The three team members who were flying back to Washington DC had made reservations on a commercial airliner. That was while the colonel and about thirty troops had already flown back in a military airplane almost a day before.

Although clearly missing Liu and the other two kombatants, Sonya had to admit it felt nice to be back in her home. She was dressed in casual blue jeans and a tucked T-shirt as she grabbed her dark yellow jacket. She told herself that the dry cleaners had done a remarkable job in getting all of Scott's blood stains off it after they had returned from Outworld. There were virtually no traces of red on the jacket as she put it one and also tied a pair of white sneakers, one on each foot. After zipping the jacket about halfway up, she was on her way outside. Realizing that the weather outside was nice enough, she had removed the clear nylon cover from the window through which she had jumped while chasing the Black Dragons sniper. The window remained without a glass front since a replacement had not been searched yet after the shattered glass had been removed. The window still remained unfixed, although she had kept telling herself she would get around to that task. She was about to head out the door to meet Scott when someone rang on the doorbell.

Scott, at the same time, was about two miles away. He patiently waited at the end of a short line while he debated in his mind as to what kind of sandwiches he should order once he was talking to the counterman. Johnny stood nearby, with his sunglasses always on, as the actor had already made up his own mind. Not too many people had recognized the actor presently, which was just fine with him, because he was only looking forward to a day of relaxation after returning from the busy Army base. The invasion also seemed to be far from Scott's mind as the ninja had actually gotten used to the idea of having an omen held over his head. He had told himself that it was going to happen no matter how worried everyone became, so there was no point in being disturbed by it. He had realized that Sonya was right, it might not have taken place until ten years later, and he wasn't going to stress himself out until it did. They were as ready now as they would ever be.

The two men were engaged in a pleasant, mindless conversation when everyone suddenly heard gunshots being fired from outside. Most people in the store naturally wondered what had just happened. Since both men were at the end of the line, they had no trouble going to the front of the store and looking out the window. Two masked robbers armed with a handgun each quickly bolted out of the bank across the street and fled on foot.

A security guard from inside the bank opened the door with his own weapon at the ready as the bandits were about twenty yards away. The two robbers turned and all three men opened fire. The guard screamed as he was shot and thrown backwards.

"Goddamnit, not now!", Scott told himself as he saw the robbers running towards the left.

He had been looking forward to his first chance to be alone with Sonya in the last several weeks. It seemed like these bank robbers were doing their best to foil his plans for the day. The ninja could've run after them by going to the left, or he could've forgotten about them and just headed to the right, where their car was parked. He didn't take long to think about it as he watched the robbers get further with each second. Growling slightly and feeling annoyed, he bolted out of the store and ran towards the left. Johnny followed him outside, although the actor didn't copy his method of simply chasing after the targets. The kombatant had a more elaborate scheme in mind as someone in the store picked up a phone and called the police as well as for an ambulance.

Scott was thirty yards away from his preys and closing in fast as those two seemed headed for an already planned destination. Neither one of the two robbers had turned around yet to see if they were being followed. As they neared a car that was parked outside of an alleyway, one of them finally twisted around. He spotted the plainclothed ninja closing in towards them like a shark approaching a meal. With Scott getting to within ten steps away, the first man raised his weapon with his left hand. That was all he got to do because the ninja next saw Johnny bursting out of the alleyway and kicking that one's left hand.

The first man screamed as the firearm flew out of his hand. The kombatant next delivered a quick leg sweep and the second robber slammed down on the ground because of it. As both adversaries recovered, Scott finally reached them and tackled the second robber while Johnny concentrated on the first. The actor delivered an uppercut which snapped his opponent's head back before punching that one in the stomach and knocking the wind out of him. The kombatant next kicked him in the side of the right knee and both his legs buckled as he dropped hard on his knees. Before the robber could react, he saw Johnny's foot coming right at his face. The bottom of the actor's foot slammed into his eyes and knocked him down on his back, dazed and defeated for sure.

Scott picked up his adversary as that one had dropped his weapon after being tackled. The man swung, his right fist colliding into the ninja's jaw. Scott's face barely moved as his eyes didn't even blink under the impact. The man's eyes widened before he decided to strike again. While swinging a second fist, Scott twisted to his left and sent his right foot into that one's stomach. The robber bent down, gasping for air, as the ninja next gripped the hair at the back of his head. Pulling that one up to his full height, the ninja tossed him towards the nearest tree, which was about a dozen steps away. The man involuntarily rushed towards the tree because of the push and slammed into it face-first. He then fell down on his back, unable to remain standing.

Scott walked over to his victim and pulled that one up to his feet just as Johnny did the same with his own opponent. With both robbers on their feet and defeated, the partners were able relax. The ninja pulled the mask off his adversary when he saw that one reaching into his pocket with his right hand and withdrawing a small pistol. Scott's eyes widened as he realized he had been premature by assuming that the victory was his. His opponent simply ignored him for no apparent reason and leveled the weapon past him, aiming for Johnny.

"GUN!", Scott yelled as he grabbed the man's extended right wrist.

The ninja was unable to pull the robber's wrist upwards before the weapon fired. Standing next to his vanquished adversary, Johnny turned to see the handgun aimed at him and tried to drop to the ground to get out of the way. He wasn't fast enough and the trigger was pulled while the actor was still standing. Fortunately, the robber proved to have a bad aim and the bullet from his weapon ended up shooting the other robber in the upper back. That one screamed and fell forward as Scott sent his elbow into his resilient opponent's face, finally knocking that one unconscious.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Both fighters were leaning against the side of a police car when one bank robber was carried off in a body bag and the other was escorted to the hospital with multiple bone fractures. Neither one spoke as they stared at the brightly colored lights from the many police cars and the ambulance. Johnny took his sunglasses off and stared at the ninja, wanting to break the silence.

"You OK?", the kombatant asked him.

"I'm fine", Scott tried to smile, "I should be asking you that".

"I'm fine too", the actor told him, "Just a little shaken up".

"Well, don't worry too much about it", the ninja replied, "I only look calm on the outside. I'm still shaking like a leaf inside, believe me".

"Look, we already answered all these guys' questions", Johnny motioned towards the police officers at the scene, "There's probably gonna be tons more to answer later on in the future, so why don't we get out of here while they said we could?",

The police officers were busy placing tape around the area so no one would inadvertently walk into it and damage any evidence. All three handguns were also placed in clear evidence bags and carried into a patrol car.

"That's probably a good idea", Scott mentioned.

"Yeah, I got a movie to finish shooting anyway", the kombatant told him.

Both fighters briefly embraced before they separated. Johnny walked back to his car while Scott decided to go on foot. The spot where he was supposed to meet Sonya wasn't too far off and he could use the time alone to reflect on what had just happened.

"Call me if you need to talk more", the ninja spoke up as they headed their separate way.

"I will", the actor promised.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Yes?", Sonya saw a man in his thirties in an expensive Italian suit when she opened the door.

"Are you miss Blade? Miss Sonya Blade?", the man asked.

"That's me", she replied, "And you are?".

"You don't know me, but I've heard about you", the man said, "I have some important business to discuss with you. Can I come in?".

"Sure", she stepped aside and let the man enter the living room, "But what is this about?".

She closed the door behind her as she wondered if this new event would take a long time. She decided to ask when the man seemed to read her mind.

"Were you on your way out?", he questioned.

"Yes", she told him, "Is this important? And who are you?".

"I belong to a small group which has something very important in common with you, miss Blade", the man still didn't give his name, "See, we know about the fact that the Centaurs are coming also".

The mention surprised her a bit, though not a lot.

"So, what are you? The military, the police?", she questioned.

"None of the above", the man went on, standing about three steps away, "See, we're interested in recruiting you to come and work with us, since you seem to know a lot about these creatures and we could definitely use someone of your experience".

"First of all, if anything, my friends know more about them than me", she replied, "Especially since one of them heard the threat of the invasion and the other one fought with a Centaur".

"Yes, but you are the one who has the rank in the military", the man answered, "Or at least did. But our guess is that the military will be willing to give your old rank back when they realize they need your help more, thus putting you in a position of power again".

"Wait a sec!", Sonya held her palms in front of her chest, "How do you know so much about me? And you still didn't give me your name. What's this business that you guys have with these Centaurs if you're not with the military or the police?".

"We want your help so you will point the military in the wrong direction, miss Blade", the man answered, "And we can make you a rich woman if you do".

"Point the military in the wrong direction?", she repeated, not quiet understanding.

"I do not know how or why the military was tipped off about the invasion", the man went on, "But there's a big incentive for us, and thus for you if you cooperate with us, if the military fails when the Centaurs arrive. The first and foremost objective would if to find an imaginary fault with these Arols so the military will decide not to use them. They can prove to be deadly in a streetfight against the Centaurs".

There was a brief silence as Sonya absorbed all the information. Her facial expression suddenly turned to disgust as she realized what the man was talking about.

"You son of a bitch", she whispered, "You're working for the Centaurs. You're selling out the entire planet to the invasion force".

Her tone of voice and words were not the kind that the man hoped he would hear.

"Come on, Blade", he continued, "Did you really think the Centaurs could take over without them knowing about our technology first hand? practically everything now is computerized here, but Centaurs don't even know what artificial electricity is. We show them the ropes when they get here and we get taken care of in exchange. It's a very nice deal, might I add. We are giving you the chance of a lifetime here. The invasion is set, and the Centaurs will win sooner or later. You don't want to be on the losing side, do you?".

There was another silence as they locked eyes.

"This is your last chance", the man warned.

"I agree", Sonya told him, "Your last chance to give up before I break you in half".

The man gave a slight smile at her response.

"I wish I didn't have to do this", he told her as he reached into his suit.

The next sight Sonya saw was him withdrawing a pistol with a silencer attached to it. As the man leveled the weapon in front of his face, she rushed forward and sent forth a fast front kick aimed at his hand. The weapon violently flew up and backwards before it smashed through the screen of the television set. Sparks followed in the television screen as the handgun was lost amidst the numerous dark wires.

Sonya twisted to the right and planted her left foot into his stomach. The man moaned in pain and bent down before she next slammed her right elbow into the back of his lowered head, knocking him down on his hands and knees. She then gripped the back of his collar and yanked him up to his feet.

"Get up, you son of a bitch", she snapped, "I'm dying to find out what my former colleagues at the Special Forces would think when they interview you. They're here too, you know".

The thought of being turned over to the military was obviously not an option for the man, so he ignored the pain in his stomach and head. He turned to face her and blindly swung into the air. From a stroke of good luck, his right fist hit her in the jaw and Sonya was thrown backwards before she slammed into the wall. Seeing the man approach her again, she swung back, her fist colliding into his jaw and loosening a pair of teeth. Staggering backwards, the man was quick to notice a wooden baseball bat that had been lying idle between the couch and the television set. Seeing her closing in against him, he gripped the handle, picked it up and pushed the heavier end of the bat hard into her stomach.

Sonya gasped as she bent down, desperately trying to catch her breath but being unable to. The man next lifted the bat high over his head before sending it crashing down on her upper back, knocking her down on her hands and knees. He then kicked her in the stomach, sending her twisting on the ground so she was lying on her back as she moaned. Hissing and in pain, she pulled herself up to her feet only to see him swing the baseball bat in a horizontal position. The bat slammed into her face just next to the left eye, breaking the skin in that area and knocking her back down. Bleeding from behind the left eye, she was still trying to get back up. She looked up and saw him swinging the bat downwards towards her face. The bat crashed into her forehead and she only saw black afterwards because she was unconscious.

The man reasoned that he could've bludgeoned her to death while she was knocked out, but he didn't want her blood on his expensive clothes. Thus, he threw the bat on the floor and pulled a hand grenade from inside his suit. He was glad he always traveled armed in such a way because he just found a use for his extra weaponry. He pulled the pin of the grenade and rested the bomb next to her stomach on the floor. He then walked out of her home, planning to be outside by his car when the place exploded.

After he left and closed the door behind him, Sonya's eyes opened as she woke up with a huge headache. She was dizzy as she slowly pulled her upper body up into a seated position. Resting her right palm on her forehead, she was about to try to stand up when she noticed the grenade next to her. Her eyes widened and she gave a light scream before she instinctively grabbed the grenade while still in a seated position and threw it towards the window. The grenade easily flew past the window since there was no glass stopping it and landed about three yards outside the wall of her home. An explosion followed which sent pieces of concrete from the side of wall facing the grenade's position into the living room. One piece of concrete hit her in the left shoulder, but she ignored it as anger propelled her to stand and to rush into her bedroom. Once there, she pulled her Glock out from under her pillow and rushed outside, hoping the man had stayed behind to watch the fireworks he had created.

She opened the door and saw the man in the Italian suit hurriedly starting the ignition of his car since having the grenade tossed out of the window had told him that something was wrong. He stepped on the accelerator and his vehicle sped off, leaving burned rubber behind. Sonya had her handgun aimed at the back windshield of the car as she watched him leave, but she realized that it wouldn't have done her much good to open fire then. Not discouraged, she rushed back inside, grabbed the keys to the car she was planning to use originally when heading out and rushed towards her vehicle.

She opened the driver's side door, threw the handgun on the front passenger seat and positioned herself behind the wheel. She closed the driver's side door with her left hand while her right started the ignition. Not even stopping to examine the amount of blood on the left side of her face, she sped off after him.

After speeding down the street for about half a dozen blocks, she finally caught sight of the man's vehicle going almost as fast. That one drove past a red light and disorganized traffic. As she reached the intersection just a few seconds afterwards, she had to slam on the brakes because she saw a large truck across and blocking her side of the street. The hood of her car skidded and stopped only inches away from the side of the eighteen-wheeler. She could still see the man racing away as she was forced to stop.

"MOVE THE DAMN TRUCK!", she yelled out, although she doubted anyone could hear her since both windows in her car were up.

Not unexpectedly, she got no response. Her adrenaline still propelling her forward, she grabbed the Glock with her right hand and quickly got out of the car, not caring that there were two other vehicles behind her. She began chasing after the man on foot, her right arm bent at the elbow so the handgun was aimed at the sky. Rushing for one block in a busy business area, she ran through a red light without even seeing it as a car was heading towards her from the right. Fortunately, the careful driver slammed on his brakes and the vehicle skidded to a stop instead of driving forward at full speed and hitting her. The car stopped in front of her, the hood blocking her way. Without even thinking, Sonya stepped on top of the car hood from its left side, dashed across it and came back down on the ground on its right side.

Just as she did that, the pursued man drove through a second red light and was hit by another car at the intersection. His vehicle was stopped cold as his face crashed into the windshield. He grabbed the reserve handgun that he kept in the glove compartment and shakily got out of the car with his forehead bleeding profusely. The man began running also as he saw smoke coming out of the hood of his vehicle. Among the noise and confusion, he bolted as far away from her as possible.

He turned around and saw her closing in from less than a block away. He leveled the weapon he had with one hand. Sonya, from her side, heard what sounded like five firecrackers but she knew in fact that they were bullets. Other pedestrians screamed and ducked, but she stopped and aimed the Glock with both hands in front of her face. Although she wanted to fire, she knew she was panting and thus the odds that she might've hit an innocent bystander was too great from this distance. She thus didn't. The man, in his turn, twisted back around and began rushing away again, but he hadn't looked where he was headed because he ran right into a telephone pole. Recoiling, he fell on his back and lost the grip on his weapon.

The man then shakily stood back up and picked up his handgun again. With Sonya only half a block away now and gaining on him, he decided to run into the nearest place he could. He thus ran towards the first door he spotted. It was fortunately open and he went inside. He ran deeper into the building before he arrived at an auditorium full of spectators as they were watching a high school adaptation play of 'Romeo and Juliet' on the stage. Some of the spectators noticed the man rushing from one side of the dark movie hall to the other, but most didn't pay much attention to him. While he was on the opposite side of the auditorium, Sonya finally reached the spot from where he had entered the place. From across the auditorium, the man blindly fired one shot towards her general direction.

This time, her pent-up aggression took over and she raised the Glock at arm's length in front of her shoulders. Screams followed from both the spectators and the actors on the stage as she passionately fired all twenty rounds towards her opponent. As the smell of lead instantly invaded her nostrils, she saw that he had not been hit since he was still running out of the auditorium from the opposite end. Sonya lowered the weapon and was about to keep chasing him when a uniformed security guard jumped her from behind. As she was surprised from the sudden attack, two more men joined the first and all three wrestled her to the floor.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?", she screamed out, being overwhelmed and seeing her adversary vanish, "GET OFF, YOU MORONS!".

The panicked audience was still screaming and trying to leave the theater when four police cars arrived within less than two minutes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"The councilman's son was an actor on the stage!", the head detective snapped at her as Sonya was seated on a chair in the police interrogation room, "And both his parents were in the audience and they were all scared by your actions".

"Ooooooouuuuuuuhhhhhh", she replied, "How am I ever going to live with myself? I scared the councilman's son! Oh, what a heartbreak!".

The sarcasm in her voice wasn't appreciated by any of her three interrogators as she became serious.

"Haven't you been listening to anything that I've said for the last hour?!", she snapped, "The guy sold us out. He already tried to kill me, that's why he was running away".

"That's ridiculous and you know it, you stupid bitch", another detective answered, "We've gone over your record. Dishonorable discharge for being too aggressive and disobeying orders. Involved in an assault which led to a fine young man's injury a short while back in a shopping mall parking lot. Just because they let you have your way in the military doesn't mean you can just fire your gun off at random whenever you feel like it".

Sonya sighed, saying nothing.

"Now", the same detective continued, "The councilman wants us to pursue this matter, and I assure you, we will".

"And if the councilman told you to jump off a bridge, would you do that too?", she replied.

"You could be charged with reckless endangerment and unlawful abandonment of a vehicle in the middle of traffic", the interrogator went on, ignoring her remark, "As soon as we talk to the district attorney, you'll be booked".

"Look, don't I get to make a phone call here?", she asked, unimpressed.

"No!", two out of three detectives answered at once.

Sonya sighed again, lightly touching the bruise behind her left eye with her left middle and index fingers. The blood was almost dried and thus kept the cut from bleeding any further. Time was the only reason the wound wasn't bleeding any more because neither one of the three detectives had even asked how she got hurt, much less trying to treat the laceration.

"Don't you find it strange that the guy I was shooting at didn't stick around after I got arrested?", she asked them, "That was because he wasn't innocent".

"Quit trying to put your blame on others", the third detective pressed, "We know what we have on you. That's not going to change".

"You know, it's really amazing how the police force can hire three guys whose combined IQ is less than my age", she made eye contact with all three men when she responded, "You scared the councilman's brat, so we're gonna lock you up. Who cares if the world is going to hell? You interrupted the brat's Shakespeare play".

"You're in real trouble here, lady", one of the detectives answered, still not amused by her impersonation of them, "So I suggest you lose the attitude".

"Actually, guys, I was about to tell you that", Sonya smiled, "See, I was supposed to meet my boyfriend almost thirty minutes ago and he's gonna be really angry when he finds out that you're the ones keeping me from him".

"I don't believe this", the head detective looked at the other two, "Do you guys believe this shit?".

Just then, Scott opened the door to the interrogation room from outside. He was followed closely by detective Olsen, who was there mainly to make sure the ninja didn't go too far.

"There you are!", Scott pointed at the head detective, "Wadda you think you're doing?".

"What the fuck?", the chief interrogator was surprised, "Who're you? You have no right in interfere in this...".

"Interfere?", the ninja cut him off, "You hold her for over an hour without giving her a phone call that every lowlife in the street has the right to do, and I'm not supposed to interfere?".

"Listen, hotshot, the legislation says we hold her overnight", the head detective went on, "Leave if you don't want to...".

Scott interrupted him by gripping his neck with a tense right hand and slamming his back against the wall. The other two detectives moved towards the ninja to intervene, but Olsen was quick to motion them not to.

"Well, my choking grip on your neck here says she leaves now", the ninja told the chief detective as that one gasped, "Who are you gonna listen to?".

"Scott, let him go", detective Olsen spoke up.

The ninja loosened the grip on the man's neck at the request.

"You're in big trouble, asshole", the chief detective said as he rubbed his throat, "That's assaulting an officer".

"I don't think so, guys", Olsen addressed all the detectives, pointing at Sonya, "You're gonna release her right now".

"What?", another detective blurted out.

"That's right", Olsen continued, "See, I forgot the Johnson incident for you guys, so you're gonna do this for me now".

"Come on!", the chief interrogator protested, "What am I supposed to tell the councilman?".

"That's up to you, detective", Olsen warned, "But I imagine that's the better of the two choices, considering your other option is to explain to the prosecutor about what happened in the Johnson case".

All three detectives quieted down.

"Come on, miss Blade, you're outta here", Olsen pointed behind him.

Sonya smiled as she stood because things had turned out even better than she expected.

"Would it have killed you to even get somebody to look at that?", Scott next pointed at the cut on the left side of her face as he addressed the three detectives on the way out.

"How is it?", the ninja asked her about the wound after Olsen was outside the room with the two of them.

"Nothing big", she reassured, "It's already dried up. Let's just go home".

Detective Olsen escorted the two out, partly wanting to make sure Scott didn't get into any more arguments between there and the door.

"Thanks, detective", Sonya was grateful, "I owe you one".

"Forget about it", Olsen smiled, "Consider it payback for solving the case with the missing arms".

"Same goes for me", Scott added, "You gotta tell me what the Johnson thing was. I didn't even know you had that on your side when I went in there".

"Something that happened a long while ago", the detective did not want to go any further in his explanation as he handed Sonya's empty Glock back to her, "I just like to have it around so I can hold it over their heads".

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sun was about to set as evening rolled in. Sonya kept trying not to show any pain as Scott carefully applied rubbing alcohol over the wound in order to disinfect the cut and also to clean off the dried blood. She had changed her mind and wanted to go to the Army base stationed in the nation's capital because she was eager to tell whoever was around about the man's visit to her home. They were still waiting in the office of a major in order to give her a chance to repeat the tale that she had told Scott.

While that took place, Johnny was busy rehearsing the line for the next-to-last scene from the movie. All the action scenes had already been filmed and the only things remaining were small dialogues that had to be included also. He tried to keep focused on the task at hand because he didn't want to think too much about the occurrence with the bank robbers or the predicted Centaur invasion.

Back in Hong Kong, Liu and Kitana were intently watching as Jax showed them, in as a simplistic a manner as possible, the way in which an Arol worked. Neither the White Lotus monk nor the Outworld Princess had any experience dealing with firearms, so major Briggs thought it would be wise to familiarize them with it.

All six fighters' plans were cut short when the evening sky suddenly turned bright, navy blue. There was also an drastic and unexpected drop in the temperature as hundreds of millions of small portals appeared all over the globe. Some appeared in the middle of streets or inside buildings. Others appeared just outside or inside people's homes. A few appeared in the army bases where five out of six kombatants were presently. Others appeared in Johnny's movie studio also. The pattern indicated the whereabouts of the portals was organized, about one every fifty yards or so, although no humans were thinking of that. With casual bystanders and kombatants alike watching, several Centaurs rushed forward from inside each of the portals.

The invasion had suddenly begun.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In Hong Kong, the army base that housed Jax, Liu and Kitana had been alert and saw the portals instantly. An alarm was sounded as every soldier grabbed a rocket launcher and headed towards a designated area. Three Centaurs found themselves exiting a portal that was in the middle of the base. As soon as they had stepped out, expecting to find a panicked crowd, they saw that they were surrounded by a score of Special Forces troops, each armed with a 45 mm Arol.

"Open fire!", the leader of the small platoon ordered.

Three of the twenty soldiers pulled the trigger of their weapon. Before any of the three Centaurs could even react, they were efficiently shot on the spot. A shell exploded into the chest of each one and all three dropped to the ground dead.

Liu was in his room when he heard the screams. The monk rushed outside and into the hallway. The first sight he saw was several soldiers in either jungle camouflage or black commando outfits running past him each with a rocket launcher at the ready. Part of the wall in the hallway behind the team of soldiers erupted from outside and sent pieces of concrete flying in every direction. An eight-foot tall Centaur emerged into the hall, looking for victims. The last man in the team which was heading down the hallway turned around and fired a shell into it. The shell from the rocket launcher exploded in the intruder's chest and he dropped dead inside the hole he had created in the wall. Seeing the effect of the military, Liu decided to go outside and give a helping hand.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sun was almost set in the heart of Hong Kong as the civilians were unexpectedly attacked by the Centaurs. Hysteria had overcome many people as they witnessed bloodshed at the hands of the invaders. The foreign military had its hands full as it tried to restore order, since the local police force was obviously overwhelmed.

Approximately thirty people had seeked refuge in a small stadium as they locked the door behind them. They were trying to stay as quiet as possible in the hopes of evading the slaughter that was taking place everywhere in the city. Unknown to them, it was also taking place everywhere on the globe. Several of the people were lamenting the loss of a loved one as a young woman kept her ear pressed against the stadium door, wishing to hear any approaching footsteps. She heard nothing, thus indicated that they were not being pursued. The people inside breathed a sigh of relief as the young lady kept her ear pressed against the door.

With the refugees inside believing they were temporarily out of danger, the stadium door was then knocked down from outside. It knocked over the woman who had been listening through it and pinned her against the ground under it. Several Centaurs were behind the as they eagerly rushed in, looking for human victims. The lady who found herself under the door was momentarily asking how the invaders had managed to reach the door without being heard by her. She didn't have long to ponder about it because the first Centaur who stepped on the door on his way into the stadium crushed her under his weight. She screamed for a few seconds before dying, but the screams from everyone else in the stadium drowned hers out.

One Centaur had stayed in front of the stadium doorway without coming in as he kept a watch for any humans who tried to intervene from outside. If any Earth natives had tried to get inside the stadium to help any of the humans there, the Centaur's task was to eliminate them. That one looked to his left and saw nothing but burning buildings. Hearing the tires of a vehicle to his right, he looked in that direction, assuming it was a human who was trying to flee the area. His assumption was wrong because the Centaur saw a dark van as it sped towards him and then stopped about forty yards ahead of him. The back of the van was pushed open and over a dozen humans, all dressed in black, rushed out of it in single file.

"GO, GO, GO, GO!", major Briggs yelled as his commandos ran towards the stadium entrance also.

The first soldier out aimed his Arol at the Centaur guard and pulled the trigger before that one could even think of a proper response. A 45 mm shell fired from his rocket launcher and exploded in the Centaur's stomach, sending him staggering through the open stadium doorway. The guard was thrown inside the stadium and fell on his side as he quickly bled to death. The other Centaurs inside saw their downed colleague and knew that something was wrong. By the time they did, though, eleven soldiers were dashing into the stadium as another two climbed the wall surrounding the area. Seeing the resistance, the Centaurs dropped their current victims and charged towards the supposed rescuers. Those were standing still at the doorway, each soldier aiming his rocket launcher at a particular Centaur.

"Open fire!", Jax ordered.

He was the first to pull the trigger of his own Arol. All the other ten commandos fired simultaneously, effectively stopping the Centaurs dead in their tracks before those even took their fifth step forward. The shooting stopped as suddenly as it had started. When the smoke cleared, all the Centaurs and a fraction of the civilians who were attacked inside the stadium were lying dead in a pool of blood. However, a bigger fraction of the civilians was alive.

"I see one!", one of the soldiers who had climbed the wall spotted a live Centaur trying to escape through the opposite side of the stadium.

The only surviving invader was trying to run towards the wall of the opposite side, hoping he could smash through it before the humans opened fire.

"Drop him now!", Jax ordered as he was reloading his own rocket launcher.

The soldier on the wall aimed at the Centaur without delay and pulled the trigger. A thin trail of smoke shot out of his portable rocket launcher and traversed the stadium before hitting the target in the upper back. The Centaur screamed as he was thrown forward into the wall. With a gaping hole in his back, he sank to the ground without being able to destroy the wall as he slowly died.

Jax surveyed their performance. He was proud of the way his team handled the situation. He was hoping the military base in Washington DC was doing just as well, though he feared that may not be so. Major Briggs knew the soldiers in the U.S. mainland did not have a full stock of Arols yet.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Liu made his way through the streets of Hong Kong, feeling dismayed that the city which was alive with people only hours ago was presently on fire and smelled of death. He was not alone, since Kitana was keeping watch with him as they made their way through the street on their own. The monk had dropped by her room hoping to find her before he set outside the army barracks. To his delight, he had.

Both kombatants heard a cry originating from the left. Wanting to get involved, they headed in that direction. The scene they saw once they approached the area comprised of two Centaurs as those two bullied a woman around. A man who was about her same age and three small children were lying nearby in their blood, presumably dead. Both Centaurs stopped as soon as they saw the humans approaching. Liu's and Kitana's fighting stance nonverbally told the invaders they were being challenged.

"Take the citizen and leave", Liu whispered to Kitana, "I can handle this on my own, assuming I am not burdened with the thought of having to defend her life while I attack".

Kitana knew from her experience that Liu always meant what he said and never overestimated. The Outworld princess went ahead and helped the woman up to her feet, as that one was left behind while the two Centaurs approached the White Lotus monk. As he watched them leave, Liu knew he could now strike without restraint.

Since both Centaurs were advancing against him standing side by side, the monk leapt forward as if trying to execute a flying kick. Instead, he extended both his outstretched legs ahead of his upper body. Each of his feet slammed into the chest of one of the Centaurs and knocked the invaders backwards. Both adversaries staggered a few steps back as the monk landed on his feet. Acting fast, he rushed towards the Centaur on his right, kicking that one in the side of the knee. As that one screamed in pain, Liu executed a flying kick aimed at the second Centaur's stomach. His extended leg hit the target exactly as intended and the second one moaned in pain, staggering backwards.

The monk then rushed back to his first adversary as that one had recovered. Twisting to his left, he sent his right foot into the first Centaur's stomach. As that one bent down, gasping for breath, Liu twisted around in a roundhouse kick. The back of his ankle slammed into his opponent's lowered head and knocked him down on his side.

Liu then sensed the second Centaur rushing towards him from behind. The monk twisted around in time to see the invader charging at him as that one had his upper body lowered. He seemed to intend to crash his horns into the monk's head. As he neared, Liu jumped vertically into the air and shot both his legs shot out ahead of his own body. His feet simultaneously impacted into the Centaur's lowered horns and that one stopped cold in his tracks. The monk landed on the ground on his back. However, he jumped back up to his feet long before his adversary could take advantage of his position.

As he saw the first Centaur getting back up from behind him while the second Centaur was about to swing from in front of him, Liu turned sideways. Facing neither opponent fully, he leapt up into the air and shot his legs out, one directly to his left and the other directly to his right. The bottom of each foot slammed into the chest of one of the adversaries and sent them staggering backwards again.

While the second Centaur staggered away, Liu followed the first one as that one came to a stop after several steps. Still finding him dazed, the monk sent a front kick into the first one's stomach. He then followed it with an uppercut as that one bent down, gasping for air. The first Centaur staggered even further away as Liu then sensed the second adversary charging at him from behind again. Without bothering to turn around to make sure, the monk jumped aside and rolled away on the ground. He looked back in time to see the second Centaur rushing into the space where he was standing a moment ago. The second invader had his horns lowered like before and he wasn't able to stop his forward rush when the human bolted out of the way. He thus kept going ahead and his horns stabbed the first Centaur in the chest. The injured comrade roared and fell down on the ground, bleeding profusely from the chest.

The second Centaur pulled away, not worried about the consequences of his actions. Before he was able to turn around, he felt a sharp hit from behind as Liu had executed a flying kick into him. The monk's extended leg had impacted into the Centaur's human-like upper back. That one then was pushed forward and impacted involuntarily with the body of his dead comrade again as Liu jumped to the side and landed gracefully on his feet.

Angered and injured at the same time, the remaining Centaur turned around, looking to take his rage out on the human responsible. He did not get a chance to because the first thing he saw was Liu standing about ten steps away. The second thing he saw was several human commandos dressed in black who ran up and stopped several yards behind the monk. One of the commandos raised his weapon and fired as the Centaur charged ahead. A 45 mm shell exploded into the second Centaur's chest, throwing him backwards until he collided with his dead colleague yet again. He sank to the ground dead.

"How many times have I told you not to take off by yourself?", Jax approached Liu from behind.

"I was not alone", the monk defended himself, "Kitana was with me".

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Motaro had made it his point to arrive through a portal that was placed in the capital of what was perceived as the only remaining superpower left in the Earth realm. He surveyed his troops as each one of the portals sent anything from three to a dozen Centaurs through to the conquered land.

"Submit the population", Motaro ordered, "Destroy all who resist!".

The first soldier in the base in Washington DC to see Centaurs charging through the portal was on the grounds outside the main buildings. He was caught off-guard like everyone else and didn't possess the adequate weaponry, having only his 9mm pistol by his side. Not knowing that the portals were everywhere, the soldier screamed in order to send out an alarm to the others as he withdrew the handgun. He fired three shots into the first Centaur who rushed towards him, although that one had three others behind him in a line. The soldier's three bullets stopped as soon as they hit the first Centaur's midsection, barely breaking the skin. The Centaur next reached the man before that one had time to react further and trampled him under four merciless legs. Another soldier ran out of the building, seeing the result of the Centaur's actions and counting his blessings for having a loaded Arol with him as he was returning from practice. Raising the Arol ahead of him, the enlistee aimed for the invader who had crushed the Special Forces member under his legs. Seeing the second soldier, the Centaur rushed at him next. He wasn't able to get five yards before the soldier fired and the 45 millimeter shell tore a clean hole through the Centaur's chest. That one screamed and dropped on the ground as his three comrades remained on the forward rush. The soldier eagerly fired the second shot and a second shell exploded into the stomach of the next Centaur in line. With only two out of four invaders left, the soldier knew his weapon was empty and thus rushed back into the building, closing the door behind him and knowing it wouldn't do much good. Both Sonya and Scott looked up as they heard the portable rocket launchers being fired and the screams from the first two Centaurs following.

"THEY'RE HERE!", the soldier with the empty Arol cried out, wanting to ensure everyone that the warning was real and not another practice drill.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Let's go", Scott spoke first before they both headed out of the office, reasoning that their warning about the Centaurs was no longer needed.

It was already well-known that there weren't enough Arols around yet to cover every person on the base. Thus, those soldiers who didn't have one assigned to them yet and were still waiting understood that they had to be satisfied without them. Sonya's first action as she headed outside of the office was to tie her hair in a tail at the back of her head, something she was always used to doing when in uniform. The first soldier they ran into was carrying a supply of AK-47's and clips, looking to supply in a hurry those members who didn't have a rocket launcher at their disposal. Seeing the two of them, he quickly tossed two AK-47's their way.

"Be creative", the soldier advised as he rushed to meet others.

Screams and battle cries followed in the base as soldiers were trying to organize themselves. The first Centaur in the building savagely tore his way through the wall and rushed into the hallway, meeting several surprised, and armed, Special Forces members. A hail of machine gun bullets followed as each soldier fired his respective AK-47 into him, throwing him backwards as he landed on his back with numerous holes in him. One AK-47 alone would not have done so much damage, but several at once made sure the Centaur did not get back up. However, many more Centaurs followed him into the building, actually ending up by outnumbering the humans in the base.

On the second floor, one Centaur drove his horns into a soldier's back as that one was aiming towards one of his comrades with an Arol. The man was only allowed a short scream as the Centaur's horns stabbed into his upper back, lifted him off the floor and then slammed him down on the floor face-first, crushing his windpipe. The Centaur then pulled his bloody horns out of his prey and began looking for his next target. He spotted another soldier with an Arol aimed at him from a short distance away. He charged forward with his head lowered, his horns impacting into the man's chest and crushing that one against the concrete wall before the weapon could've been fired. The soldier slid towards the floor in a bloody mess as the Centaur triumphantly pulled away. He desired to keep count of the number of humans from Earth's warrior class that he would destroy before their invasion was complete. Among the screams and disorder, he grabbed another human from behind as that one was aiming an AK-47 towards one of his comrades. The Centaur's powerful upper arms lifted the soldier off the floor as that one screamed and kept pulling on the trigger of his submachine gun. A hail of bullets from his weapon unintentionally hit another Special Forces member as that one was trying to fire a rocket launcher and killed him instantly. Glad to see the result, the Centaur next violently pushed the man upwards until that one's head collided with the ceiling, breaking his neck. The Centaur then let his third prey fall on the floor, happy to remind himself that the number of deaths directly attributed to him so far was four Earth warriors. As he then searched around for his fifth kill, an unarmed soldier in the hallway reached the body of the first member he had slaughtered. The soldier reached down and pulled the bloody, unfired, Arol out of the mangled corpse and aimed it at the Centaur as that one told himself he could not die with only four deaths on his mind.

"Surprise!", the soldier exclaimed as he pulled the trigger.

A 45 millimeter shell shot out of the weapon and impacted into the Centaur's head, blowing it off the rest of his body. Blood erupted everywhere around the decapitated invader as he fell on his side with a loud crash. The soldier responsible turned around to use the second shell in the weapon only to see another Centaur rushing towards him. He didn't have time to raise his Arol and could only watch for the split second that the aggressor needed to smash into him. Before the Centaur got a chance to, however, Scott fired several rounds from his AK-47 into that one's back, hurting him enough to stop him cold in his tracks. With his bloodied upper back annoying him with mild pain, the Centaur carelessly turned away from his original target and fixed his sights on the ninja. He was careless because he had completely neglected the fact that his original target had a loaded rocket launcher. With his back turned to that one and rushing for Scott, the soldier got the chance to raise the weapon and fire the second round into his back, killing him instantly.

"EVACUATE THE BASE! NOW!", Scott yelled out to all the survivors, realizing the close proximity in the building was working against them.

He only had a split second to look at the soldier whose life he had saved and who had then returned the favor. Before even being able to consider an escape route, a Centaur jumped through one of the windows on the second floor that overlooked the base. The fact that they were able to jump that high was a testament to their strength, but the remaining humans weren't about to give them respect for it. Sonya saw another four-legged intruder charging at an unknown and unarmed soldier. Before that one reached his target, she squeezed on the trigger of her AK-47 and emptied the entire clip on his upper body. The Centaur stopped and angrily turned at her, motioning one of his comrades to help him destroy the female who bothered him. Seeing two aggressors charging towards her at the same time, Sonya gasped and dropped the empty weapon before running in the opposite direction. Scott and the other soldier saw her from a distance as the two Centaurs were quickly gaining on her and she was running out of room to maneuver. It didn't take her long to realize she was cornered between two walls as the pair of antagonists closed in fast, looking for a quick impact into her with their horns. Without any other options and before any of the busy soldiers could free themselves from their opponents to help out, she bolted for a window that was possibly close enough. Scott's eyes widened when he saw her bursting through the glass and yelling as she jumped out the window, thus escaping the Centaurs' planned punishment.

"Come on! We have to withdraw and regroup!", one of the soldiers advised Scott amid the screams.

The ninja looked back for a split second at the broken window through which the kombatant had disappeared. He was wondering if she was still alive as he evacuated with the other survivors.

"I know what I heard, sir", the young enlistee insisted under cover of darkness as he addressed the colonel and the eight other soldiers listened, "A new shipment of Arols was coming this afternoon at the harbor. It was on the ship called Whitecap. It was anchored on the artificial lake three miles from here while we were waiting for the paperwork to come through. We had at least two hundred Arols, plus lots more ammo. That's plenty for us and for anyone else who had survived".

"Suggestions", the colonel from Scott's former base in Hong Kong asked for advice.

"I don't see as to how we have any choice, sir", the ninja was the first to give his opinion, "We only have, what, one Arol and two AK-47's between all ten of us? That's a joke. We have to drop by this shipment and see if we can get our hands on this stuff".

"I'm with him", another soldier agreed.

"Same here", echoed another.

"Any objections?", the colonel asked, "I realize the old organized system is pretty much shot to hell. I want cooperation from everybody here to keep us all alive".

No one objected.

"OK then", the colonel continued, "Let's go find the Whitecap".

Thus, in the total darkness of the night, the ten men proceeded towards the harbor, hoping they would not run into any Centaurs along the way. They could only hear the sound of their own light breathing throughout the journey. The single line of ten Special Forces members had covered the first mile as the troops were thankful they didn't run into any more Centaurs along the way. The only demons haunting them were the ones in their own mind. They were beginning to think they would not have any trouble on their way to the artificial lake when the cold and quiet night air was filled with the roar from a nearby Centaur. All ten members, especially the three who were armed, twisted around, wondering where it had originated. They still had not pinpointed the source when the dark silhouette of a Centaur rose against the night sky and charged at them. The aggressor smashed into one of the men at random as the two soldiers with the AK-47's opened fire. The Centaur first destroyed his target's upper body before trampling that one under his legs, ignoring the petty bullets of the submachine guns as they tried to stop him. He then turned his attention to the other nine humans as the AK-47's quieted down. The Centaur guessed the humans were out of ammunition, and thus helpless. Unfortunately, he had guessed wrong because the soldier with the Arol fired the last available round and blew him away. The Centaur dropped by his side, either dead or dying, the soldiers didn't really care which.

One Special Forces member was holding the hand of his downed comrade as he squatted next to that one while the others gathered their attention again. The soldier who was hit was lying on his back. He didn't see the extent of his injuries because of the darkness, but he already knew he had received a fatal blow.

"Go, leave me", he whispered.

"No, man, I can't do that", the soldier squatted next to him replied, "We can't do that".

"I said go!", the injured man pressed, "Let me die in peace here. I'm gonna get all of you killed if you stay".

The man next to him understood and slowly stood up, hating to have to leave one of his colleagues behind. He started crying as he realized he had to say farewell. Seeing the emotional soldier reminded Scott that he had left Sonya behind, but the ninja forced himself to remain emotionless, at least on the outside. He told himself that he had to be in total control at this time. Someone had to, for the sake of the team.

The nine men approached the artificial lake and combed the area surrounding the Whitecap as it was anchored at the shore. Seeing no movement, they stealthily moved closer until they spotted a ladder leading to the top of the small cargo ship. All nine soldiers climbed aboard, realizing they would have to carry as many of the weapons back by themselves as possible. Once on top of the ship, Scott detected the door that led to the lower level of the vessel, the area where all merchandise was undoubtedly kept. He tapped the man closest to him on the shoulder and pointed towards the door. Making his way towards it, he reached it and turned the knob, realizing that it was fortunately unlocked. He could've kicked it in if it had been locked, but doing so would've created unwanted noise, thus increasing the chances of a Centaur patrol spotting them.

The ninja followed the stairway that led downwards as the others were close behind him. Once in the lowest level of the ship, the nine soldiers eagerly opened some of the numerous crates there. To their delight, they found a dozen Arols in each crate, along with four shells for each rocket launcher. One of the men was heard cheering in a low voice at the discovery as Scott loaded the first Arol and held it in his arm, imagining all the vengeance he was going to get with its help. Retribution was going to be paid for with the Centaurs' blood for all the humans lost, and especially Sonya, if she was one of them.

Scott wondered how long he'd have to wait to find out her fate. As he signaled the others to arm themselves also, the door above which they had used to come downstairs suddenly closed. Everyone looked up, wondering what had just happened before they felt the entire boat being rocked on one side. With his right grip on an Arol, Scott was the first to race up the stairs and to try to pull the door open with his free hand, only to find out that it was locked from the outside. He and all the others then heard laughter from somewhere else as the ship they were in rocked even further.

"THIS IS WHERE YOU DIE, HUMANS!", they heard a Centaur's voice from outside, near the lake, "MY MEN ARE PUSHING YOUR BOAT INTO THE WATER. AND IF YOU TRY TO SHOOT YOUR WAY OUT OF THE HULL, THE EXPLOSION WILL DETONATE THE REST OF THE AMMUNITION THERE, AND YOU ALONG WITH IT!".

The laughter continued as the boat was pushed hard enough to crash horizontally on its side. The stairway under Scott's feet broke apart and the ninja found himself being hurled towards the wall, which was now the floor. He gracefully landed on his feet as the other soldiers were roughly pushed towards it. Water quickly began engulfing the lowest level, where the men were, as they realized the Centaurs had been waiting for them the entire time.

"Shoot the door!", one soldier screamed.

"Can't", Scott replied, "He's right. One spark here and all the Arol shells go off simultaneously".

"We can't just sit here and drown!", the soldier exclaimed, "How the hell did they know we were even coming?".

Scott's eyes widened as he realized what Sonya had told him. A group of humans had been selling information to the Centaurs, telling them about the Earth's strengths and weaknesses. Sonya had also mentioned that these betrayers knew about the Arols, thus it made sense that they might've known about the shipments also. The ninja cursed at himself for not realizing that fact sooner and using the information to warn his squad as they decided to head for the Whitecap. The level of the water was already almost a foot high and rising fast. The only door out of the lowest level of the ship was now locked and in a horizontal position since the boat was on its side. Even if it hadn't been locked, it was still about ten feet above everyone's head.

The Centaurs who were in the water swam back after they had pushed the Whitecap into the center of the artificial lake. They pulled away towards the shore as they saw the ship lying on its side on the surface of the water. They knew it would sink soon and take all the humans inside with it. Motaro proudly motioned his men away from the shore of the lake as he decided to head for a drier spot in order to watch the deaths of several members of Earth's warrior class. The Centaurs moved about fifty yards away from the edge of the water and all stood behind Motaro as they blissfully watched the ship slowly disappear below the surface of the lake. They were still watching, thinking to themselves that they had won this confrontation unconditionally when they spotted a lone human. The human silhouette was approaching the lake from the side opposite their own. The person stopped for a brief moment and stared into their direction, indicating that they were seen also. With Motaro wondering where that individual had come from, the human dove into the lake and began swimming towards the sinking ship.

"Stop him!", Motaro ordered, not wanting anyone getting in the way of his victory.

Centaurs rushed ahead and soon jumped into the water as well, looking to stop the human from reaching the ship.

Inside the ship itself, the level of the water had reached the men's waistline as they were still desperately trying to figure out a way to save their lives.

"Dammit, man! Fuck this!", a soldier yelled out, "Just blow through the side of the wall and let's take our chances! It's better than dying like this!".

Everyone seemed to agree. It was better to open fire and risk getting blown apart from the ammunition than it was to remain idle and drown for sure. Scott was about to advise that everyone but him should submerge under the water and stay as far away from the ammunition as possible. He saw that it would only be fitting that he be the one who fired the shot, realizing that it would put him at the greatest risk. As he was about to announce the dangerous plan, the horizontal door overhead was suddenly pushed open from outside. The nine men next saw two human arms as the person who had opened it looked down at them.

"Anybody here want a hand?", Sonya extended both her arms down towards the soldiers, "You better hurry because we have a lot of four legs swimming over here to stop us from leaving".

"Go on!", Scott didn't need to encourage anyone, but he did anyway.

The ninja patiently waited as the water level was nearing his chest. One soldier after another was boosted upward by using a comrade to step on and then gripped the lady kombatant's hand. They had an Arol in one hand and used their other hand to be pull out. Fortunately, everyone proved to be physically fit enough to carry out the task without slipping out of her hand. After the first seven men were out the door in that fashion, Sonya told them not to bother waiting, since it was obvious the Centaurs had almost arrived. The seven soldiers jumped into the lake and began to swim towards the side of the lake that was opposite to where the Centaurs were approaching from. The invaders' heavy bulk gave them great strength, but also disadvantaged them since they were much slower in the water.

Scott placed his palms together in the water in front of his stomach as he offered it to the colonel, desiring to be the last one out.

"No, I can't", the colonel protested as he held a rocket launcher in his left hand, "You should go ahead".

"Come on", the ninja insisted, "I won't take a 'no' for an answer".

Seeing there was no point in arguing with his ex-private, the colonel raised his right leg and stepped on Scott's palms. The ninja pushed him upwards until his extended right hand gripped Sonya's and she pulled him out of the horizontal door. The kombatant looked down after she saw her former superior jumping into the water also. She heard a blunt noise and assumed it was the sound of the first Centaur reaching the opposite side of the ship.

"Come on, Scottyyy", her tone of voice told him they had no time to waste as she heard a second blunt noise, "Jump up as high as you can".

Scott agreed that they were pressed in terms of time since the water had almost reached his neck. He first quickly wrapped two loaded Arols to his upper back. Using the momentum his exceptional anatomy provided him with, he leapt into the air and gripped her right hand with both his own hands. Sonya helped pull him upwards and back as he made his way out the door. They both stood up on the shaky ground the side of the ship provided just in time to see two Centaurs approaching them from the other side. Scott actually made a move towards the first aggressor, but pull on the arm from Sonya indicated to him that this was not the time for a fight. They had to retreat, especially since other Centaurs were following the first two.

"LOSERS!", the ninja yelled just before they both jumped into the water, knowing they could easily outswim their pursuers.

Standing on the other side of the shore, Motaro saw the result and groaned to himself. He was disappointed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Johnny was busy shooting the last scene from his movie and didn't have his sunglasses on when two portals had appeared in the giant studio. Everyone was suddenly quiet as they watched the bright portals stay as they were for several seconds. The portals outshone the light projectiles that had a sheet of glass covering a strong light bulb. The brightness of those projectiles seemed to vanish when compared to the light emanating from the portals. Terror followed as eight Centaurs leapt out, four from each portal. The first several people who were closest to the portals were either trampled under the invaders' legs or lifted into the air as they were stabbed by their horns. The kombatant was the only person in the studio to realize what was going on, so he pushed his way past the panicked crowd as he proceeded towards the chaos and the unexpected killing. He didn't know exactly why he was heading towards the scene while everyone else was retreating away from it, but he knew he had to.

Reaching the first group of Centaurs, the initial thing Johnny saw was the nine crushed human bodies around the invaders. It had only taken him about half a minute to reach the area of the first portal, but it was enough time for the Centaurs to already claim nine lives. Even though he sympathized with the victims, he was forced to turn his attention away because a tenth man was nearby, frozen with fear. The man was alive, so Johnny thought about how that one's situation could be helped as the four Centaurs with the bloody horns stared at the two remaining humans. The kombatant had to divert the invaders' attention, not even worrying about the other four invaders who were terrorizing the studio about fifty yards away. Trying to block out the faraway sound that the second half of the eight Centaurs were creating, the actor grabbed a heavy camera which weighed about thirty pounds.

"You better leave", Johnny turned to the frozen man, "I'll keep them busy".

The man did not move, much to his disappointment.

"Move!", the kombatant pressed.

Fortunately, the man woke up after his second attempt. Staring briefly at the four Centaurs as they seemed to have the actor cornered, he wondered if he should follow Johnny's advice. He did and turned away, running past the bodies and towards one of the numerous exit doors. All four Centaurs rushed towards the kombatant at once and he responded by charging ahead also. Johnny reached the Centaur farthest to the right and smashed the camera on that one's face. The first Centaur stopped cold since small pieces of glass littered his face, some of them entering his eyes. Gnarling, the invader snapped his head upwards as he desperately tried to pull the minuscule bits of glass out of his eyes. They proved to be incredibly annoying since his fingers were much too large to pick them out.

Johnny's mind was already away from the first adversary as he then turned his attention towards the remaining three. The kombatant leapt aside and rolled on the floor as the Centaurs came at him, reacting as one. He grabbed one of the many projectiles as it was shooting a thick beam of light several yards away. Johnny gripped the thin body of the projectile as he held its round, flat head ahead of himself. The actor pushed his own upper body backwards as he saw the Centaur at the furthest left of the three rushing into the glass that covered the powerful light bulb. The Centaur easily shattered the glass and then the light bulb. His horns next met the live socket which fed 4000 volts of electricity into the light bulb. Johnny released his grip on the projectile as he heard the Centaur moaning while that one's body violently convulsed. The electricity which shocked the invader also kept the projectile attached to his thorns and wouldn't release him, even after the actor let go of the projectile. The Centaur kept convulsing and staggered away with the projectile adamantly attached to his head.

The two remaining Centaurs saw what happened to their second comrade as a result of the human's actions. They stopped cold and retreated several steps, realizing they had to choose their plan of attack carefully around him. Some distance away, the second Centaur was finally able to stagger far enough so that the cord which fed the electricity into the projectile was pulled out of the wall. The power in the projectile having ceased, he fell on his side, exhausted. Seeing it, one of the two healthy Centaurs who were facing the kombatant galloped ahead and circling several yards around him. Johnny soon found himself facing one opponent at his immediate left and another at his immediate right. Both Centaurs lowered their head and shoulders ahead of the rest of their stomach and charged towards him. Seeing it, the kombatant knew he had one chance of escaping the trap alive and defeating both his adversaries at once.

With one Centaur running towards him from either side, Johnny executed a fast leg split. His legs were widened into a straight line as his upper body sank towards the floor. The Centaur on the right galloped past the actor's extended right leg from either side of it since his four legs were about a yard apart. The Centaur on the left galloped past the extended left leg on either side of it in exactly the same fashion. The kombatant looked up and his face tightened as the horns from both Centaurs smashed into each other over his own head. The fact that each Centaur had lowered his shoulders forward made sure that they stopped upon impact a short distance away on either side of Johnny's upper body. Both opponents staggered backwards, raised their head and saw stars as they tried to remain standing. The brave human then pulled himself up from the split.

"That's what you get when you mess with humans", the kombatant stated as he walked up to the first Centaur.

He executed a roundhouse kick, the back of his ankle slamming into the dazed first opponent's head and knocking that one down by his side as he groaned. The second dazed Centaur saw what happened, but was too weak to react. He could only watch as he next saw the kombatant flying into his chest with an extended right leg. The human's right foot crashed into his chest and sent him staggering backwards even more before he also crashed on his side.

With four adversaries defeated, at least momentarily, Johnny turned in time to see the other four Centaurs as those were finished dismembering every human they could find. They saw him too and were especially surprised at the damage he had inflicted against their other comrades. The kombatant knew he wasn't out of danger as he next saw all four approaching him. Not wishing to try out his luck against four fresh opponents, the actor dashed for the nearest exit door. The Centaurs galloped towards it also, looking to cut him off. Johnny reached it first, opened the door and rushed into the cold night air outside. Once outside the studio, he proceeded to close the metal door behind him before he kept running. All that got him was an instant because the first Centaur at the scene had lowered his head and knocked the door out of its foundation. Once outside also, all four invaders stopped and searched. One of them soon saw the human dashing towards the left from about fifty yards away.

"Bah, leave him", the leader of the small pack decided, "He is not worth the trouble".

The three subordinate Centaurs then followed their leader's orders and went back into the studio to help their four comrades. Unknown to them, their leader had kept them from chasing after the human because he was worried about being made a fool out of in front of his followers.

Realizing that he wasn't being pursued, Johnny was able to cease running. He stopped and surveyed the scene in front of him as he caught his breath. Ahead of him, he saw scores of mangled human corpses in the middle of a unfamiliar street which had residential homes on either side. From the amount of blood on the asphalt, the kombatant could tell the Centaurs had made sure everyone there was dead before they had gone elsewhere. He only heard birds outside, no human voices of survivors calling for help. He tried not to shiver as the cold from the air and the disgust from the invaders' actions overtook him.

Johnny's face snapped to his right as he heard a distant human voice. It had sounded as if the person was in pain. Not even knowing whether it was a man or a woman, the kombatant ran towards that general direction. The dash continued for about one block before he reached the intersection of two streets. Stepping in the middle of the intersection, he first looked to his left and saw nothing. He then looked to his right and his head snapped back as he witnessed a giant Centaur fighting against two, obviously overmatched, humans. The first man carried a long and heavy lead pipe. The Centaur punched him in the head, sending him flying several steps away and forcing him to lose the grip on the lead pipe. As that one was on the ground, the Centaur next gripped the second man by his collar with one hand and lifted him into the air. As Johnny raced towards the scene from forty yards away, the Centaur sent his horns into the second man's face, either knocking that one unconscious or killing him instantly. As the first man then stood back up, the Centaur carried the second one in a horizontal position before tossing him towards the first. The second human flew in midair before his head collided into the solar plexus of his comrade. Blood flew out of the mouth of the first man and he fell down on his back, not getting back up this time.

Johnny stopped cold from about ten yards away as he saw the invader's moves. He reasoned that it was possible Centaurs knew about human anatomy, thus explaining why this one had aimed the second man as he did. Or it might've been just luck that the head of the second man had collided into the solar plexus of the first. Satisfied at seeing his work, the Centaur turned away from the two humans and froze, noticing the actor for the first time. He smiled as he realized the kombatant stood his ground instead of trying to run away like most of the other humans had done. Understanding the challenge, the Centaur took a step towards the human adversary, looking forward to having another victory.

One step was all he could afford because a car appeared from down the street in back of him. Johnny saw the red vehicle also as it sped towards the Centaur from behind. The Centaur, in his turn, twisted his face around two seconds before the car crashed into his hind legs. The invader screamed as his hind legs buckled and he knew he was temporarily disabled. The unknown driver then shifted the car into reverse and backed away from the Centaur for about thirty yards. The vehicle then stopped a split second before it accelerated forward again. The Centaur's injured hind legs prevented him from being able to get out of the way and he could only watch as the damaged hood of the car slammed into him again. His head arched upwards and he let out a second yell as smoke exited from the hood of the vehicle, indicating it could not be driven any more.

Seeing his chance, and happy to take advantage of the opportunity, Johnny approached the helpless Centaur as that one's hind legs seemed to be a part of the car's hood. The invader looked at the actor as he tried not to show the amount of pain the back of his lower section was experiencing. Grinning, Johnny took his time as he walked over to the lead pipe the first man had dropped on the street. Picking it up, the kombatant then neared the Centaur, making it clear that he intended to use the weapon as he saw fit. With the Centaur growling angrily, yet unable to move, the human twisted his waist to the left as the lead pipe extended past his left shoulder.

"The best thing to do to a horse that broke its leg is to put it out of its misery", Johnny told the invader.

With those words, the actor swung the pipe with as much force as possible towards the right. The pipe crashed into the invader's mouth and knocked him over on his side. The Centaur didn't even try to get back up to his feet, knowing his hind legs would not allow it and that he'd receive a second blow from the human if he managed to somehow succeed. Showing no mercy, Johnny raised the pipe over his head with both hands before bringing it down on his adversary's horns, making that one see stars. Just then, he heard the driver of the vehicle exiting out of it. He had to stare at the man for a few seconds, as that one's face looked familiar. It was only after a few moments that the kombatant recognized him.

"Wait a sec", Johnny pointed at him, "You're the cop, aren't you? The one who was coming in when Sonya found those bodies".

"You may call me Olsen", the detective replied, "And I definitely know you, although I didn't expect to see you under these conditions. I was just out for a drive home".

"Nice job with the car", the actor let him know, "It made my job easier".

With that, the kombatant lifted the pipe past his right shoulder as the dazed Centaur helplessly looked up. Swinging the pipe downward as if it was a golf club, Johnny angrily sent a third blow into the invader's head, knocking that one's senses apart. Before he was able to deliver any other hits, both he and detective Olsen saw and heard a group of seven Centaurs appearing at the end of the street.

"That's not good, is it?", the detective asked out loud.

"No, it's not", the kombatant replied, dropping the lead pipe on the ground, "Let's scram while we still can".

Both men ran down the street, leaving Olsen's battered car behind. The Centaur lay on the ground in front of the vehicle. He was still moving when Johnny ran past him and away from his advancing comrades.

"I wish we had more time with that son of a bitch", Olsen commented about the Centaur they had been forced to abandon as he had his 9mm Smith & Wesson withdrawn.

"That won't do you any good, detective", Johnny flatly told him.

"What won't?".

"The handgun", the actor let him know, "It's practically useless against them".

"Come on", the detective thought he knew better, "I know that goddamn... watchamacallit... is tough, but it's still flesh and blood. And lead always destroys flesh and blood, unless of course the flesh and blood happens to be wearing a vest, and those things were not".

"I wish that was the case", Johnny replied.

Olsen stopped briefly, staring at the actor.

"Here's a question", he asked, eyes locked with the kombatant, "How do you know they're impervious to bullets?".

"I've seen them before", the actor admitted.

"Where? You know where these things are from?".

"Unfortunately, and it's nowhere in this world", Johnny answered.

"Great, we're dealing with aliens from outer space now".

"No, just habitants from another dimension. I was there", the kombatant went on, "One of my friends fired three rounds into one of them and it barely scratched him. That's how I know your weapon won't do any good".

"And what the hell are they doing here?", the detective questioned next.

Before the kombatant could answer, he heard a slight noise coming from the sky above. He lifted his face upwards and saw the searchlights of a distant helicopter as that one approached. He tapped Olsen on the shoulder and pointed towards it. The detective followed his gaze and spotted the helicopter also. The helicopter came somewhat closer, thus increasing the noise from its propellers. While it still hovered over a spot about a mile away, the actor and the detective saw a yellow flash shooting out of the chopper as it was aimed for the ground below it. Following the flash, an explosion which they couldn't see because of the trees and buildings was heard. Johnny's sharp hearing caught a distant moan. Several more flashes followed the first one and slammed into the ground also, each carrying an explosive sound after it.

"That's an Army helicopter", the kombatant turned his face towards Olsen, "It's shooting at these Centaurs and they're dying. The Army is fighting back. We're fighting back".

"Maybe so, but we need to be more organized than this", the detective stared back, "I don't know about you, but I think we should go the police station. At least we'll find some firepower there we can use, if not additional help for our side".

Johnny thought about the choice for a few seconds, realizing he did not have a better alternative in mind.

"Sounds good", he agreed, "Is it far?".

"No", Olsen told him, "I was coming from that direction when they hit all of a sudden. I guess it's about a mile from here".

"Then let's go", the kombatant encouraged.

Both men were fortunate not to run into any more Centaurs as they neared the main door of Olsen's police station. They had kept up with a steady jog through the deserted streets, stopping only when they found a human lying immobile on the ground. In every case, the person had been dead, so there was nothing either the kombatant or the detective could do. Olsen led the way as he climbed up the few stairs that were before the door and then pushed the door open. The detective was astounded when he saw how quickly the station had turned from a lively place filled with scores of police officers to a dark, unlit area where nothing could be heard.

"The armaments are kept in the basement", Olsen whispered as Johnny followed him in and closed the door behind them.

Passing desks, they stepped on the numerous papers that littered the floor as they made their way to the stairs.

"Maybe it's all the better that everybody left here", Olsen spoke as Johnny was two steps behind, "Considering how these... things... probably don't like the police, just like all conquerors don't".

"What do you mean?", the kombatant asked as they reached the head of the stairs on the first floor, getting ready to go downstairs.

"It's a part of history", the detective went on, stepping down the stairs, "Like when the Nazis attacked and overtook a country, they sometimes arrested its entire police force, replaced it with their own troops. Huh, I'd like to see that trying to happen here".

"It won't", Johnny told himself as they reached the basement.

"OK, these closets carry the 9mm pistols", the young detective pointed, "And those over there have the shotguns. Personally, I think we should go for the latter, it probably damages these things more that way".

"They're called Centaurs", the kombatant let him know, following him to the metal closet for the shotguns.

"These Centaurs", Olsen repeated as he was about to open the closet.

Just then, they both heard a sound from behind them. Naturally cautious, they quickly turned around as Johnny was already in his fighting stance. He was able to relax when he saw a man younger than himself and the detective as that one aimed a high-powered shotgun in their direction. The younger man lowered the weapon at the sight of more humans and approached them from fifteen yards away. He was dressed in an official police uniform as he also wore a bulletproof vest over his outfit.

"Detective?", he asked, "It's good to see you".

"Wait, I know you", Olsen replied, trying to remember the name, "It's Pensky, am I right?".

"Yes, sir", the young officer came closer, examining Johnny, "And you. Is that...".

"Yeah, it's me", Johnny smiled.

"Damn! I've seen all your movies", Pensky smiled, "How did you find your way here?".

"Long story", the kombatant admitted.

"Is anyone else here with you?", Olsen asked him, turning back before he opened the metal closet.

"No, sir", the officer replied, "I'm alone".

"And", the detective twisted his face towards Pensky as he reached into the closet, "You can cut the 'sir'. This is not official duty time".

"OK", Pensky replied.

"Besides, I doubt the city would pay you for the time you're spending here", Olsen smiled as he turned his attention back to the closet, "So we're all equals".

"But why did you stay if everybody else left?", Johnny questioned the armed officer.

"I don't really know", Pensky had to answer, "I guess I just couldn't take the idea of having a police station empty. I mean, what if someone came here looking for help?".

The younger officer chuckled as he finished his statement. Olsen pulled himself out of the closet as he held another shotgun, much like the one Pensky was carrying. The detective was loading his as the younger officer reached behind him with his left hand.

"These shotguns we have are pretty neat", he continued, "But I found this one asskicker that should really do our job for us".

With that, Pensky withdrew a larger, double-barreled shotgun that had been strapped to his back. Olsen sighed in approval at the sight.

"It's practically a cannon, but it also only carries four rounds", Pensky explained, handing the larger weapon to the detective, "So we can only fire it twice. And it is loaded".

"Good, good, gooood", Olsen approved as he gripped the double-barreled firearm with his left hand.

Since the detective had both hands full with the smaller shotgun he had withdrawn from the closet, he passed the regular one towards Johnny's direction.

"Do you know how to use this?", Olsen asked as he handed the shotgun to the actor, "I could show you how to undo the safety if you haven't. It's already loaded and ready to go also".

"No thanks", the kombatant surprised them as he waved his hands in front of his chest, "Guns and I never mix".

"This isn't the time to be moral", Pensky warned, "Have you seen what those goddamn things are doing out there to everybody?".

"Those Centaurs", Olsen added.

"Huh?", Pensky was confused.

"Those things are called Centaurs", the detective clarified.

"Great, now I know something I didn't when I woke up this morning", the younger officer said, "How do you even expect to survive, much less fight back, if you're not gonna be armed, Johnny?".

"It's not about morals", the actor defended his position, remembering his experiences in Israel, "I have been around guns before. I just operate better when I'm unarmed".

"I must strongly disagree under these conditions", Pensky insisted.

"Thanks, but I really don't want them", Johnny pressed.

"OK", Olsen withdrew his second weapon back towards him, "But if you change your mind, it's here".

There was a brief silence as the detective strapped the smaller shotgun to his back and kept the double-barreled weapon in his hands.

"I think we should start after you and me have one gun as well as a reserve", Olsen spoke to Pensky, knowing now that the actor did not want any weapons, "Strapping a second loaded shotgun on you as well as carrying some extra ammo would be a good idea".

"I agree", Pensky strapped the smaller, high-powered firearm to his back before he reached into the closet to withdraw another one just like it.

As Pensky loaded the new one he held, Olsen reached into the closet and withdrew several extra rounds, sharing them between himself and the younger officer.

"Ready?", Olsen asked.

"Yep", Pensky answered, "Regular foot patrol is about to take on a whole new meaning".

All three men went back upstairs to the first floor of the police station. Once there, Olsen turned on one of the many lights as Pensky opened a map of the city on a desk.

"I think we should start here", the young officer pointed at a spot on the map, "It's a theater house about three blocks away. It's a well-known public place, but inside the building. So a lot of people probably rushed in there for safety. Where there are people, Centaurs might follow".

"Agreed", the detective added, looking at Johnny, "Unless there are any other ideas".

"No", the kombatant shook his head, "You guys probably know this neighborhood better than me. I'll follow".

"We might need flashlights", Pensky went on.

Neither man answered.

"It is nighttime out", the young officer clarified, "And I doubt these Centaurs are gonna leave the lights on for us. They could come in handy".

"OK", the detective continued, "There are some really high-beam ones upstairs on the second floor. We could easily borrow three".

"I'll go get'em", Pensky headed for the stairs.

"I'll come with you", Johnny followed, not wanting to see how the officer planned to carry three flashlights and a shotgun back downstairs with only two hands.

As both men were halfway up the stairs, Olsen was busy wrapping the city map since he reasoned they might want to take it with them. Before he was done, the closed door of the police station blew open from outside with a loud blast, surprising all three men. Olsen reached for his double-barreled shotgun as he saw a Centaur forcing himself past the relatively small doorway and inside the first floor of the station. The Centaur galloped towards the detective with a scream as Pensky and the kombatant could only watch from the staircase. As that one was only two more steps away from his target, Olsen had already raised the double-barreled shotgun and it was aimed at the Centaur's face. The detective pulled the trigger and an explosion followed as two rounds simultaneously hit the giant intruder between the eyes. The Centaur roared as he was stopped cold and fell down on his side. A second Centaur behind the first one rushed past the downed invader's body, completely ignoring Olsen as he chased after the two men on the stairs.

"Go up! Go up!", Johnny mentioned the officer ahead of him, not wishing to have the confrontation on the staircase.

Pensky ran up and the actor followed. Once on the second floor, the officer turned around and tried to aim at their pursuer with his shotgun. His eyes widened as he saw the huge Centaur tearing apart the staircase in a rush to reach them. The invader reached the second floor and easily slapped the shotgun out of the officer's hand before that one had a chance to pull the trigger. The Centaur next punched the officer in the chest, sending him flying five yards backwards and to the left before he landed on his back. Other than having the wind knocked out of him, Pensky was unharmed because his bulletproof vest had absorbed the majority of the impact from the punch. The Centaur approached the downed officer, looking to finish the job, when he saw Johnny standing in front of that one in his fighting stance.

"If you wanna dance, we'll dance", the actor muttered.

The Centaur screamed and rushed forward. The kombatant stopped him in his tracks by a powerful kick into his midsection. As the intruder bent down, momentarily gasping for breath, Johnny followed with a kick to his right front knee. The Centaur screamed in pain and both his right front legs buckled under the impact. The left leg then also bent because it was not enough to sustain the weight of the Centaur's upper body alone. Seeing it, Johnny executed a high roundhouse kick. The back of his ankle met the invader's jaw and knocked that one down on his side. However, the Centaur was far from beaten as he quickly stood back up. Johnny's eyes widened as he saw the intruder sending a left uppercut towards him. The Centaur's fist crashed into the actor's chin and sent him flying backwards, over Pensky. The kombatant landed on his back and swiftly stood back up as, in front of him, Pensky also rose to his feet. The young officer looked up into the Centaur's aggressive eyes as he realized he had dropped the shotgun and it was now out of his reach. He knew the intruder would've been able to decimate him long before he was able to withdraw the reserve weapon that was strapped to his back. As Pensky saw the Centaur swinging a right fist aimed at his head, he heard the actor screaming for behind him.

"Get down!", Johnny ordered.

Without thinking why, Pensky obeyed and dropped to the floor on his stomach, instinctively covering the back of his head. He didn't look up and thus didn't see Johnny executing a flying shadow kick over him and into the Centaur's stomach. The intruder only saw a blurry flash of color shooting from where the actor was standing behind the officer. The color flew over Pensky and slammed hard into invader's stomach, knocking that one backwards. It proved to be an exceptionally powerful flying kick, as it was supposed to, since the Centaur involuntarily staggered backwards. The intruder crashed through the window that was about five yards behind him. His body easily broke the glass and also destroyed part of the wall that surrounded the window. He screamed as he found himself flying through the second-floor wall and felt gravity pulling him down to the street below.

Johnny helped Pensky stand back up after they heard a blunt noise when the Centaur's body impacted with the asphalt on the street. Both men went to the window and looked out of the giant hole that existed where the smaller window had once been. They saw the Centaur galloping away from the station, seemingly unharmed. Feeling shaken up, both men next went back downstairs, forgetting Pensky's shotgun and the fact that they had come up to retrieve flashlights. Once climbing down the staircase, they saw Olsen as he was guarding the Centaur whom he had shot. The detective had the exceptionally powerful shotgun aimed at the head of the Centaur. That one was lying flat on his side, resting his head on the floor in a small pool of blood. He could see and hear everything that happened, but was unable to move as the three men converged.

"Are you guys still in one piece?", Olsen asked as they neared him.

"So far", Pensky replied, getting closer.

All three then looked down quietly at the injured Centaur.

"What should we do with this one?", Pensky broke the silence.

"What do you think we should do?", Olsen answered his question with a question of his own.

Without giving a verbal answer, Pensky reached for and gripped the double-barreled shotgun that the detective had kept aimed at the intruder's head. Olsen released the grip on the weapon when the younger officer pulled it towards him. Pensky then pointed the shotgun into the Centaur's head himself, making sure that one looked up and saw the barrel of the weapon.

"What are those rights we have to read?", the officer asked without looking at the detective or the actor, "You have the right to remain silent and you have the right to remain dead".

With those words, Pensky pulled the trigger of the double-barreled shotgun, executing the injured Centaur before that one could even scream. He handed the weapon back to Olsen after he saw the intruder's forehead explode and that one ceased moving altogether.

"Yeah, I like this job", Pensky grinned as Olsen began reloading the weapon.

"Listen, I think we could use a little rest before we go out", Johnny addressed the detective, "We're all pretty shaken up after what just happened.

He was talking on Pensky's behalf more than his own.

"OK, that's fine", Olsen replied, "You guys relax while I go up. You forgot the flashlights anyway".

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sonya was alone in one of the large rooms of the abandoned warehouse that the team had chosen as their hideout. This room alone was approximately shaped like a square and had numerous crates, both empty ones and full ones that contained nothing useful. All ten soldiers had walked by her home on their way back from the lake. She had advised that it'd be wise to stop there since they could all find clothes that belonged either to her father or to Scott. The drenched Special Forces members were glad to take her advise as she also went in to grab two clips for her trusty Glock and the shoulder holster for it. She knew the weapon wouldn't be worth much against the Centaur invasion force, but she still preferred to have it around. She had also been unsure as to what to wear since her blue jeans and jacket were soaked.

Thus, standing in the room, Sonya was dressed in the neon green sweatpants and halter that Scott had given her back when he had first acquired the clone's body. This was the first time she had the outfit on and it fit quiet nicely with her extra pair of sneakers, although she wasn't thinking about it. At the present time, her thoughts were with her father. She wondered if he was doing allright since she hadn't heard from him ever since the invasion had started. She was still thinking about him and how he was coping at the base in Austin, Texas, as she stared at the Glock and Arol on the table in front of her.

"Wow, you finally put it on", Scott's voice snapped her back to her present location as the ninja neared her from the open doorway.

He was carrying his own Arol by his side as it pointed towards the ground.

"Yeah, and it's comfortable too", she smiled, "I should've known you'd pick the right clothes".

"Well, I'm glad you like it", he added as she turned around and stood in front of him, "Although not as glad as when I saw you in that boat. I didn't even know if you were alive after you went through the window".

"You know what they say", the kombatant replied, "You never know what you're capable of until you're put to the test".

"You realize, though, that this is the first time we've been alone since Rayden knows when", he held a single red rose in front of his face, "This is for the bravest act that the Special Forces has seen in its entire history. Even the colonel was impressed when you swam up to that boat in that infested water even though you could've just left".

"Really", she commented, "He really said he was impressed?".

"Not in so many words, but I could read it on his face", the ninja responded.

"Well, maybe I'll ask him to be sure", she smiled again, "But for now, the rose is enough".

"One thing I can never figure", he went on as she held the offered flower, "How did you know where to find us?".

"I ran into our guy, the one who the Centaur had attacked", she stopped smiling, "He told me where the rest of the team was headed, so I decided to follow. He died with me before I came after you guys".

Scott only sighed.

"Although right now, I wish I had picked up something from home that would've kept me warmer", she added, trying to appear more cheerful, "It's freezing outside and I'm dressed like this".

"Oh, don't worry about that, we're gonna stay here until daybreak", the ninja assured her, "Then we go out and hunt our hunters. The sun should increase the temperature outside to some degree at least. Until then, we're in here".

"Aha", she turned partly around and placed the rose on the table on top of the Glock, "So what was that you wanted to tell me when we were alone?".

She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her face closer to his. The kiss on the lips that followed was the first one in the last several days. She remembered clearly. Scott didn't notice the slight movement from several yards behind him as his attention was still solely on her. Even though Sonya's face was still intimately pressed against his, she noticed the Centaur standing tall behind him out of the corner of her eye. She quickly pulled away from Scott and reached behind her for the Arol as the Centaur charged towards them.

"DUCK!", she pushed Scott's upper body down with her left hand while gripping the Arol with her right.

With the rushing Centaur less than five yards away, she leveled the rocket launcher over Scott's lowered head and pulled the trigger. A shell tore into her target's chest and that one was thrown backwards with a scream. The Centaur staggered several steps behind and fell down on his side, the deep crater in his chest bleeding profusely as he was only moments away from death. Scott stood back up and turned around, astonished at the sight.

"Now that's romance!", Sonya gave him a wide grin as she held on to the weapon she had used.

"What the hell was that shooting?", two soldiers ran up, rocket launchers at the ready.

They both stopped after seeing the corpse of the Centaur as others rushed in behind them.

"How the hell did he get in here without us knowing about it?", the colonel questioned.

"I wish I could tell you", Scott slowly approached the intruder, wanting to verify that he was dead.

The Centaur did not respond when the ninja sent a sharp kick into his head. The test erased any doubts in the human's mind that the invader was, in fact, a carcass. So Scott casually squatted next to the body, examining the head first from only inches away.

"He might've been here before we came in", he told both himself and those behind him who wouldn't get any closer to the body, "Or he might've snuck in after he saw us coming inside".

There was a pause.

"I'd hate to think it was the latter", the ninja added, feeling the Centaur's head with his left fingers, "From what I've seen so far, I haven't detected that these jackasses do anything alone. They always travel in packs, much like fleas, except fleas serve a better purpose in life".

Sonya positioned the shoulder holster with the loaded Glock in it on top of the green halter she wore. The second clip for the pistol was positioned just below it in the holster. As she did, the ninja stood back up and walked towards the troops. All the soldiers as well as the colonel seemed to accept him as their new leader at the present time.

"Is there any way we can use this body for our own advantage?", Scott asked anyone who felt like answering.

"Such as what?", Sonya responded when no one else did.

"I dunno", he shrugged, "In order to defeat one's enemy, one must understand him. So how can we understand them? We could try to spot a weakness they have maybe".

"Well, you're aiming a little too high", one soldier let him know, "None of us here are surgeons. We can't do an autopsy on that thing. We wouldn't even know where to start. I guess we could try carrying that body to the nearest hospital, assuming of course that the hospitals are still open".

Scott was about to mention another idea when one side of the wall collapsed in a loud explosion. All the soldiers turned their weapons towards it as the smoke cleared. Behind the smoke stood a mass of approximately forty Centaurs. They were all flocked together behind a single one.

"Surrender, humans!", the front Centaur aimed at them.

"Motaro, I'm assuming?", Scott asked, almost in a friendly voice.

The Centaur didn't respond, indicating the answer was an affirmative one. Both he and Scott locked eyes, representing two opposing sides in the battle for the Earth realm.

"I guess your idea of sending a spy in here didn't work too good, did it?", the ninja continued, pointing at the body behind him.

Sonya and the others had an Arol aimed at the mass of adversaries as they looked back and forth between Scott and Motaro, waiting for instructions.

"Kill the freaks!", the ninja said in a stern voice as he targeted a Centaur with his own rocket launcher.

"CHARGE!", Motaro pointed at the humans.

The Centaurs behind the leader yelled and rushed forward as Motaro stood his ground. Most of the humans opened fire twice because their Arols were still fully loaded. A Centaur dropped to the ground dead with each discharged shell. Unfortunately, the dead Centaurs were quickly replaced as those behind them gladly stepped on their dead colleagues to get to the humans.

"Retreat!", Scott dropped the empty rocket launcher as the others did the same.

All ten humans rushed out of the door, with the ninja leaving the last and closing the door behind him. His action only delayed the pursuers for one moment because the first Centaur who reached it charged through, knocking down the door and a section of the surrounding wall with it. While in the main warehouse, the human troops headed for the main exit, hoping Motaro wasn't clever enough to have them surrounded. With the Centaurs behind them and gaining, Sonya was at the head of the group of ten retreating soldiers. She stopped running and twisted around, withdrawing the Glock from its holster. Serving as a delaying tactic, she aimed the handgun at the trailing Centaurs, pulling the trigger with enthusiasm and waving the weapon back and forth to cover all the hunters.

All twenty bullets only stopped the first three Centaurs for a split second as those felt a minor itching sensation where they had been hit. The forward charge of the intruders behind those three then propelled them to keep rushing ahead. With the other soldiers using every bit of time they were given to run past her and exit the warehouse, Sonya holstered the empty weapon, turned around and caught up with them. She was the last human out of the warehouse along with Scott as they thankfully realized that Motaro had not positioned guards at the main entrance. The chief Centaur had assumed, mistakenly again, that the humans could not escape and thus hadn't prepared for it.

The high and untidy grass outside the warehouse proved to be helpful as the soldiers rushed into it, heading towards separate directions. The darkness from the night sky hampered the Centaurs' efforts to track their preys down effectively. Scott proceeded ahead as he had lowered himself in a semi-squatted position so as to not stand out past the level of the grass. He was trying to get as far away from the warehouse as possible, although he didn't know what his immediate destination would be. The ninja could see the outline of two Centaurs about twenty yards away as those were combing the area in search of humans. He would've liked nothing better than to charge into them and fly kick the first one he saw, but he knew such action would prove futile. Qarro was a match for him back in Outworld and he was currently looking at two opponents, not just one.

The ninja was hoping all his men had gotten out alive as he heard steps from behind him. His initial reaction told him that the steps were too light to belong to a Centaur, but not wanting to leave anything to chance, he turned around, ready for the worst. The next sight he saw was Sonya rushing towards him. She only stopped after they had already collided. Scott held his right index finger over his lips, indicating they needed to be quiet. Sonya, in her own turn, was hoping that the Centaurs did not possess extraordinary eyes such as those belonging to a cat. The two Centaurs found twenty yards away were only increasing the distance between them and the humans during the search. Thus, it told her the hunters' eyes were just as helpless as a human's in the dark.

Scott and Sonya heard a Centaur screaming out. The two invaders who were searching for them next gave up on the mission and galloped towards the source of the call. Stopping only about fifty yards away from their original spot, the two Centaurs met with a gathering of the other students as they saw Motaro with his hands wrapped around a human. Standing up, Scott had been prompted to run after the two Centaurs who were called and Sonya was only a few short steps behind him. Stopping to look up, both humans saw that the prize Motaro was holding up was a Special Forces soldier. The Centaurs' leader had proudly raised the adult human male over his head, as if showing off to his students. Scott had guessed that theman could not have been more than twenty years old, though he didn't recognize him personally. With over a dozen of his surrounding students watching and cheering, Motaro gripped the scaredhuman by the neck and by the waistline. The man only had enough time to sob for a few moments.

"No! He's not!", Scott tried to rush ahead before Sonya restrained him from behind.

"Don't! It'd be suicide!", she whispered in as loud a tone as she could.

The next scene they both saw was Motaro pulling his raised arms apart, and with it tearing the victim's body into two. His crying stopped as the chief Centaur dropped his remains on the ground. The students cheered louder as Scott felt like he was about to go out of his mind. The ninja was frozen while he kept staring at the body of the youngster as it was next trampled since the Centaurs danced briefly, rising on their hind legs and crashing their front legs on the ground. Apparently not caring about the consequences, Scott slowly marched forward, this time more carefully, as he planned to simply afflict as much damage as he could. Sonya had more control over her thoughts and was responding less emotionally as she grabbed his right upper arm from behind, restricting any further movement.

"No, no!", she kept whispering out loud, "Scott, we can't attack. There's too many of them, it'd be suicide!".

The ninja resisted her constraint.

"We'll get them. But later, not now", she promised, "Come on, come on".

Scott gave up on his forward pull and followed her as she headed away from the group of Centaurs.

"He's dead... He's dead... He's dead", the ninja kept repeating about Motaro as they left.

They soon reached the end of the area covered with high grass, thus believing they were temporarily out of danger. The thought turned out to be false because Sonya found herself looking up into the eyes of a Centaur just as she exited the tall grass. Not all of Motaro's students had left to watch the execution of a human. With Scott right behind her and still unable to see the invader, the Centaur twisted to his left before swinging his right arm. The back of his right fist collided into Sonya's face and sent her flying towards her left before she crashed five yards away, the grass softening her impact with the ground. Seeing what happened, Scott rushed forward, screaming and intending to deliver a kick into the aggressor's stomach. Before he reached that one, though, the Centaur sent an uppercut into the ninja's chin, sending him flying backwards. Scott landed hard on his upper back. The Centaur was upon him before the ninja could get back up. Gripping his front collar, the invader single-handedly lifted him off the ground while he was still dazed from the exceptionally powerful blow. The Centaur next punched Scott in the face with his free hand, snapping the ninja's head to the side as that one was clearly helpless against him. Scott's vision blurred as he felt a second, similar punch crashing into his jaw while he was still held in the air.

The Centaur would've destroyed the ninja right there, except Sonya had stood up tall at the spot where she had landed. Seeing the punishment that one was delivering into the ninja, she quickly withdrew the Glock from her shoulder holster and proceeded to load it with the last clip. Once full, she didn't think about the consequences as aimed the handgun at the Centaur. She only wanted to stop him from hurting Scott.

"HEY, FOUR-LEGS!", she yelled out.

The Centaur turned his face towards her as he still held the defeated ninja in the air with one hand. Before he knew what was going on, Sonya opened fire. Six bullets hit the Centaur in his lower, horse-like, body. He growled angrily at the contempt the second human was showing him. Thus, he released his grip on Scott and the ninja fell back on the ground. The human lay on his back, having just realized he had heard Sonya's voice. Scott then reasoned that the Centaur had abandoned him to go after her. He sat up with difficulty and pushed the grass ahead of him down with his hands. He then knew that he was right because he saw Sonya running away into the grassy area as fast as she could with the Centaur on her trail.

"Sonya! Noo!", the ninja moaned, a headache overwhelming him.

He heard other Centaurs heading towards his direction. Knowing he could not stay there any longer, Scott stood back up and staggered away, his vision still troubling him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sonya was running as fast as her legs could afford, still holding on to the pistol in her right grip because she had not stopped to holster it as she saw the Centaur charging towards her. Panting, she finally cleared the grassy area with the colossal Centaur only yards behind and began dashing on solid concrete. She did not look back as she only heard her own breathing and the loud gallop that was initiated once her pursuer's four legs met the concrete also.

The kombatant rushed ahead, her feet only meeting the ground for a fraction of a second as she set her entire concentration on speed. She only aimed at running in a straight line, thus not risking slowing down in order to turn curves because she knew her predator was probably gaining on her. Thus, she felt relieved when she saw the lights of a residential area about two hundred yards ahead. Still ignoring the exhaustion that threatened to overtake her at any moment, Sonya sprinted towards it using every last bit of energy she possessed. It might have been possible to lose the Centaur in the darkness under other circumstances, but her neon green outfit and blonde hair made her stand out. Therefore, the Centaur had no problem distinguishing her as he came ever closer, the gap between him and the human lessening with every passing moment.

He was a mere ten yards behind when she finally reached the first house in the residential area. Sonya ran in a straight line parallel to the establishment and then turned a sharp left as she came to the end of the first residence. She bolted by the left side of the house as the Centaur skidded forward for a few yards in the straight line he was following before coming to a complete halt. Annoyed, he then retracted his steps and picked up the chase again, this time from twenty yards behind. He told himself that the long chase would make the kill all the more satisfactory as he set his eyes on the green and blond target ahead.

Resuming her run along the side of the row of homes, Sonya heard the pursuer commencing his gallop as he turned to the left also. She knew she was running out of momentum, so she tried to think of a way to get herself out of the predicament. Before she was able to ponder about it long, someone abruptly opened the door of the home about fifteen steps ahead of her.

"In here!", the person signaled from behind the partly opened doorway.

Although he was a total stranger, Sonya found it comforting enough since he was a fellow human being. Not desiring to face off against the Centaur outside, she reacted by instinct and bolted into the doorway. The person then quickly locked the door behind her. Panting, Sonya rested her upper back against the locked door as she remained standing. She then turned her face partly to the left to see that the person who had offered her the sanctuary was a young man, probably younger than her brother had been at the time of his death.

"Who're you?", she posed the obvious question as her panting slowed down.

"Name's Chris", the young man responded.

"Thank you, Chris. I'm Sonya", she let him know, "I'm sure you probably saved my life just now".

"Any time", he replied.

Without another word, Sonya lifted the Glock she held in her right grip, making sure the safety device was off.

"What are you doing?", Chris asked, feeling nervous at the sight of the weapon.

"He's not gonna stop", she replied, meaning the Centaur, "I think he'll come in here after me. And when he does, I need to use you as bait".

Chris's eyes widened at the thought as his doubts about helping a total stranger became stronger.

"What?", he asked.

"That's the only way I'll get to kill him", she calmly explained, "There's no other way. Don't worry, you'll be safer than I am".

"Well, wadda you planning?", the youth questioned.

"I'm going to find out how tough this tough guy really is", she gave a slight smile, "That is, if you will help me".

Her prediction about the Centaur not giving up on the chase proved to be true. Realizing that the human had disappeared into the place of residence, he faced the home from outside. He stood his ground for a few seconds, deciding the most effective way to charge through its walls. Having picked it, the Centaur rushed forward. His lowered head impacted his horns into the door and broke it down as if it hadn't even been bolted to the wall. Pieces of concrete and wood also flew apart as the pursuer was clearly too big to fit through the doorway. Leaving an eight-foot tall crater where the door used to be, the Centaur stepped inside. The inside of the dwelling was well lit, especially when compared to outside. Thus, the Centaur immediately saw the terrified human whose back was pressed against the opposite side of the room. Examining the prey told the pursuer that it wasn't the one he'd been chasing all the way from the warehouse. He easily noticed that this one was not wearing green and didn't have long blonde hair.

"Where is the human?", the Centaur demanded as he stepped towards the lone occupant.

That one didn't respond, he only remained speechless and scared.

"Right here, four-legs", the Centaur heard from behind him and to right.

Before he could turn around, Sonya rushed forward and jumped on his back as if she was riding a horse. Thankful that she did not slip as she climbed on his lower, horse-like body, the kombatant quickly reached forward until she was just behind his upper, human-like torso. She wrapped her right arm around his neck as that one realized he had just been ambushed and raised his arms backwards to try to reach her. Before he could, Sonya pressed the muzzle of the Glock hard against the side of his head, just below the horn, with her left hand.

The kombatant pulled the trigger repeatedly as fast as she could, making sure she kept the weapon pushed against the spot on his head so her left hand would not tremble. She emptied the clip, sending all fourteen bullets into the same area in her adversary's head. Feeling the impact of the 9mm rounds one after the other, the Centaur froze in pain and his eyes instinctively closed as he pressed his teeth together. When Sonya's handgun was finally empty, she held her right arm wrapped around his neck, not knowing the result. The Centaur only stood his ground, immobile, as she heard her own breathing and saw Chris staring at the invader with the same frozen look. After a few nervous seconds like that, she felt the Centaur slowly leaning towards the left. It was only after she saw the right side of the floor racing towards her that Sonya realized he was dead and was dropping down on his left side.

She shrieked as she pulled her legs up and tried to jump off his back, but then felt the hard impact against the floor as the Centaur's lifeless body crashed on it. After remaining still for two more seconds, Chris reacted and rushed over to help her up to her feet. Moaning slightly, Sonya gripped that one's shoulder and stood back up, thankful she was unhurt. Examining the Centaur's carcass, she noticed how strong the invader's exterior truly was. Even though a single 9mm bullet would've gone clean through a human head from such close range, fourteen consecutive bullets together had not exited from the right side of the Centaur's head. However, the result was still that he was dead and they both sighed because that was all that mattered. Another person appeared from within the home, this one another young man about the same age as Chris's.

"What the fff...", that one saw the Centaur's cadaver and stopped, placing his right palm on his mouth, "Oh my God!".

"It's OK", Sonya reassured him, "He's dead".

"My God", that one repeated.

"This is Ray", Chris pointed to the new person while his eyes were still on the intruder, wanting to be absolutely sure of that one's death.

"You take one short nap and this is what happens!", Ray exclaimed as the chilly outside air overtook the inside of the residence, "Didn't I tell you to wake me up if you heard anything?".

"Please, it's over", Chris replied, staring next at the large void in the wall.

"And who the hell are you?", Ray looked at Sonya.

"Sonya Blade, U.S. Army Special Forces", she told him, having never lost the rhythm of that phrase even after she had been kicked out of the military.

"Believe me, Ray, she's on our side", Chris grinned for the first time.

"Yeah, Ray", she added.

"Actually, it's short for Reymond. We just call him Ray", Chris pointed out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sonya was seated on the ground on Chris's left side in the room farthest away from the crater the Centaur had created. With Ray seated on Chris's right side, they had closed the door, so the cold air was lessened to a great deal because of it. Listening intently, they could only hear the noise of crickets and an occasional small bird outside, nothing more. The kombatant had already dropped the empty Glock on the floor and was busy removing the shoulder holster as she debated her next move.

"So, you guys own this place?", she tried to keep them talking, reasoning that they would be less likely to be scared if their minds were momentarily elsewhere.

"Nah, it belongs to my parents", Chris pointed out, "Ray doesn't live here. We just know him from the neighborhood. He came here a few hours ago after those things began showing up".

"And where are your parents?", Sonya asked.

"I don't know", the youngster told her, "They were gone all afternoon".

Chris sighed and so did she as Ray looked on.

"The last thing I told them both was 'drop dead, you pricks'", Chris chuckled, trying not to appear worried.

Sonya only stared at him, wondering how emotionally stable he'd try to appear.

"They'll be back, though", Chris continued, staring ahead, "I know they will. They wouldn't give me the pleasure of leaving me alone".

The kombatant rested her right hand on his left shoulder.

"You don't have to pretend to be made out of steel, Chris", she whispered.

"Who's pretending?", he chuckled again, "It'll be the best thing in the world if they didn't come back".

He kept staring ahead as both Sonya and Ray looked at him. It didn't take Chris long to quietly break down into tears as he arched his face downwards.

"Yeah, the best", he repeated, sobbing and with his face resting on his right forearm.

Sonya wrapped her right arm around his upper back, doing her best to console the person who had saved her life.

"I know what you're going through", she whispered as she looked at him, lowering her face so it was next to his, "I don't know what happened to my father, either, or to my friends at that".

She patted him gently on the back several times before she lifted her face up and saw Ray as that one was sitting up straight. He noticed her eyes on him.

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine", he spoke up as Chris dried his tears, "It's one of the positive results of not having anybody and living alone".

"So what the blazes do these horses even want?", Chris pulled his face up and turned to her, reasoning that someone in the military might've known more than him or his friend.

"They're called Centaurs", she let him know as she withdrew her right arm, "They're from... somewhere else. As far as I can tell, they want us, all of us, maybe as slaves, maybe as just dead bodies because we're in their way. I don't really know".

There was a brief silence.

"How did they even get here?", Ray asked in his own turn.

"Don't know", she shook her head.

Sonya then stood up, both other individuals raising their faces as they saw her rising to her feet.

"What I do know is that some of us are still out there", she informed them, "Some are trying to put up a fight, and I have to rejoin them".

"Now?", Chris didn't want her to leave.

It was the first human contact he had ever since Ray had rushed to his home several hours ago, screaming that horses were massacring everyone.

"I have to find my friends, assuming they're still alive", the kombatant explained, "The sooner I find them, the better".

"But wait until morning", Chris suggested as he stood also, "It'll be light then. We can help you look for these army guys".

Sonya appreciated the thought of them wanting to help and she felt a desire to keep an eye on both youngsters to make sure they weren't harmed as time went on.

"I'm heading into the middle of a battleground", she had to refuse, "Bringing you guys along is the best way to get you killed".

Chris opened his mouth to protest, but she interrupted.

"Listen, guys", she whispered, "The best chance you have to survive this thing is to find a place where you can hide out until it's over. This house is a pretty good place, I think. The Centaurs are still busy trying to hunt down the warrior class instead of going after hidden civilians".

Chris sighed.

"I'll come by as regularly as I can to check up on you two, to see if there's anything you need", she reassured, "But I just don't want you around me when the shooting starts. You understand?".

"Yeah, sure", Chris did understand, although he hated to admit it.

"Look, I'll be back during daybreak when I can", she promised as she was about to head for the door that separated this room from the rest of the residence, "I'll get the address of this place on my way out".

"It's 367 Fillmore Drive", Ray pointed out, wanting to save her the trouble of having to distinguish numbers and the street name in the dark.

"I'll remember that", she smiled as she turned towards the door.

"Come back when you can, OK?", Chris didn't like to see her leave, "We'll be waiting".

As Sonya was about to take her next step towards the closed door, she heard a earsplitting bang half a second before she saw a Centaur break into the room. Her heart raced as adrenaline shot through her. The intruder growled at the three humans as Ray stood up, shocked. Sonya and Chris pulled him with them as they retreated deeper into the room and away from the door. The Centaur was obviously displeased at seeing another one of his kind lying dead just a few steps outside the room. Not knowing and not caring how someone his size had managed to sneak up towards them without being heard, Sonya knew she had to protect the youngsters. The kombatant swiftly grabbed each individual's back collar with one hand and pulled them behind her. The next thing both humans behind her and the Centaur heard was Sonya screaming.

"YYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!", she flew towards the monster with her right leg extended ahead of her torso.

Her right foot slammed into the Centaur's stomach and that one staggered back into the near wall behind him. Unhurt, he then swung with his right fist, aiming for the female human's head. Sonya pulled her upper body backwards and wrapped both her arms around his wrist. Seeing his strike had failed, the Centaur pulled his arm back, and Sonya staggered a step forward with it.

"RUN! GO!", she momentarily turned to the youngsters.

That was all she got to say because the Centaur swung his right forearm backwards and to the right, slamming it and her together into the wall behind him. The back of her head impacted with the concrete before she saw Chris and Ray reluctantly heading for the larger hole in the doorway. Once there, both youngsters stopped and tried, in their own way, to deliver some kind of an offensive against the intruder. The action proved deadly because the Centaur kicked Sonya in the stomach without even feeling the punches and kicks that the youths threw at him. The kombatant dropped on the floor, tasting blood in her mouth. With her out of the way, the invader sent the back of his left knuckles into Ray's face and punched Chris in the stomach with his right fist. Ray staggered back into the room before falling on the floor on his stomach. Chris, on the other hand, was thrown into the air outside of the room and landed on his back.

Before either of the three humans recovered, the Centaur charged towards Ray and lifted himself up on his hind legs. While still on the floor, Sonya saw the intruder as the front part of his body came back towards the floor. She heard herself screaming as she saw his front legs crushing Ray under them. That one was killed instantly without a sound as she forced herself back on her feet and rushed ahead, tackling the Centaur's upper body. The invader barely felt it as she next saw Chris barely standing up from outside the room.

"RUN, CHRIS! GET OUT!", she warned him again.

The youth fortunately did as she advised and turned around, running out of his home. In the meanwhile, Sonya was lifted into the air as the Centaur grabbed her by her upper arms and tossed her clear across the room. The human flew about five yards before crashing into a wall again. She then dropped towards the floor on her side. Common sense would've told her to execute another flying kick for a response as soon as she was able to, but she wasn't thinking rationally at the moment. Seeing Ray's broken body was enough to knock her senses away, at least momentarily. She stood up and angrily charged back into the Centaur, desiring to tackle him. Her impact into him didn't even force him to move an inch backwards. Her opponent then easily pushed her away from him, but only with enough strength to have her stagger a single step backwards. He then used that position to punch her in the head. Sonya was knocked down on her side under the powerful blow.

Once on the floor, she turned on her stomach. The human raised her upper body on her hands and knees in an effort to stand. Before she was able to, however, she didn't even see the Centaur as that one delivered a paralyzing kick into her midsection. The only sound she uttered was a gasp since the sudden pain hampered any other response. Sonya's entire body was pushed upward into the air as she involuntarily spit blood out of her mouth. She then fell back down on the floor, lying completely flat on the carpeted surface of the room. With barely any strength left, she pulled her head up in time to see the Centaur intertwining the fingers of both his hands together and then raising the joined hands over his head. She realized that he was getting ready to deliver a death blow since he had seen her helpless and defeated. Anger shot through Sonya as she saw the joined hands being held menacingly over her. Moaning out of hatred for her enemy, she ignored the awesome pain in her entire body and forced herself to roll as far away from the Centaur as possible. His united hands slammed into the floor only inches next to her head.

Disappointed that she had evaded him, the Centaur pulled his hands apart just as he saw the kombatant standing up. He was about to swing again when she twisted to her left and kicked him in the front knee with her right leg. The blow knocked his concentration out as he was surprised the human was able to keep on fighting after the punishment he had inflicted on her. Having done that, she followed it with a swift and astonishingly strong punch into his stomach. The Centaur bent down, though the wind was knocked out of him for only a moment. Seeing the result, Sonya bolted past Ray's body and then out of the room. She could hear her adversary laughing as she ran past the first Centaur's body and out of the residence. She realized he wasn't even trying to chase her as she staggered out of the crater in the wall and almost lost her balance trying to run in the total darkness. With her throat feeling as if it was being strangled from within and still occasionally coughing blood, she collided into a parked car that she hadn't seen. The kombatant then pulled herself away from the vehicle and slowed down to a fast walk since the Centaur didn't even think she was worth the trouble of chasing after. She felt the cold wind attacking her flesh as she proceeded towards an unknown destination.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sonya found herself walking warily down an unknown street, the darkness keeping her from even being able to read the street name. She was passing through the entrance of an alleyway, looking out for any signs of life, both humans' and Centaurs', as she surveyed the surrounding homes. All the lights were turned off, as they should've been in order to divert unwanted attention. Her eyes were still on the dark and quiet places of residence when an abrupt sound deep from within the alleyway caught her attention. She instantly twisted her head towards the origin of the noise, her eyes already having gotten used to the darkness. An empty bottle rolled slowly on the ground next to two large, steel dumpsters about thirty yards ahead in the alleyway. Immobile, she could feel herself becoming more tense as she readied for whoever or whatever might've followed. To her delightful surprise, she next saw a medium-sized street cat showing itself from behind a hiding spot and staring back at her. Sonya smiled without even realizing it as she bent down slightly and tapped her shin with her right hand.

"Hey, kitty", she whispered in a loud manner, "Come here, kitty".

The cat only stood its ground, not moving towards her but not moving away either. The kombatant stood back up straight and approached it, slowly at first since she didn't want to scare it away. Once she realized that the feline did not turn to run, she shifted into a regular walk into the alleyway until she reached the spot where it stood. The cat purred quietly as it rubbed its side against her ankle.

"Don't be afraid", she whispered as she bent down and began caressing its back.

The cat obviously liked what she did, so she carefully sat down on the ground, mindful to keep the beginning of the alley on her right side so she could keep her eye on it. The cat jumped on her lap and purred louder as she fondled its head and stomach. Sonya only stared ahead as the cat enjoyed the massage. She was wondering about how she would find any of her friends and fellow fighters, as well as thinking about the chances that her side had of winning. Scott had informed her that the entire invasion force would've been repelled if a human beat Motaro in a fair fight. However, Sonya wasn't talented enough to achieve such a feat and she doubted that any of her other fellow kombatants were either. Her mind was still on that subject when the cat suddenly stopped purring and turned its face towards the entrance of the alleyway. Noticing its reaction, Sonya did the same, feeling worried. She saw nothing as the cat then turned to her and hissed.

"What?", she asked.

The feline's only response was to claw at her left wrist, breaking the skin. It then jumped out of her lap and ran deeper into the alley, vanishing in the darkness. It was only then that Sonya heard the steady gallop of a Centaur as that one was nearing the only entrance of the alley. She quickly stood up and faced the opening thirty yards away that she had used to come into the alleyway. Thoughts and options raced through her mind as she considered what she should do. As the Centaur was about to appear at the entrance, her fear overpowered her desire to challenge him and she hurried towards the nearby dumpster. She flattened her head and upper body against the side of the dumpster that was opposite to the entrance as she kept her eyes closed. The kombatant was feeling scared as she could hear her own heart beating in her chest. She found herself breathing hard and thus tried to calm down as the Centaur was examining the inside of the alley from the entrance.

Sonya kept still for several moments before the Centaur was convinced the area was unoccupied and moved on. Hearing him gallop slowly away, she ventured her head out of the side of her hideout and peeked towards the entrance. Finding it void, she reasoned it was safe to leave.

Exiting the alley, she kept walking for about two hundred yards more, always hoping to see some sign of soldiers from the military. She found none, but spotted a light about a block away. The light was small, so she immediately realized that it wasn't someone's home on fire. Curious, hopeful and wary all at the same time, she proceeded towards it with the chilly night wind hitting against her bare stomach and arms. Sonya could see that it was the only light source around since everyone was trying to stay as quiet and as invisible as possible. Nearing it, she saw it was a burning trashcan with three men standing around it and keeping warm. One of the men noticed her approaching first.

"Hey, man, check out the chick", he elbowed at the person next to him as the kombatant came close.

"Don't you guys know what's going on out here?", Sonya pointed behind her.

"What?", the second man asked, "Is there a parade I dunno about?".

She saw that two out of three men were smoking marijuana. She could quickly recognize the smell from her days in the military when she was being trained to be accepted into an anti-drug cartel task force. That dream had fallen short of being recognized, but the training had remained with her.

"You cold?" the same man questioned without waiting for her to respond, "You wanna stick by the fire?".

"Well, it couldn't hurt", she smiled.

"I guess you can", the man said, "But you gotta do something for us first".

The smile quickly faded from Sonya's face as her muscles tensed, getting ready to get into her fighting stance because she expected them to be aggressive. The man who had spoken last must've noticed the change in her facial and bodily expression.

"Relax, babe", he laughed, "I just meant we gotta know your name first".

"Oh", she smiled again as she exhaled, more at ease, "It's lieutenant Sonya Blade, US Army Special Forces".

"Wow", the third man spoke up, "Fancy title".

Just as that one finished making his statement, Sonya's eyes spotted a Centaur approaching the four of them from the direction she was facing.

"Guys, we gotta get outta here", she quickly advised in a fidgety voice.

None of the three men seemed to even hear her as the lone Centaur came closer.

"Guy, we gotta get outta here", she desperately gripped the arm of the man closest to her and tried to pull, "COME ON!".

However, those three were still staring into the fire they had built and refused to be forced away. As the Centaur was within fifteen steps and still approaching, Sonya turned to the men instead of turning around and running away alone.

"You wouldn't happen to have a gun around here, would you, by any chance?", she asked the small group.

The first man handed her a .357 magnum revolver with a six-bullet cylinder without even asking her why she wanted it. Seeing the four apparently defiant humans, the Centaur decided to destroy them together. He charged forward as she was undoing the safety mechanism on the weapon. The Centaur grabbed the third man, knocking the burning trashcan on its side as the three men finally realized that something was wrong. Sonya stood her ground and aimed the revolver upward at arm's length in front of her face as the Centaur took several steps backwards with the protesting man still in his hands.

"PUT HIM DOWN! I MEAN NOW!", she aimed the revolver at the Centaur's head.

She fired four times into that one's face, with no visible effects. In response, the Centaur lifted the man above his own head and angrily threw that one down on the ground. The man stopped moving as his body lay limp on the ground. Seeing it, the first two men finally retreated from the scene in a panic. Sonya next saw the Centaur rising up on his hind legs, ready to crush the third man under his front legs as he came back down. She kept the revolver aimed at his head and pulled the trigger two more times. A fifth bullet fired from the weapon, but the handgun only clicked as she pulled it for the sixth time. Even though the revolver had room for six bullets, this one was only carrying five. Unfortunately, the five available rounds didn't seem to damage her opponent at all since that one came back down on his front legs, killing the third man if he wasn't dead already.

The Centaur next stepped away from the human's carcass as Sonya lowered the empty revolver. They locked eyes as the invader grinned menacingly. She could not tell for sure if he was the same one who had killed Ray back in Chris's home. The kombatant next flinched involuntarily as the Centaur kicked the burning trashcan for no apparent reason. She told herself that perhaps he was trying to frighten her. She released her grip on the weapon since it was of no use presently and it fell on the ground. She then switched to her fighting stance, her eyes still locked with her opponent's as his grin did not fade. Fortunately for her, the Centaur only turned and began galloping away. She lowered her arms by her side and eased out of the stance, wondering why he was leaving without finishing the job.

"What?", she actually began following him, "You want to keep me around to torture me, is that it?".

The Centaur only proceeded forward and ignored her as she ran ahead and caught up with him.

"Don't ignore me, you son of a bitch!", she snapped, making sure he could hear, "If you want a fight, then you fight. Don't dance around me like that!".

"I don't have to torture you", the Centaur's head partly turned to face her as he was still smiling, "You're doing a fine job at that all by yourself".

Sonya stopped as he kept galloping away. She watched him go ahead for about fifty yards. Then, without fully knowing why, she went ahead and began to follow him from afar, trying to be quiet so she wouldn't be noticed.

With the full moon finally being allowed to shine after the clouds cleared from between it and the earth, Sonya was able to see more. She stalked the Centaur for approximately a mile before that one finally stopped at a newly-erected compound. It was a large and open area, roughly in the shape of a square with each side being about six hundred yards long. It was also surrounded with a fence that was almost twice her own height. Looking up, she could see the light from the moon sparkling the top of the fence, indicating there were blades attached to the fence. She followed the trail of small knives from the top of the fence downward until she was staring ahead again. The kombatant realized that the entire fence was covered with razor-sharp knives sticking out every two inches or so. The only reason she wasn't originally able to see the ones that were in front of her face was because the moonlight only shone on the top ones while the rest were left in the shadows.

Inside the closed-off compound, she could see scores of Centaurs as they intently listened to a speech in an unknown language that one invader was giving. From the speaker's voice, she could remember that he sounded just like Motaro from when the head Centaur had broken into the warehouse where the ten soldiers were. The Centaurs cheered after Motaro had finished with his lecture. Curious as to what was being said but realizing that she'd never find out, the kombatant proceeded along the fence in a squatted position so as to decrease her odds of being spotted. Getting about fifty yards away, she soon noticed a pile of Arols and AK-47's left lying on the ground just outside the fortified fence. Unable to resist, she approached the accumulation of weapons, wondering why the Centaurs hadn't destroyed them or at least hidden them inside the fence. She didn't have to wonder long because the Centaur whom she had followed here wrapped one of his hands around her neck. He had somehow snuck up from behind her without being heard, much like in Chris's home. Sonya gasped as she gripped his wrist. He then smoothly pushed her upper body back and downward until she was lying horizontally on the ground on her back.

"I could break your neck right now", the Centaur growled, looking down into her eyes.

"So why don't you?", Sonya barely replied since his single hand on her neck effectively stopped her supply of air.

"I'd rather not", he said as he released the grip on her neck and allowed her to breath again.

The kombatant tried to sit up only to have him raise his right front leg and roughly push her back down on the ground with it.

"We know we're going to win", he continued, grinning, "So we'll keep some of you brave and stupid ones alive. You're fun to watch. It is good entertainment as you continue trying to find a solution for the problem that cannot be solved. That is why I insisted we leave your precious weapons out here, because you proved to be more interesting when you think you have a chance".

With that, the Centaur gripped the collar of her halter with his left hand and pulled her up to a seated position. Before she knew it, he slapped her in the face with his right hand. The blow was meant to humiliate more than it was meant to hurt, but her upper body crashed back into the ground face-first nonetheless. Sonya placed both palms on the cold earth and pulled her face away from it, watching as the Centaur proudly walked back to the others like him inside the fence.

"Do not keep us waiting", he teased as he went further.

The kombatant stood up and began digging into the pile of weapons. Most of the Arols and AK-47's proved to be empty and she was getting angered because of it when she finally spotted one AK-47 with an almost-full clip. Knowing she wouldn't be able to do much good at that area, she hurried back towards where she had come from, feeling more resolute. She told herself that if the Centaurs wanted to win, they were going to have to kill her first. As long as she was alive, the fight wasn't lost.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The elderly man was in his apartment building as he peeked outside his room for the first time in hours. The screams of the panicked crowd had now vanished and he was sure the building was empty. He didn't know exactly why he was stepping outside his fourth-story door. Perhaps not knowing for sure what was taking place outside was beginning to bother him, even if risking a look outside might've meant putting his life on the line. He stared down the empty hallway, the light bulbs on the ceiling lighting up the path. He saw and heard nothing as he stayed immobile for several moments, desiring to pick up the slightest sound. Assuming that every other person in the building had evacuated, the man decided to explore further and actually go to the other floors. He was about to proceed down the empty hallway when the shadow of a Centaur appeared next to him. The man gasped as he recognized the shadow of the horns next to his feet, indicating the Centaur was standing behind him. He turned around to see the glaring eyes of an eight-foot tall Centaur looking grimly down into his face.

Having found a survivor in the supposedly vacant building, the Centaur gripped the man's collar and tossed him back into his apartment. The elderly man crashed through the door, which was fortunately not closed, and he landed on his back on the carpeted floor. He tried to stand up and failed. The Centaur lowered his upper body before squeezing himself through the doorway. The invader took a step towards the human, desiring to finish off his task as part of the extermination squad.

"Please, please don't", the man begged as he crawled away from the approaching monster.

The Centaur would not listen to his victim's pleas, as he was trained for years not to do. As he planned to pick the man up in order to deliver a death blow, which would've been easy considering this human didn't appear to be strong anyway, the Centaur heard a click. Automatic gunfire erupted from the open doorway and approximately fifteen rounds hit the invader in the back. The Centaur turned around and faced the direction that the bullets had originated from. Once turned around, the gunfire erupted again and he was hit several more times in the chest by someone whom the elderly man could not see. Slightly hurt and thinking an army of armed humans had found him, the Centaur decided to retreat. He swiftly jumped out through the wall and the elderly man heard him crashing into the street four floors below before he galloped away.

Stunned and still on the floor, the man saw a young lady with blonde hair and in a light green outfit stepping through the open doorway. She held an AK-47 in her right hand as her upper arm was bent at the elbow so that the weapon was kept aimed towards the ceiling. His savior stopped three steps in front of him and scanned the room for any more trouble. She didn't utter a single word as she kept a tough and pressed jaw, indicating she was expected more challenges in the apartment, but there were none. The man first noticed her sharp eyes and then how the tight green halter hugged her slim and muscular upper body. After what she did, he would've thought she was an angel, but the AK-47 she carried and the scar on her left cheek told him she was human. After a few seconds, seeing that he was unhurt, she turned around and walked back out, still without uttering a word.

Once outside the apartment building, Sonya realized that she should've asked the man if he had a jacket in his apartment. She could've gone back inside, but decided not to because she wanted to find partners without any more delays. She began feeling drops of cold water hitting her face from above. Looking up, she realized it had begun to rain. Sighing, she kept her attention fixed around her, knowing she was almost out of ammunition.

The first sound she heard was to her left. She twisted to that side, aiming the weapon with both hands at whatever she saw. To her relief, the AK-47 turned out to be aimed at a human male dressed in a loose T-shirt, perhaps the same age as her. She bent her right elbow and pointed the firearm towards the sky as the person had already raised his hands, reassuring her that he wasn't a threat.

"Hi", Sonya smiled.

"Hi", he replied, lowering his hands.

"I'm Sonya", she approached him.

"Frederick", he introduced himself.

Sonya and the new person she met had taken temporary refuge from the cold drizzle as they stood under a makeshift roof which had no walls around it. She had her AK-47 at the ready as always as she tried to examine her surrounding. Seeing mostly darkness and little else while she only heard the rain, she sighed.

"You're cold, aren't you?", Frederick broke the silence first.

"No kidding", she turned to him only for a split second, not wanting to be caught unprepared, "It's only freezing out here".

"I would give you something heavier to wear, except I don't have any", he replied.

"That's fine, thanks anyway", she told him.

"You hungry?", was his next question, always staring at her as if he wasn't worried about the Centaurs at all.

Sonya turned her face towards him for a handful of seconds this time.

"You got food?", she hadn't eaten for the last eighteen hours.

She quickly turned her attention back to her surroundings, telling herself that her comfort was not as important as keeping an eye out for enemy. She had been trained to go for as long as two days without eating once while in training, but that did not mean she enjoyed having to repeat the experience. Still, she forced herself to concentrate elsewhere.

"A bit", Frederick responded as he reached into his pants pocket, "Had three sandwiches on me at work when all hell broke loose. I'm glad I took them with me when I left that place".

She had her attention turned back towards the night air as he withdrew three wrapped sandwiches, as he had stated. Sonya thought to herself that those must've been a pair of very deep pockets.

"We could share if you'd like one", he offered, "I'd rather save the third for later".

"You'd share with me?", she turned to him again, being able to smile slightly as the gesture.

"Sure", he chuckled, "We have to take care of our own, don't we? Have a seat".

Frederick was seated on the ground first. She had to clear away pieces of metal away from her feet before being able to relax also.

"They're a bunch of stuff from the construction project that was taking place here", Frederick explained, meaning the metal on the ground, "It's mostly nuts, bolts and nails. Just make sure you're not barefoot when you walk around because it's all over the place. Otherwise you should be fine".

He handed her one of the three sandwiches as he bit into another one himself.

"Thanks a lot", she replied as she took what looked like a three-course meal at that moment.

She finally leaned the AK-47 against one of the four wooden columns that held the roof up.

"They used to draw plans here", he pointed towards the spot where they were both seated, "Had a lot of paper coming in and out about how the construction project should go on".

"I'd give just about anything to hear some loud machine going off right now", she told him with her mouth full since she had already taken a large bite, "Just anything to tell me everything was OK and that people were back to the routine lives of going to work and coming home and complaining about it".

"Yeah", he agreed, looking at her weapon, "Is that thing any good?".

"It has very limited effects", she stared at the AK-47 also, "But I guess it's better than nothing. But it's also almost empty right now. I sent quiet a few rounds into some jackass before I ran into you".

Frederick sighed, resting his upper back and head against one of the wooden poles. She had finished the sandwich in a matter of seconds as she reached for the AK-47 again.

"Which reminds me", she went on as she withdrew the clip from the firearm.

Sonya looked into the clip and saw only four more bullets left.

"Just four more rounds", she snapped the clip back into its rightful place in the weapon.

"Great", he kept his head rested, "That should be enough to make one of those things sneeze. Maybe".

Just then, both humans heard a distinct sound emanating from ahead. This time, it was not the rain. Sonya jumped to her feet a moment before Frederick did as she grabbed the AK-47 and held it at the ready.

"We should stick together", she whispered, "It's out there. It's better if we're not just sitting ducks when it arrives".

He only nodded in approval as she stepped out of the makeshift rain shelter. The moderate rain instantly drenched her as he followed from two steps behind. The kombatant walked ahead, the weapon combing the area where she was looking. Frederick was trailing her but getting further away as she proceeded forward, indicating he was nervous, as was understandable.

"Stay close, Fred", she whispered without turning around, wishing the rain would cease so she'd be able to zero in on the source of the sound better.

Unknown to her, Frederick was slowly but steadily wandering to the left as they stayed outside and she walked in a straight line forward. Neither one spoke for approximately a minute as she was still trying to keep her ears as focused as possible. Hearing nothing, Sonya turned around expecting to find him within an arm's reach. Finding no one, she twisted around frantically, spotting him about fifteen steps away. Frederick seemed drenched from head to toe as he also was combing the surrounding night scene. The kombatant was about to call out to tell him that perhaps what they heard was not a Centaur. She did not get a chance to because her sharp eyes caught the silhouette of an eight-foot tall Centaur standing behind him and to his left.

"NOOO", she lifted the AK-47, aiming for the intruder.

Sonya squeezed hard on the trigger, sending the four remaining bullets into the Centaur's torso. Still not seeing the threat behind him, Frederick dropped to the ground because he had instinctively thought the weapon was aimed at him. Seeing that the firearm had no noticeable effect, as expected, the kombatant held the weapon by its muzzle and rushed forward, getting ready to swing it at the Centaur's head. She reached him while Frederick was still on the ground and frozen. Lifting the AK-47 clear over her head, she was about to swing it downward and into the intruder's horns as she felt the back of his knuckles crashing into her face first. The single blow from her opponent forced her to lose the grip on the weapon as she flew backwards into the air.

Sonya landed on her stomach as the wet, but still hard, ground broke her fall. She was dazed momentarily as she lifted her head and looked back towards the invader. She saw Frederick looking up and screaming as the Centaur bent down and gripped his collar. The Centaur then easily lifted the human with one hand before tossing him upwards into the air. Frederick yelled louder as he flew in a straight 45 degree angle before he slammed into a brick wall about twenty yards over the ground. His broken body then fell vertically down. He was silent as he lay on his back, immobile.

The kombatant's eyes, in the meantime, saw several pieces of metal on the ground around her as she also felt some under her own body. Her hair was not in front of her eyes since it was tied as a tail at the back of her head. She was thus able to spot a three-inch long rusted nail lying nearby. Turning back to the Centaur while still on the ground, she saw him smiling as he used his right hand to indicate that he wanted her to come towards him. He was purposefully daring her to attack again. Accepting his challenge, Sonya growled as she stood, casually picking the nail up as she did. The night scene helped her hold the nail tightly between two of her fingers without the Centaur seeing it.

She approached the intruder as that one stood ready for what he thought would be a more interesting victim. From three steps away, Sonya rushed forward and kicked him hard in the stomach. The Centaur softly moaned as he bent forward under the blow, expecting to stand up straight soon in order to respond with his own brand of punishment. He didn't get a chance to because the kombatant took advantage of his current condition. With his lowered head slightly above her own, she plunged the nail into his left eye, pushing with all the strength in her arm. The Centaur gave an ear-piercing scream as he stood up straight, both his hands trying to grab the invisible pain in his left eye socket. He turned from her and staggered away, not wanting to give her a chance to inflict any more injuries since he was now at a disadvantage. Sonya didn't wish to chase him anyway as she watched him retreat in overwhelming pain. She could still hear him screaming from a distance as she turned and walked towards Frederick.

The kombatant knelt next to his supine body as she saw him bleeding from the nose and mouth. The rain was quickly washing a majority of the blood away as she lifted Frederick's upper body and slipped her left forearm under his shoulders. Sonya then rested her right hand on his chest as he looked up at her.

"It's gonna OK... It's gonna OK... It's gonna OK", she repeated in a loud whisper.

Frederick only moaned once before his face turned to the side. He was dead as his eyes remained open.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Scott hurried forward, having a particular destination in mind. He reasoned to himself that whichever soldiers had survived the original onslaught of the invaders would've gone back to the Army base. Of what he had seen so far, he could safely assume that the Centaurs did not stay anywhere permanently, at least not yet. The invaders were first on a search-and-destroy mission to eliminate all human resistors. Thus, once the base was seemingly destroyed and all of its occupants either dead or scattered outside of it, the Centaurs would leave it. However, Scott believed that many soldiers would return there since it was the one place where they were very likely to find weapons that could hurt the invaders, mainly the Arols. The hope of finding as many of his team mates alive as possible vigorously pushed him ahead.

The ninja had been running for about two straight hours before he finally reached his destination. The base appeared to be even more dilapidated than he had expected it to be. Pieces of crumbling stone and smoke were everywhere. Telling himself that he could've joined a marathon once the invasion force was defeated, he proceeded inside. Scott approached the inside of the compound where the attack had originally started. Looking around, he felt almost subdued with grief because he found no one else there. Sadness unexpectedly engulfed him, so Scott sat down among the rubble. He told himself that perhaps all of his team mates, including Sonya, were already dead. Perhaps he was the last soldier in the entire area who was still alive and he was only fantasizing about a regrouping that would strike into the heart of the invasion force. Perhaps the last memory he would have of the only woman he ever loved was of her running away after having lured a Centaur to follow her in order to save his life. Following the pattern of thought with which he was trained in the military, he could not come up with any other reason for the other soldiers not returning to the base.

Scott punched the hard ground next to him, telling himself he could not be allowed to feel sorry for himself. If his friends and team mates were dead, then their souls would rest in peace over the corpses of every single Centaur who ever existed. A ninja never gave up, and he knew it well. Vengeance would be his, one Centaur at a time, until the entire invasion force was decimated. He would save the world, even if his friends were not around to witness it from a first hand basis. Standing up, Scott looked around as a new spark appeared in his eyes. It was cold, a spark indicating his desire for uncompromising revenge. He knew the first thing he would need to do was find new firepower.

The ninja passionately combed through the ruins of what used to be the base in Washington DC. It didn't take him long to find an Arol and several 45 millimeter shells among the dead soldiers. Carrying six extra shells along with the loaded rocket launcher, Scott proceeded towards the area which used to serve as the barracks. He told himself that the time to mourn the comrades who had already fallen was not right now. The payment of respect to the dead would come after the invaders had been successfully driven back, with as many of them leaving as cadavers as possible. Searching through the rubble of the barracks, he eventually found what he was looking for. Under several inches of dust and trash lay several wrapped commando outfits. He had reached the massive closet where all the commando outfits were stored when not in use. Scott thus rested the Arol on the ground and cleared the debris in order to find an outfit that fit him.

He would've preferred to have a ninja outfit handy, but since none was presently available, the commando outfit was second best. He also needed one because he noticed he had started to shiver as the only clothing he had on was a sweatshirt he had brought over to the U.S. from Hong Kong. Within minutes, he was heading out of the base, carrying the rocket launcher and dressed in the heavy commando outfit. The pitch-black uniform did an excellent job of keeping the cold air out.

Feeling movement from his right, the ninja quickly spun in that direction as the muzzle of the rocket launcher was ready to fire into anything that moved. He lowered the portable cannon towards the ground when he noticed a man trying to hide behind the remains of a burned car. That one panicked and dropped to the ground even though he already knew he had been spotted. Scott raised his left hand into the air as he held on to the Arol with his right, desiring to calm the overwhelming fears the other human was clearly experiencing.

"I won't hurt you. I'm not one of them", he called, "You can come out".

No response.

Not having the time to play games, Scott almost casually walked towards the burned vehicle. Passing the hood, he turned and stared at the individual who was shivering in a squatted position behind it. The man was a few years older than Scott and he was shivering from fear and not from the cold, since he already wore a heavy coat.

"Come on, man, we're on the same side", the ninja added, "Come on out".

The man only looked up at the commando outfit, still not responding. The ninja stepped closer towards him and he quickly took a step back. Since he was still squatted as he did so, he fell down on his back. He yelled out and held his arms out in front of his face as he saw Scott approaching.

"Will you relax?", the ninja finally reached him and pulled him up to his feet, "Do I look like a weirdo with four legs to you? I won't hurt you!".

The frightened man finally stopped screaming and examined his outfit as well as his weapon.

"Name's Scott", the ninja introduced himself, "And you?".

"L... Lee", the man blurted out, still shivering, but not as much as before.

"OK, Lee", Scott told him, "Why don't you come along with me? You'll probably be as safe then as you'll ever be alone".

"Who are you?", Lee asked, inquiring about his black clothes.

"I'm with the military", the ninja said, "We blew away quiet a few of those sons of bitches. But then again, they blew away quiet a few of us. The only question remaining is, do you wanna remain here and let them rule over you like you're nothing but a rat, or do you wanna come with me and help me kick some ass?".

"Are you suicidal?", Lee snapped, "I saw what those things can do! You must be an idiot to want to go after them!".

"Maybe so, but we'll outlive them on the long run", Scott calmly replied, "I'm sure of it".

"You're on your own, man!", Lee continued, turning away, "I ain't getting involved with a suicidal nut".

"Fine", the ninja briskly turned also and began walking away.

Lee saw him leaving. Not wanting to be alone, he decided to speak up.

"Look, uh... Maybe I could just tag along...", he called out to the ninja's back, "Just for the ride".

Scott turned his face around, locking eyes with that one.

"Come on, then", he replied with a smile.

Relieved, Lee ran towards him and slowed into a walk as he reached the ninja.

"I'm just really scared, you know what I'm saying?", Lee kept shivering as he walked alongside of Scott.

The ninja nodded in response, his alert eyes combing the ruined city all around him.

"I just don't think I can go on, man!", Lee's voice shook, so Scott stopped and looked at him.

"Why don't they just kill me and get it over with?!", Lee raised his voice, reasoning that death could not have been worse than the feeling he was experiencing at the moment.

With the rocket launcher pointed towards the ground in his right hand, the ninja wrapped his left hand around Lee's throat. The grip wasn't hard since it allowed that one enough room to breath through, but it calmed him down as Scott pushed him backwards and flattened his back against a wall. The ninja stared into that one's eyes, reasoning that he was taking this actions for Lee's own good.

"Listen to me, panicking isn't gonna do us any good", the ninja whispered as Lee quieted down, "I promise you, we'll both survive this. Centaurs only have a size advantage over us. I haven't met a single one yet who could outclass us".

Lee didn't immediately answer, possibly because he was absorbing the ninja's words.

"I don't have anything to live for, man!", tears came down his eyes when he finally replied, "They killed my family! I was so scared at the time, all I did was hide! Cowards like that don't even deserve to live!".

"You froze", Scott let go of his throat, "Everybody freezes at some time or another. It happens to the best of us".

Lee wiped his eyes without saying anything.

"What are you doing?", the soldier kept trying to lift his spirit up, "They already took your family away. You're gonna let them take you too? Don't you wanna pay them back for what they did?".

"I don't have the strength", Lee whispered.

"Sure you do", Scott wouldn't give up.

Before either man said anything else, they both heard a distinct series of footsteps emanating from the right. They turned around to see an extermination squad of eight Centaurs who were patrolling the city as they looked for survivors whom they knew were around. Lee's eyes widened and Scott calmly raised the Arol as both sides saw each other.

"RUN!", was the only word Lee heard the ninja screaming as the Centaurs charged towards them all at once.

Scott aimed and pulled the trigger of the rocket launcher. The first shell exploded into the stomach of the Centaur he had in his sights. That one yelled and fell backwards, his wound sending a pool of blood on the ground. The seven other Centaurs kept charging ahead, ignoring their dying comrade. The ninja stood his ground and fired a second time, stopping a second patrol member cold in his tracks in the same fashion. With two invaders dead, Scott turned and began running after Lee, who was about ten steps ahead. He knew he would have to be moving as he reloaded because the remaining members of the patrol would've reached him if he had kept standing.

Hurrying as fast as he could while he loaded two new shells into the Arol, Scott finally secured the second round into the rocket launcher. He then turned around and stood still as Lee kept running. Raising the weapon, he aimed into the head of the first Centaur he saw. He swiftly pulled the trigger, a light beam of smoke following the propelled shell as it shot out of the rocket launcher and headed for the target. The beam of smoke ended as it seemed to touch the invader's face and that one's head exploded, sending blood and bone fragments around him. The ninja next turned the Arol towards the next adversary, firing again and tearing a gruesome hole into that one's chest.

Scott's eyes caught sight of the larger Centaur who was next to the fourth member of the patrol who had dropped dead on the ground. With a fraction of a second, the ninja recognized that particular Centaur as the one who had demanded their surrender in the warehouse. He realized he was staring at Motaro, the head of the invasion force. Wishing he had saved the second shell from the rocket launcher for that one, Scott decided to try to reload instead of turning and running again. Unfortunately, Motaro proved to be too quick this time. As the human was about to secure his first shell into the rocket launcher, the chief Centaur accelerated and sped past the other members of the patrol. Motaro reached Scott unexpectedly early and lowered his upper body, his horns crashing into Scott's forehead.

The ninja saw stars as he dropped his weapon and then felt the ground racing towards him since he was falling down. He turned and fell on his stomach, seeing nothing but black. He believed he was dead. Motaro, on the other hand, stood over the ninja's unconscious body and yelled at the three remaining patrol members as those stopped nearby.

"GO AFTER HIM, FOOLS!", the chief Centaur pointed towards the fleeing Lee, "AND BRING HIM BACK ALIVE, OR ELSE!".

The three Centaurs quickly resumed their chase as they galloped after Lee.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The first thing Scott realized when he regained consciousness was that he was still alive. The second thing was that both his arms were chained in a horizontal position to a fence which was behind him. The ninja looked to his right and saw Lee restrained exactly as he was about two yards away. They could both see about thirty Centaurs several steps ahead, with Motaro situated in the middle of the group. The leader of the invasion force was whispering loud enough to be heard by the other Centaurs, but not by the two humans.

"I will now show you the weakness and lack of loyalty that plagues these humans", the chief Centaur grinned at his students, "Do you have it?".

"Yes", one of his students approached him.

With Scott and Lee watching and wondering, the student handed Motaro a large knife. The chief Centaur next walked up to the two humans. Lee was obviously scared, but Scott showed no emotions. The ninja knew that the Centaurs would have killed them already if they had wanted to. The fact that they didn't proved that they wanted the humans alive. Scott assumed the reason for that wish was about to be revealed. Without a word to the two, Motaro approached Lee and grabbed the chains that attached that one's right hand to the fence. With a swift pull, the Centaur easily snapped the chain apart. Lee gave out a slight yell at the pain and shook his right hand as it was freed. Motaro then handed Lee the knife, asking him nonverbally to take it. The human gripped the weapon's handle with his free right hand, still wondering what the Centaur's plan was.

"This is my proposal", Motaro spoke up, making sure he could be heard by both the captive humans and his students.

The chief Centaur stared at Lee as he continued, still in the same tone of voice.

"You are free to leave this place unharmed", Motaro announced, "I will also tell all my students not to harm you. All you have to do is use that knife to stab this other human to death".

Motaro pointed at Scott, indicating Lee had to kill the ninja in order to buy himself a pass out of there. The chief Centaur then walked back towards his students, grinning and feeling proud. Lee, in the meantime, was looking intently into Scott's eyes, asking himself about what was going through the ninja's mind. Scott's facial expression revealed nothing. He was wearing an emotionless face as he calmly stared back at Lee, waiting for that one's next move. After locking eyes quietly for several heartbeats, Lee turned his face back to Motaro. The only reaction the Centaurs saw was Lee dropping the knife on the ground.

"You do what you have to do", Lee told them, "But I ain't doing this".

Motaro's smile faded as anger took over his face. He placed his hands together, murmuring silently to himself. Within seconds, a red bolt of lighting shot out of the sky and struck Lee in the chest, killing him instantly. The human dropped towards the ground, his left hand still held high as it was chained to the fence. Scott growled like a mountain lion as the chief Centaur laughed. The ninja tried to lash out as his chains held him back against the fence. Motaro could still hear the human growling as he turned around and walked away, still smiling. The other students followed their leader. Unknown to them, the smile on Motaro's face was a fake one. The chief Centaur was feeling extremely disappointed because he had failed when Lee refused to kill another human being.

Back at the fence, the ninja finally stopped growling and stood still. He knew he could free himself from the chains if he gave it enough time and patience. Since the Centaurs had left, he had all the time he could ever need.

"You should've killed me when you had the chance, you son of a bitch", the ninja said, referring to Motaro, as he began the task of loosening the chains from around each wrist.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back in their own realm, Shang Tsung looked at Shao Kahn.

"They are losing, aren't they?", Shang Tsung asked, referring to the humans.

"Yes", Shao Kahn replied before he sighed.

"They are too disorganized, my emperor", the demon sorcerer told Shao Kahn, "They are unable to pull their spirits up in order to strike with any effectiveness".

"True", the emperor replied, "It looks like we will have to listen to Motaro boast once he conquers the humans".

"We can still avoid that situation", Shang Tsung pressed, "You can intervene".

"Doing so would mean angering the deity from the Centaurs' home realm", Shao Kahn replied, even though his second-in-command knew it well.

"But you are not a deity, my emperor", the sorcerer answered, "That god cannot challenge you as he could Rayden".

"He could still prove to be a thorn in our sides", Shao Kahn insisted.

"I disagree", Shang Tsung pointed out, "Especially if our actions help the humans beat Motaro's forces. With the Earth realm's victory, Motaro will realize he is not powerful without us and he will be under your direct control. And with him, so will all the Centaurs he commands. They will then be forced to choose our side over their former deity's".

Shao Kahn said nothing. He had to admit to himself that the thought of having over a billion Centaurs in his army sounded appealing. However, he still had his doubts about going against the wishes of the Centaurs' realm's deity.

"I do not know if it's wise", the emperor finally told the sorcerer, "I must spend more time considering my options".

"Allow me to examine the Earth realm, emperor", Shang Tsung offered, "I could report back to you if it is worth the stress of having it under our control in the future instead of having it used against us by Motaro".

Shao Kahn suspiciously stared at the demon sorcerer for a few moments.

"Why the sudden interest in the Earth realm?", the emperor asked.

"I simply do not wish to see such a valuable realm slip through our fingers", Shang Tsung defended his belief.

"Agreed", Shao Kahn declared, "Go there now and report back".

Shang Tsung bowed before his emperor flicked two fingers together in that one's right hand. The demon sorcerer vanished, having teleported into the Earth realm.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Scott was freed from the chains as he headed back to the spot where Motaro had captured him and Lee. Surely enough, the Arol and four extra shells were still on the ground, exactly where he had dropped them when he was hit. He needed every bit of inner strength to keep himself from becoming emotionally upset. He told himself that Lee's death would be avenged along with everyone else's as he ran past the four scorched bodies of the Centaurs and reached the rocket launcher. The ninja held his breath, disgusted at the smell of the burned Centaur corpses. He was loading the next two shells into the Arol when he heard noise from behind him.

The ninja twisted around as he finished loading the rocket launcher. He aimed the Arol behind him in case he had heard another enemy patrol. Scott then lowered the weapon again as he saw an Oriental man staring back at him.

"Sorry", the ninja spoke first, "I thought you might've been a freak".

The man did not respond. Bending down to pick up the last two extra shell, Scott thought to himself that the new man was exceptionally well dressed and calm, in contrast with everyone else, including the ninja.

"My name's Scott", he continued, eyeing the stranger, "I'm with the Army".

"I know who you are", the Oriental man flatly replied.

The tone of that one's voice caught the ninja off-guard.

"Really?", Scott asked, getting suspicious.

"I am Shang Tsung", the stranger told him, "Agent of my emperor Shao Kahn".

Scott realized who he was talking to and became a little more alert, waiting for the unexpected.

"Sonya told me about you", the ninja said, "I can't say much about you in the way of praise, but I must admit you've got good taste in the opposite gender".

Shang Tsung thought to himself that the lady kombatant had told the ninja too much if that one knew enough information to answer in such a way.

"But that is not the matter", the sorcerer commented, "I am simply here to see for myself what kind of a realm you mortals truly influence".

"Yeah, well, I don't think you picked the right time to do a survey", Scott was about to turn away, with his ears always directed towards the sorcerer in case that one should try to strike, "Besides, I don't need lessons from some little wannabe who pretends to be something he's not".

"I wouldn't be so hasty to leave if I were you", Shang Tsung gave an icy smile, "I am not the 'wannabe' that you take me for. After all, from my service to the emperor, I have several entire worlds under my command as we speak".

"Huh", the ninja stopped, "But I have something you don't. Sonya's heart".

The sorcerer's face hardened as he remained under full control.

"Was that what you said when you struck her?", the 1000-year old magician asked, still smiling.

His words struck a nerve in Scott's mind. The ninja replied with an aggressive grin of his own.

"That was a one-time thing", the human defended himself, "I still hadn't gotten used to the new body and the new memories from the clone. It won't happen again".

"There is always an excuse, isn't there?", Shang Tsung answered, "You planned to make her your bride. Would that be wise? After all, what kind of a groom would you make?".

"Please! I know the marriage was my idea, but I did what I had to do", Scott had enough, "We all do. Besides, I'm being given a lecture about morals now from someone who specializes in enslaving worlds?".

"Like you said, we all do what we have to", the sorcerer told him, "There is no right or wrong, it is only a matter of which side one is on".

"That's right", the ninja kept grinning, "Either way, she must've believed me. She obviously liked my tactic better than yours".

"Sonya is still alive", Shang changed the subject because he predicted he would lose the conversation if it continued for much longer, "As are a fraction of your friends and comrades. Of course, whether or not they stay that way remains to be seen".

Both men stopped giving each other a cold smile.

"They're alive?", the Earth fighter was cautiously pleased, "Where are they now, then?".

"Probably hiding to the best of their abilities", the visitor from another realm let him know, "But once the sun rises, hiding will prove to be much more difficult".

Scott only stared into the sorcerer's eyes.

"And why are you telling me this?", the ninja finally asked.

"You trained with Durak, you may find it is up to you to repel this invasion", the visitor said, "I think you know how that can be done".

Common sense told Scott that his old self wouldn't have been a match against Shang Tsung, since Sonya had told him that she couldn't beat him and she was clearly better than him when they first met. However, the new body of the ninja had changed all the rules and Shang Tsung knew it well. Scott was now curious about which one of the two fighters was the better.

"Perhaps we will get the chance, one day", Shang Tsung seemed to be able to read his mind, "If you wish to find me when this... mess... is over, simply ask Rayden. I am sure you will prove to be an interesting sparring adversary".

"I look forward to it", the ninja replied.

Shang Tsung placed his right fist into his left palm and pressed both hands against his chest before he bowed his head. Scott placed both hands palm-down against the side of his thighs and bowed his upper body as a response. Both men didn't break the even eye contact until the sorcerer teleported away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What did you find?", Shao Kahn asked his agent as the sorcerer returned home.

"They are pompous, obnoxious, full of undeserved pride", Shang Tsung replied, "I unquestionably want them under our control, not Motaro's".

"I could use suggestions", the emperor asked for the sorcerer's advice.

"Bringing them together could lift their spirit", Shang Tsung said, "That, in turn might encourage them to give their best".

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

As Scott was walking away from the dark, seeming uninhabited homes, he wondered what the visit from the sorcerer was all about. He was suddenly overcome with a strange feeling. He looked at his hands as the Arol was in his right grip. His entire body had turned into a silvery color. Worried, the ninja gripped the rocket launcher and aimed it ahead of him. His surroundings soon vanished and he then found himself standing next to an old, decrepit factory which was covered with graffiti and surrounded with abandoned cars. A small number of the cars had been intentionally set on fire. Clearly ready for whatever challenged came next, the ninja searched around.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Leaving Frederick's body as the rain finally ceased, Sonya found herself being overcome with a silvery color also. She gasped as her surroundings changed without her expecting it. Standing in a fighting stance, she next looked up and saw a large abandoned factory which she would describe as nothing but an eye sore. Turning her face, the kombatant then saw a man in black as that one aimed a rocket launcher at her. That human then lowered the weapon since he saw who he was aiming it to.

"Scott?", she exclaimed as she was staring into the ninja's face.

"Sonya?", the ninja in turn dropped the Arol as he noticed her also from twenty yards away.

"You're alive!", she dashed towards him.

They embraced. The only thought that went through her mind was how comfortably warm he felt.

"Man! You must be freezing like that", he remarked as they separated.

The ninja quickly pulled off the heavy black turtleneck which served as part of the commando outfit and handed it to her.

"This should help", he handed her the first half of the top clothes, leaving only the tank top as he felt the cold for the first time.

"You're sure?", she asked, still wanting to rough it out now that she saw him.

"Positive", he handed her the sweater, "How the hell did we get here?".

"I wish I knew", she commented as she slipped the black turtleneck on, finally beginning to warm up to a comfortable condition.

She thought to herself that the bright-green loose pants and the pitch-black turtleneck looked uneven at best, but she had more important things to worry about as he picked up his weapon.

"We were brought here for a reason", the ninja commented as he stared away, the rocket launcher at the ready.

"Could Rayden have done this?", the kombatant asked herself.

"Possibly", Scott replied, not telling her about Shang Tsung's visit, "Or maybe it was someone else's handy work. And I'm gonna find out why".

Both fighters were still carefully proceeding towards the edge of the factory when a car which was on the other side of the parking lot exploded in a bright fireball. Their military instincts took over. Scott dropped to the ground, intending to cover her with his body. Sonya dropped to the ground, intending to cover him with her body also. The result was that his forehead slammed into her nose and neither individual was able to lie flat on the ground. With Scott holding his forehead and Sonya holding her nose, they both stood back up straight, thankful the explosion was far enough that neither one was hit by flying metal or glass.

"You OK?", she asked as the explosion illuminated the area.

He nodded, retaining his grip on the Arol.

"The next time something explodes, I cover you", Scott spoke up, "Let's make that a rule".

"No way!", Sonya smiled, "I was your superior, so I cover you. I outranked you, remember".

"True, but I had an honorable discharge", he smiled back, "So my position now is higher than yours. Besides, it won't matter once all this is done".

"Meaning what?", the kombatant wanted him to clarify.

"I had talked to the colonel a bit after you pulled us out of the water", he became serious and turned his face towards the parking lot, combing the area, "With a good word on your behalf from me, of course, he said he'd like to have you back in the military when things are back to normal. Previous rank and position and all".

"Huh? How?", she was astounded.

"I told you", he smiled again, "Even the colonel was impressed at what you did in the water. I was coming over to tell you when the freaks raided the warehouse".

"And what makes you or anybody else think that I want my old position back?", she questioned, pretending as if the idea was of no interest.

"It's in your blood, Sonya", he turned to her, "Just like it's in mine. And we both know it. Besides, the Army graced me by letting me be a private again when things are back to normal also. While you're heading some special, possibly anti-Centaur platoon, I'm gonna be the first Special Forces commando slash ninja in human history".

"Back to normal?", she repeated, liking what she had heard, "You mean we can live and work in the same base like before?".

"That's right", Scott smiled, "But you have to understand that when the training and what-have-you is over, I'm going to those single bars with all the other guys".

"Really? You really think so?", she smiled back.

"Naah", he corrected, "I'll be the only private hurrying into the lieutenant's quarters when we have time off".

"I do like the sound of that", she had to admit.

Unknown to them, Shang Tsung had placed his hands together and created a mystical cloud that could see into the Earth realm. Many members of Shao Kahn's cabinet had gathered in the palace chamber to watch the result of the emperor's actions. They were all hoping that the ploy would succeed in helping the humans defeat the Centaurs, since no one wanted to hear Motaro boast. The members of the cabinet, as well as the sorcerer and the emperor, watched the two human fighters inside the cloud as those proceeded closer to their destination.

Scott and Sonya, on the other hand, didn't have to wait long before they heard a human being crying out in anguish. They also listened to the sounds of cheers and gallops, indicating Centaurs were the reason for the anguish. Both fighters reached the edge of the factory and looked around the side. They saw a bonfire burning as six scorched human bodies had already been placed into it and were already dead for a long time. A seventh human, though, was still alive as he was being bullied around by the cheering Centaurs.

"Motaro, that's him", Scott whispered, recognizing and pointing at the chief Centaur.

Sonya said nothing as they spied on the estimated twenty Centaurs who had gathered around the fire.

"Enough is enough", the ninja whispered, "I know how this has to end".

The two remaining rounds in the Arol obviously weren't enough to defeat a small army of invaders, so Sonya realized he was talking about challenging Motaro to a fight.

"Get out of here, Sonya", Scott whispered next, suspecting she would not follow his advice, "This is between him and me. There's no point in you getting involved too".

"No, if you stay, then I stay", she whispered back.

"There is no point to it!", he pressed, "The fight has to be one on one. If I lose, all you're gonna be is another meaningless sacrifice to them. If I win, then it won't matter because they'll all be forced back. Leave, please!".

"No!!", she snapped back, still in a whisper, "I am not leaving you behind! Either we both go or we both die!".

Scott realized he had no more time to waste in the argument as the third and last human was carried by a Centaur while that one headed for the fire, intending to throw him in. The man's pleas and cries were answered with smiles as he felt the heat from the fire getting closer.

"STOP IIIIIIT!", Scott revealed himself as he quickly advanced towards the invaders, the rocket launcher aimed at the Centaur who was holding the human sacrifice in midair.

Sonya followed close behind him as everyone quieted down and all eyes turned at the two human fighters .

"Put him down!", the ninja ordered.

That particular Centaur, in turn, looked at Motaro, who nodded. With his leader's approval, the Centaur lowered the man to the ground. Once on his feet, that one shivered as he stood up straight.

"Get out of here", Sonya told the human.

The man looked at the Centaurs, unsure as to whether or not he would be pursued once he left. Seeing them all staring at the two fighters, he reasoned this was his best chance to exit the area unharmed. He was frequently looking behind him as he slowly ran out of the parking lot. Seeing it, Scott next lifted the Arol higher and aimed it towards Motaro. The chief Centaur showed no sign of fear. On the contrary, he almost seemed pleased at the unexpected visit. He knew the ninja would not open fire, since that would turn him into a martyr and do nothing in the way of pushing the invasion force back. Sonya grabbed Scott's arm from behind, trying to pull him towards her, but the ninja proved to be immobile as he and the chief Centaur had locked eyes.

"Come on, Scott", she spoke up, "The man's gone. We don't have to stay".

The lack of response from him worried her, as she could guess what was on the ninja's mind.

"I can't", Scott lowered the rocket launcher towards the ground, "This has to end".

"You don't have to do this", the kombatant insisted, "We can keep fighting them on a street level. We can still win".

"I doubt it", he slowly shook his head, not looking at her, "And even if we did, how many more of us would have to die, huh? This is the only way".

The student Centaurs must have realized what was on his mind also, since they slowly approached the two humans. Motaro only stood his ground, eyeing his opponent as the ninja finally turned to Sonya when he spoke to her.

"Your last chance to leave, boss", he remarked.

"Don't", the kombatant locked eyes with him, "Don't. Just don't".

"Do you wish to challenge me, human?", Motaro thundered from several yards away, the light from the fire reflecting off his majestic human upper body.

Scott took a step towards the chief Centaur. A single step was all he got because Sonya gripped his upper arm, tighter this time. It was with more strength that she had realized because he felt her ten fingernails digging into his biceps and triceps muscles.

"Don't, pleeeaaase", she whispered from behind him, panic setting in her voice.

Turning around to face her, he tried to get out of her grip, but the kombatant only held on to his arm tighter.

"You can't do it! I won't let you!", her voice became more aggressive, "I'm ordering you not to fight, you hear me?".

Scott looked back at Motaro as he answered.

"I hate to be the one to tell you this, miss Blade", he said, "But you were only allowed to go back to Hong Kong to advise the troops. Your old rank only comes in after the invasion is defeated. Until then, you're only a civilian".

He locked eyes with her and stopped. He was right about her rank and both fighters knew it.

"As appreciated as the notion is", the ninja continued before he kissed the scar on her left cheek.

She didn't resist as he pulled his arm free.

"What are you so worried about?", he smiled, "I get a chance to show off in front of the girl of my dreams and save the world at the same time. What could be better?".

He might've been smiling, but Sonya could see the ninja was nervous despite his attempts to hide his fear. She could easily see why he felt that way. Motaro was taller and more massive than Qarro or any of the other Centaurs. Even though all the Centaurs were naturally big, Motaro always managed to stand out among them.

"No matter what happens, don't interfere", the ninja advised, "This has to be one on one".

He then turned around and faced Motaro again.

"Hey, horseman!", Scott raised his voice, "Consider yourself challenged".

As both gladiators took a few steps closer, still standing far enough away from each other, one of the other Centaurs approached Sonya from behind. The invader then wrapped a muscular arm around her shoulders and pinned her back against his front.

"Uck!", the kombatant's hands gripped the restraining forearm by instinct as she found herself immobile.

That method was the only way Motaro's students could've made sure that the second fighter truly did not interfere in the confrontation.

Motaro gave out a yell and punched the factory wall that was a short distance away, knocking stone out of it with his bare fist.

"Unimpressive", the ninja replied out loud after he saw the damage done to the wall.

The human executed a perfect roundhouse and front kicks into the air. Not needing any more stretching to give his best, Scott then stood straight and calmly stared at his opponent from ten steps away. Everyone's eyes both in the parking lot and in Shao Kahn's castle were on the two adversaries. The chief Centaur and the ninja slowly walked around an invisible circle as they faced each other. Motaro screamed and charged forward. The human yelled out and rushed ahead also.

Scott slammed into the Centaur with all the hatred and strength that his personality and that of his clone's could afford him. The ninja first swung and sent his right fist into Motaro's stomach. The Centaur bent down under the exceptionally hard blow. Scott then followed it with a left punch to the lowered head. As his adversary's face snapped towards that one's left, the ninja next twisted to his own left and placed his right arm on his left shoulder. He then swung and the back of his right knuckles smashed into the side of Motaro's face. Before the Centaur could even strike for the first time, the human punched him in the stomach again. Motaro bent down for the second time, more annoyed than hurt. This time, Scott executed a high front kick into his lowered head, sending the Centaur staggering backwards as that one's face snapped towards the sky. Motaro stopped himself after he took three small, involuntary steps behind him. Both opponents locked eyes from three steps away, with the ninja already in his fighting stance again, feeling glad he wasn't touched so far.

"Come on, freak!", the human dared the Centaur.

Accepting his offer, Motaro rushed ahead, twisting his upper body to his own left as he did. Scott saw the back of the Centaur's right knuckles swinging towards his face and blocked the hit with his forearm. Unfortunately, the Centaur's arm was much stronger than his and Motaro's fist tore past his forearm and crashed into his face anyway. The ninja felt an explosion in his head as he was thrown backwards into the air before he landed on his back almost ten yards away. Sonya's head snapped upwards as she saw the strike, almost as if she had been hit herself. Lying on his back but not discouraged, Scott instantly raised his legs and smoothly jumped back to a standing position. He growled softly as he felt blood coming out of his mouth and rushed back into the Centaur's direction.

The human twisted to his left and sent his right ankle into Motaro's left front knee. The Centaur groaned since he had been getting ready to strike the human for the second time. Before he got the chance, Scott twisted to his right as his left leg shot up. The ninja's left foot impacted into Motaro's chest and that one staggered two steps backwards. Still close enough to his adversary, the Centaur lowered his upper body forward and swung with his left arm. His left fist slammed into the human's jaw and Scott staggered a countless number of steps away. The ninja felt dazed and was having trouble stranding straight as he looked ahead and saw the Centaur charging towards him.

Motaro reached the human as that one was still not ready and sent a vicious uppercut into the ninja's chin, easily knocking him back down on the ground. As the Centaur was then getting ready to crush his opponent under his front legs, that one surprised everyone as he swiftly pulled himself back up to his feet. Astonished since he thought he was looking at a sure win, Motaro didn't have enough time to react as Scott kicked him in the stomach. Still more annoyed than hurt, the Centaur gripped the human's tank top with his right hand and lifted his adversary half a yard into the air. Scott's eyes widened as he saw Motaro's horns coming towards him since the chief Centaur was about to headbutt him. Another explosion followed in Scott's mind as the horns smashed into his face. His head snapped back as he saw blood exploding out of it and his body went limp as it was still held in midair. Not wanting to give the resilient human a chance to recover, Motaro then followed with a left punch into his face as he was still restrained helplessly in the air. Scott didn't feel the punch since his senses were already knocked apart from the head butt. The human's head snapped to his left as his eyes were almost closed. He thus only had a small glimpse as Motaro then headbutted him a second time, sending more blood gushing out of the ninja's face.

Sonya was angrily panting as she saw the Centaur finally lowering his beaten human adversary towards the ground. Motaro only set him back down far enough so that the ninja's feet touched the ground. Scott was only semi-conscious at the time and clearly could not remain standing if it wasn't for the chief Centaur's continued grip on the tank top. With neither one of the humans knowing what to expect next, Motaro quickly lifted his right front leg and stood only on three legs. The Centaur then used his right front leg to send a devastating kick into the human's stomach. Blood gushed out of Scott's mouth at the point of impact. It was only then that Motaro released the grip on the human and stepped to the side as the ninja fell forward on his stomach. Seeing the human down, the Centaur next kicked him a second time, sending his left front leg into the side of that one's midsection.

Wiping his hands together to indicate he was finished, Motaro turned away from the downed ninja and triumphantly walked back towards his students. He felt proud as the first thing he saw was the icy look the female fighter was giving him. The chief Centaur had estimated that one kick should've been enough to kill the human adversary, so he had kicked that one twice to erase all doubt. As he wondered why his students were not cheering, he then saw the blank expression on the face of every single Centaur there since they seemed to be looking behind him. Motaro twisted around only to see Scott getting back up to his feet. The human was bleeding from both eyes as well as from the mouth while his vision faded.

"Is that your entire arsenal, freak?", Scott asked as he stood up straight.

Motaro was impressed, but he had never rewarded bravery when it came from his opponents. He charged towards the ninja again. As he reached that one, Scott executed a low roundhouse kick. The back of the human's ankle met the Centaur's waistline and that one was forced to the side. Unfortunately, Scott's strength was drained, so the kick was not as painful as it could've been otherwise. Before the ninja could strike again, Motaro punched him in the head, sending him dropping and involuntarily rolling away on the ground. As he received numerous cuts and bruises, Scott still managed to get back up, much to the chief Centaur's irritation. The human rushed towards him. Upon reaching Motaro, he jumped up and held his fists out in front of him and over his head. Both Scott's fists uppercut Motaro at once, sending a sharp pain from that one's chin into his brain.

The Centaur's face snapped towards the sky before he concentrated his efforts against the human again. Motaro punched Scott in the face with his right fist, sending the human against the wall of the factory. Cornering him there, and before the ninja could escape, the chief Centaur grabbed his jaw. Scott tried to kick his adversary's legs out from under him, but that one's arms had a longer reach than the human did. Motaro then slammed the back of Scott's head against the wall four times in quick succession. When the Centaur then let him go, the ninja pulled himself away from the wall, leaving a streak of blood in the area where the back of his head had impacted into it. Although the ninja still remained standing, he was dazed for good this time, and Motaro saw it. The chief Centaur took ten large steps backwards. Sonya realized what the invader intended to do, although Scott did not since he couldn't even see.

"Oh, no", the kombatant whispered to herself as she saw Motaro lowering his upper body and head.

The Centaur next charged forward. His lowered horns collided with Scott's chest, crushing the ninja between himself and the wall. Most of Scott's bones snapped and broke as easily as toothpicks while his muscles were torn under the impact. Motaro then pulled away and the ninja fell forward on the ground, completely decimated. The human's body convulsed twice before he stopped moving altogether. Sonya's throat tightened and she felt a single tear coming down her right eye as she saw Motaro raising his arms towards the sky and screaming, victorious.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back in Shao Kahn's castle, everyone who was watching the fight inside the cloud sighed and felt disappointed. They knew the only human left at the scene was the female kombatant, and she was far inferior to the ninja. Emperor Shao Kahn quietly turned his attention towards Shang Tsung, telling himself that the sorcerer looked different as that one quietly stared into the cloud as well. Shao Kahn guessed that the sorcerer's sentiment was closest to disappointment since he had wanted to spar with Scott himself later on.

"The female's obviously no threat", emperor Kahn spoke up to his delegates, "What does the majority vote desire? I will take it into consideration. We could interfere more, or just leave now and face our losses".

"The Earth realm is not lost yet, my emperor", Shang Tsung turned, "There is someone else nearby. Another kombatant".

"Who?", a member of the delegates asked.

"The actor, Johnny Cage", the sorcerer let them know, "He is nearby. He could prove to be the one we need now that the ninja is defeated".

"Agreed", emperor Kahn flicked his right thumb and index fingers together.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back in the Earth realm, Johnny was approaching a public theater along with Olsen and Pensky as he kept an eye out for the Centaur patrols. He was suddenly overcome by a silvery color.

"What the...", he looked down at his hands.

Detective Olsen turned to the actor, curious about what he was seeing also.

"What's going on?", Pensky asked, getting nervous.

Johnny couldn't answer. He had no explanation as he disappeared while he was only steps away from the officers. The actor saw his surroundings fade before a factory appeared ahead.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sonya, in the meantime, was an emotional mess as she saw Motaro lifting Scott up to his knees with a left grip. The triumphant Centaur looked down into the human's face as the ninja looked up at him. Completely helpless, Scott only braced himself for the inevitable.

"Fuck you", the human whispered as Motaro pulled his right arm back, ready to strike one last time.

Knowing that the chief Centaur was aiming for the death blow, Sonya closed her eyes and turned her face as far to the right as possible while still in the grip of the student Centaur. She didn't want to see the final blow. The only thing she knew was that the one living person other than her father with whom she had a unique relationship was about to die in the most brutal way possible at the hands of a monster. She found herself wishing she had kept the rose he had given her at the warehouse as she knew nothing more could be done. Before the final blow was heard, Johnny's voice interrupted Motaro and prompted her to open her eyes. Surprised, she saw her fellow kombatant standing just a few steps away, looking at the chief Centaur.

"What are you doing wasting your time with that wimp, Motaro?", the actor asked, coming closer to the Centaur, "He wasn't even at the original tournament, I was. Why don't you try testing your might on the only human who actually killed the Prince of Shokan?".

Motaro felt intrigued by the new challenge, especially since it would've proven his superiority to the Shokanite race if he won. The Centaur released his left grip on Scott without delivering the final blow and the ninja fell back down on the ground. The chief Centaur then turned to the kombatant as the members in Shao Kahn's castle eagerly watched again.

Motaro yelled charging ahead. Johnny leapt forward and executed a flying shadow kick. A colored shade seemed to impact into the Centaur's chest before Motaro staggered towards the factory wall. He involuntarily crashed into the wall, leaving a breach at the point of impact as pieces of stone came loose.

Angered, the chief Centaur gathered his concentration against the new adversary. He charged towards the actor, wishing to get the second fight over with quickly. The kombatant was ready as he leapt vertically into the air. Johnny's right leg shot out ahead of him, impacting into Motaro's stomach and stopping the Centaur's forward rush. Before gravity pulled him back towards the ground, the actor also pushed his left leg upward since he saw the invader bending down under the first hit. As Motaro lowered his torso forward, the kombatant's left foot thus smashed into his chin. His head snapped towards the sky as the human only then came back down on his feet.

Motaro swung at the second human with his right fist. Johnny pulled his upper body back and the Centaur's arm met air in front of him. As Motaro was still twisted to his left along with the swing, the actor sent his own fist into that one's right elbow. A blow like that would have been enough the break the arm of a human opponent, but Johnny found out that the Centaur's arm was much stronger. Motaro withdrew his right arm without even indicating any pain as the actor was forced to realize his strike did not work. The kombatant knew he had to strike again as he saw his adversary planning to swing. Without having enough time to concentrate fully, Johnny sent a high front kick into the invader's chest.

The Centaur was able to ignore the blow as he quickly twisted to his left before swinging his right arm. The back of his right knuckles found Johnny's head and knocked the actor down, cutting a deep bruise into his forehead. Happy at the result, Motaro rose on his hind legs, looking to crush the second human. The kombatant swiftly rolled on the ground and was able to move aside before the Centaur's front legs crashed into the ground next to him. The human next rose to his feet as blood flowed down his face from the wound. He smoothly twisted to his left and planted his right fist into Motaro's solar plexus. The Centaur only flinched slightly. Disappointed at the result, Johnny was getting ready to strike yet again when the invader returned the punch in the same fashion.

Motaro's left fist crashed into Johnny's chest, knocking the human down on his back and breaking several of his ribs. Before the kombatant was able to stand this time, Motaro lifted his left front leg and proceeded to step on the human's left ankle, which was nearby. Johnny heard himself screaming out as his left ankle broke under the Centaur's weight.

Motaro then stepped off the human and lifted himself on his hind legs again, looking for a second chance to crush the actor. Despite his injuries, Johnny still proved to be quicker than his adversary. The kombatant sprang to his feet while Motaro was only on two hind legs, looking to come back down. The human limped towards the Centaur with a hurry as that one was still only on two legs. As Motaro thought he would come back on his front legs to hopefully destroy the human, Johnny had already reached his lower part which looked like a horse. Preferring to execute a flying kick but knowing it was impossible because of the broken ankle, the actor punched Motaro hard in the area right between the front and hind legs.

As he was standing on two legs, looking to come down, the chief Centaur was completely surprised as he found himself being hurled backwards instead of forward. He dropped behind him and landed painfully on his human-like head. Johnny heard him roaring in anger and pain as he furiously twisted on his side and then rose back on his feet. Bellowing, Motaro rushed ahead and caught the human in the head with a decimating fist. Johnny heard nothing as he felt the impact and then saw the ground rushing towards him.

The kombatant laid on his back, looking up at the seemingly impervious Centaur. There just seemed to be no way of injuring the unstoppable chief invader. He could now understand how Scott had lost a fight to this one and was lying immobile on his stomach as a result. Johnny unsuccessfully tried to resist as Motaro bent down and gripped his neck with a left grasp. He would've been able to offer some kind of opposition, but his broken ribs screamed in pain in his chest and his left ankle forbade him from being able to stand up.

"GET OFF OF HIM!", Sonya finally yelled as she was trying to lash ahead, the Centaur still keeping her restrained, "GET YOUR GODDAMN HANDS OFF ME!".

As Johnny was unceremoniously pulled up to his feet, his broken ankle ached even more since his weight was now concentrated on it. He braced himself as he saw the aggressive and four-legged miscreant pulling back that one's right arm and getting ready to swing. A split second before the fist was about to glide through the air and into his face, everyone at the scene saw electricity emerging. Rayden appeared only steps away from the Centaur and the defeated kombatant. Motaro froze as he stared towards the deity.

"You have already won, Motaro", the thunder god pointed at him, "There is no need for further bloodshed".

"They challenged me!", the chief Centaur shot back, panting heavily.

"And you defeated them", the deity calmly replied, "You are not a sadistic brute like Goro was when he was trying to overcome the Earth realm through the tournament. Or are you?".

"That idiot wasted time and energy satisfying his sadistic desires", Motaro stared back at Johnny as he still addressed the deity, "I am more focused, more concentrated on the mission at hand alone. I do only what has to be done".

He stopped before he released the grip on Johnny's throat and let the human fall back down.

"That's why I'm better than the Shokanites, as he already found", Motaro pointed at the kombatant.

"That's right, you are", Rayden affirmed, not pointing out that Motaro was being sadistic just like Goro when he killed humans who were no threat to him, such as the little girl.

The deity did not contradict the Centaur because it seemed to be the only way of persuading that one to let the kombatant live without getting personally involved himself. He still remembered the threat from the Centaurs' deity, so he had to make sure not to directly influence the outcome.

Grinning, Motaro motioned at the Centaur who had kept Sonya in a restrained position throughout both fights. That one released her and stepped away as the chief Centaur made his way past the factory and his students followed. They were in a very joyful mood because they knew the invasion forced was constantly defeating the human resistance in a majority of the cases. With the human fighters unable to kill Motaro in a fair fight, the Earth realm was doomed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back in Shao Kahn's castle, the delegates sighed in disappointment for the second time. Motaro had just destroyed two of the Earth realm's best fighters in a row. Even Shang Tsung admitted to himself that the survival of the Earth realm was a lost cause and that his emperor should just have to listen to Motaro boast. A majority of the delegates bowed towards the emperor and were dismissed as Shao Kahn knew he'd have to restrain himself once the chief Centaur visited him. He was sure Motaro would tease him about how the Centaur had conquered the humans who had eluded him so many times before.

"We tried our best, my emperor", Shang Tsung started, "There is no shame in...".

He was interrupted as he, Shao Kahn and the few remaining delegates saw an unexpected occurrence in the cloud. They each stared intently into it as they witnessed the next scene.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back outside the factory, Sonya was staring coldly at Motaro's back as the group of Centaurs walked away from her, Rayden and the two downed fighters. The tightness in her throat was gone as an eerie calmness seemed to envelop her senses. The lady kombatant proceeded to remove the top half of the commando outfit which she wore, leaving only the green outfit like before. With the chilly wind creating a tickling feeling on her bare stomach and arms, she called out.

"Hey, tough guy", she raised her voice, "There's one more person you have to go through".

Motaro stopped and turned around as he was still panting. There was a brief silence before he and all his students laughed when they realized she meant herself.

"Rayden, take these two boys somewhere else", Sonya turned to the deity and pointed at Scott and Johnny.

Johnny was awake and he tried to raise himself on his right foot. The actor was about to protest her decision, feeling there was no point to it. However, she stopped him before he even started speaking.

"Enough running away", she flatly told her fellow kombatant as she dropped the heavy black turtleneck on the ground.

"Don't, it's useless", Johnny was able to warn before Rayden placed his palms together.

Lightning bolts emanated from the deity's hands and surrounded himself and both male fighters. All three vanished within an instant. Seeing it, Sonya then approached Motaro.

"Three time's the charm", she whispered to herself as she came near.

She and the chief Centaur locked eyes.

"How about it?", she asked him, "You're gonna stand there and tell all your students that you're afraid of a woman?".

Sonya told herself that, even though Motaro was obviously superior to her and all other humans in strength and endurance, he was currently panting. The chief Centaur had just fought two of the Earth realm's best humans, and even tough he had won, it had taken a lot of energy out of him. She hoped that lack of energy would be enough to lead to his downfall.

Motaro was quiet, knowing he should not accept a third challenge so soon because he was exhausted. However, he would not be able to live with the suspicious stares his students gave to him if he refused a woman's dare.

"Oh, I can see this", Sonya spoke up, trying to intimidate him like she had provoked Sub-zero back when the ice ninja's specter had kidnapped her, "You're just a wimp, like all the other four-legs that I wasted before I came here. You just talk big, but when it comes to proving yourself, you're just a big chicken! A cockroach, a nobody! That's what you are!".

The chief Centaur's students moaned slightly at the insult their leader was enduring.

"You know what I did to one of your nobodies?", the kombatant continued, "I jumped on his back, shoved the gun into his head and pumped fourteen bullets into it. He fell on his side dead without being able to lift a finger. I guess that should not be a surprise, considering he didn't have a brain that I could damage in his head to begin with".

Still exhausted and breathing hard, Motaro had had enough. His honor demanded that he not walk away. Proving to be as gullible as Sub-zero, the chief Centaur screamed and rushed towards her. Sonya yelled as well, although her voice was much thinner than her opponent's.

The kombatant fly kicked into the Centaur, stopping him in his tracks. She landed on her feet in time to see him swing at her head. She ducked as his fist met air. Standing back up, she kicked him in the side of the right front knee with her left ankle. Sonya then followed with a solid punch into the left side of his stomach, although he didn't even seem to feel the result. As Motaro swung for as second time, she quickly somersaulted backwards and away from him. Turning upside down on her hands and then coming back on her feet a number of times quickly, she was able to cover the distance faster than she would have if she was running.

Sonya landed on her feet and stayed still as she got to within about ten yards away. From there, the chief Centaur wondered what she planned to do next as she charged forward and fly kicked into him again. The impact of her extended leg into his stomach sent him two steps backwards as he bent down and grunted, the wind having been temporarily knocked out of him. Back on her feet, she ducked again as his angry swing met air for the second time. The human responded by twisting to her right and sending her left leg into his stomach with all the strength she could afford. He bent down again, getting frustrated. She didn't give him a chance to retaliate because she uppercut him with a right fist. Motaro's head and upper body snapped back up to a standing position under the blow, but she felt the pain in her right hand.

"OW!", she gasped, holding her right wrist with the left hand, "What's he made out of?".

She didn't have to think much about it because she saw his left front leg being raised. Sonya blindly jumped to her own left, landed on the ground and rolled as a ball as his leg passed through the area where her stomach had been located only half a second ago. Standing up, she somersaulted backwards again, distancing herself from him. Although the strategy was working, she realized that she was spending more energy than him and would thus be worn out before her adversary if she continued in such a way. She had to think of something new fast.

Motaro lowered his upper body and head before rushing towards her with a scream. If his horns had impacted with the human, it was the end of the fight for sure. The horns were at the same level of height as Sonya's head as she saw him approaching fast. The kombatant quickly stepped to the left side and out of his way while the chief Centaur was running too fast to stop. As he rushed by the human, she grabbed his lowered horns and pushed him towards the direction that he was heading behind her, adding more force to his useless charge. His forward dash, strengthened by her push, sent Motaro staggering ahead for several yards before he lost his balance and his front legs buckled, forcing him to hit ground face-first.

Groaning with anger, the Centaur stood back up and turned around. Before Sonya could strike, he delivered a massive left punch to her face. Her head snapped to her left and, though she was dizzy, she saw blood spilling out of her mouth in the process. Motaro was surprised to see that she remained standing. As he tried to swing again, the kombatant twisted and sent another swift kick into his waistline, forcing him to lose the concentration of his swing as he bent down. She then took advantage of his lowered torso as she twisted to her left and kicked him in the head. Her right ankle crashed into the Centaur's jaw and snapped the invader's face to his right.

Motaro swung again, this time blindly since he was beginning to feel the effects of fighting when he was tired. His punch was easily avoided when she pulled her upper body back. The kombatant delivered a front kick into his stomach, sending his upper body forward again. Sonya then executed a smooth roundhouse kick which slammed hard into Centaur's head, hurting that one but still without knocking him down on his side. Seeing him slightly dazed and liking it, she sent another front kick into his midsection.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Johnny, in the meanwhile, staggered into the lightly-staffed hospital emergency room as he carried Scott on his right shoulder. A fraction of the nurses and doctors there had remained, reasoning that they were as safe in the hospital as they would be anywhere else. The kombatant tried to ignore his broken ankle as he brought the ninja inside. Seeing him, a nurse pushed a stretcher towards him. Johnny quickly rested the ninja on it to the best of his abilities and stood his ground as the nurse pulled the stretcher away, instructing another nurse to call a particular doctor.

"Don't ever change, Johnny", the ninja called out as he was being pulled towards the operating room, which was not the usual place for an emergency but was improvised to be under the conditions.

The actor limped towards the nearest chair and finally sat down, his ankle sending pain throughout his entire leg. He also knew that many of his ribs were broken and could feel blood dripping down from the wound on his forehead. He didn't pay attention to any of the three relatively light injuries as his thoughts were still with Scott. Johnny looked over at the closed doors of the room where his friend was taken and wondered sadly how the ninja was doing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"WIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!", Sonya screamed as her ankle met Motaro's lowered jaw for the third time.

Unlike the previous two occasions, the Centaur yelled out as he crashed on the ground on his side since her high kick proved to have enough strength this time. He quickly stood back up, knowing he must, as he felt his energy draining. Facing him as they both stood at their full height, Sonya tried to take advantage of his lack of concentration by hurting him more. The human jumped up into the air and towards her adversary as she was about to deliver an uppercut while that one stood tall. Before her fist reached his chin, though, Motaro kicked out with his left leg. The bottom of his leg impacted in her stomach while she was in midair and sharply bent her body in half. The kombatant gasped and saw stars as the wind was knocked out of her and more blood erupted from her mouth. With his left leg still pressed hard into her waistline, she came back down on the ground. The kombatant ignored the devastating pain and landed on her feet without being able to execute the uppercut.

With both fighters standing on the ground again, Motaro's eyes suddenly widened. He realized that he was not able to pull his left leg back because the human had locked both her hands around it. With fresh blood from her mouth constantly staining the halter she wore, she locked eyes with him and saw the fear in his expression as he recognized the vulnerable position he was in.

Sonya smiled.

They were both immobile for what Motaro felt was infinity but was in reality no more than two seconds. The Centaur was trying to balance himself on three legs as Sonya pulled hard to retain her grip on his fourth leg. Then, realizing it was not going to be resolved like a tug-of-war, they both reacted. Motaro swung a closed right fist which was aimed at her head. At the same time, Sonya released her right grip on his leg, and maintaining her left one, bent her right arm at the elbow. She swung downward on his knee with her right elbow as she saw his fist coming for her face. With all her strength and weight behind it, her elbow crashed into his knee when his fist was a mere six inches away from delivering a blow to her head. The Centaur's knee snapped and his left front leg broke in the direction opposite that of its natural bend.

The momentum in Motaro's fist carried itself on as pain overwhelmed the Centaur and he roared. His right fist impacted into her jaw, finally forcing her to let go of his broken leg. Sonya fell down on her side as Motaro, unable to cope with the sudden pain and the use of only three legs, crashed down on his side also. However, the human was able to stand up much faster as she intended to finish the fight and also to make him pay for the entire invasion. She rushed over and repeatedly and angrily kicked him in the head as he was still unable to get back up. She didn't care about the amount of blood she was losing as her right sneakers tore after the eighth kick she sent into his face.

Under the burden of her kicks, Motaro kept roaring in pain as he desperately pulled himself up to his feet. Once standing, he punched her in the head again. Sonya twisted around and dropped on the ground on her stomach before the Centaur fell back down again. Her endurance at the present time proving to be stronger than any punishment he could deliver, the human stood back up on her feet. She enjoyed seeing the fear in his eyes as he lay helplessly on his side. She told herself that it was something he was probably feeling for the first time.

The kombatant grabbed the Centaur by the horns, pulled his head up and then shoved his face downwards into the hard ground. She knew the invaders only used their horns to strike with and they never used the face, so she reasoned that it must've been painful for him. She lifted his dazed head up until she was able to look into his eyes. Having made eye contact for only a split second, she pushed his face into the ground for a second time. Motaro gasped in pain as his students were shocked at what they saw. None of them intervened, though, as the human lifted the chief Centaur's head up again, seeing blood on his forehead.

"This is for every single life lost to your goddamn invasion", Sonya angrily barked into his face, still retaining her grip on his horns, "Remember all of them".

With that, she used all her strength to send his face into the ground for a third time. Motaro stopped moaning after the third impact as some of his students gasped. The kombatant pulled his head up and let go of his horns when his human upper body was far enough from the ground that Motaro's face was only inches below her own.

"Die, great one!", she exclaimed as she turned her right hand into a fist.

Sonya's right fist crashed into Motaro's bloodied face as that one only had enough strength to see the blow coming. He fell down on his side after the impact and did not move. The kombatant knew he was dead after she kicked him in the head as a test and got no reflex. She then turned and faced his students, pointing at them as they were slowly backing away from her.

"Your leader has been defeated in single combat", she announced, panting and spitting out blood as she did, "I expect all of you to leave this realm at once. Pass the word".

Every one of Motaro's students lowered his head and left the parking lot without a word.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In Hong Kong, Jax was on the look-out as he drove the van and the night air seemed to get darker as time went on. He realized he was only imagining the scene losing whatever brightness it contained, since it obviously could not be getting more gloomy with time. Sensing that his eyes were getting heavier, the major looked towards his right at private Ellison, who was in the front passenger seat. That soldier appeared to still be wide awake, proving his endurance in battle. But again, Ellison had not been awake the previous night, as Jax had been, overlooking the shipment of Arols to all the American military bases in their quarter of the globe.

"Everything allright, sir?", Ellison eventually noticed the stare, indicating to Jax that he'd been looking at the private for a little to long.

"Yes, of course", Jax replied, turning his attention back to the road.

"Would you like me to take over as look-out?", the private then offered, "We should each get some kind of rest. I don't see this party ending when the sun comes up in a few hours, and we're going to be much more visible to the enemy then. We need to be alert by sunrise".

Jax thought to himself that the kid made sense. Still, he could not live with the idea of a major handing his responsibility over to a private.

"Thanks, but I'm fine", the major forced himself to reply, "You get some rest. When I feel like I can't go on like this, I'll let you know".

"Very well, sir", Ellison rested his head back on the seat, forcing his eyes shut in order to get the rest he knew he'd need once sunlight came.

Only a few seconds passed before Jax quickly stepped on the brakes, bringing the van to a sudden halt and persuading Ellison to open his eyes.

"What is it? What happened, boss?", both men heard a soldier asking from inside the van behind them.

Jax and Ellison were looking ahead at a straight line of six Centaurs as those blocked the street. Having a human vehicle being operated in the burning city was something that had caught the invaders' attention.

"We wanted to be found", Ellison swiftly gripped his Arol, "Now is the time to put our skill to use again".

"We got company", Jax declared so the troops behind him knew, "Six of them".

The major and the rest of the commandos grabbed their rocket launchers as well, looking forward to their next confrontation with the invaders. They had seen so sign of other human resistance all night long, almost as if the foreign soldiers were the only ones trying to fight back. Clearly, that could not have been the case, but some of the commandos had been heard mumbling under their breath as they kept finding themselves as the only ones pushing the invaders back.

"What a bunch of idiots", Ellison commented to himself as he opened the passenger side door, referring to the Centaurs, "They think they're in for a winning fight. They still don't even know what we have".

The back of the van was pushed open before eleven armed troops dashed out of it, ready for action once more. Liu and Kitana followed them from inside. The monk jumped down on the ground and stared at the line of six Centaurs that the soldiers rushed towards. Kitana could see unease on his face as he surveyed the situation.

"What is it?", the princess asked.

"Do you not find it strange that these Centaurs are making themselves so visible to the soldiers?" the monk turned to her, "It has been several hours since the onset of the invasion. The Centaurs should have been able to guess that the soldiers' vehicle would have been spotted by now. The invaders should have realized that the reason we are still here is because we destroyed our earlier adversaries. And then to just give us such a pathetic showdown? It seems careless".

As he and Kitana were still next to the van, they saw the thirteen soldiers forming a line about twenty yards away from the line of six invaders. The next sound the humans heard was a simultaneous scream as thirty more Centaurs made themselves visible from their dark hiding places. The thirty additional invaders slowly approached the humans, who just noticed they had been ambushed, as they formed a rough circle around the thirteen armed Earth natives. Liu and Kitana were not even noticed as the monk turned to her.

"Do as I say, Princess", Liu quickly whispered, "Operate the vehicle and drive it into one of the Centaurs. We need to create a diversion".

Kitana climbed inside the van from the back, rushing for the driver's seat. She positioned herself behind the wheel, fortunately realizing that Jax had never stopped the engine. She first placed the seat belt around her, strapping herself to the seat. She then hoped she was doing the right thing as she played with the controls of the vehicle.

Jax, on the other hand, turned around and swore at himself for not seeing the trap. He and his twelve soldiers formed a smaller circle within the larger one created by the advancing Centaurs. Even with two shells in each Arol, it would still leave at least ten unharmed Centaurs to fight when the soldiers were out of ammunition. The major was not about to go down without a fight, a feeling shared by each of his men, so they braced themselves for a physical showdown after the shoot-out.

"Open fire!", Jax ordered.

Thirteen rocket launchers fired at once, each aimed at a different adversary. The Centaurs who weren't hit the first time rushed towards the humans. Some of the charging invaders were cut down when the Arols fired their second and last shell. As the screams of the dying Centaurs echoed through the air and the ground was covered with a pool of the dead invaders' blood, the humans saw they had twelve Centaurs remaining. Jax dropped his weapon, realizing two soldiers had fired a shot into the same invader twice. The major promised himself to fix the problem if they all lived through this confrontation. The twelve Centaurs charged ahead, ready for a fight.

Jax rushed forward, meeting one adversary head-on before any of his troops met an invader. The Centaur was stopped cold in his tracks as he and the major collided. More than anything, the invader was surprised that a human had the audacity to challenge his strength in such a way. Without any thoughts on anything other than the fight at hand, Jax sent his right fist into the Centaur's stomach. That one bent down under the extremely painful impact, surprised that a human could possess such upper body strength. Jax then followed it with a forward straight thrust from his left arm. His left fist collided into the Centaur's face and snapped that one's head to the right. Without believing what was going on, the Centaur found himself involuntarily staggering to his right. Rushing towards his adversary, Jax then caught a glimpse of his van as it sped past him, heading towards his men as those already had their hands full.

The major charged towards the Centaur from that one's side and delivered a strong kick with his right leg into that one's lower horse-like part, between his front and hind legs. The fact that Jax was wearing steel-toed Army boots at the time only made the kick all the more painful as the invader's head snapped towards the sky and he roared in pain. Unable to cope, the Centaur dropped to the ground as the aching overwhelmed his lower half of the body and his four legs buckled. Jax continued by walking to the front of the Centaur and swinging his right arm. The invader braced himself as he saw the major's right fist flying through the air towards his face. Jax's knuckles crashed into the invader's jaw and knocked that one down on his side.

Ellison, on the other hand, was trying to figure out a way to try to fight the Centaur he saw charging towards him. As that one was within a few steps of the soldier, Ellison saw the van accelerating towards the Centaur from behind. The Centaur slowed down and curiously looked behind him a moment before the van crashed into his hind legs. His hind legs broke instantly as the van came to a sudden halt. The Centaur screamed out as his lower body met the ground. Ellison rushed towards the invader, turned his right hand into a fist and sent it into that one's chin as a swift uppercut. The Centaur's head snapped towards the sky, only intensifying the pain his lower body already felt. Stepping away to help his fellow soldiers, Ellison saw Kitana opening the driver's side door of the van and staggering out.

"Thank you", the soldier stated, unsure if she had even heard him, before he rushed away to help out the others.

Ellison ran towards a Centaur as that one held one of his comrades after already having beaten him unconscious. The invader held the defeated soldier in the air with his right grip, intending to deliver yet another blow with his left fist. Before he got a chance, Ellison jumped up, tackling his upper body from the left side. The force from the intruding soldier's tackle forced the Centaur to drop the beaten soldier as he was pushed downward and towards the right. The Centaur crashed on the ground on his right side, with Ellison attached to the left side of his torso. The soldier stood up first and kicked that one in the head, annoying him ever more.

As that happened, Ellison saw Liu flying past him in what appeared to be a horizontal line. The monk's extended right leg smashed into a nearby Centaur's chest and knocked that one down also. Liu then landed gracefully on his legs and delivered a roundhouse kick. The back of his ankle met the neck of another Centaur and knocked that one down on his side, freeing the soldier he was fighting with to concentrate on another invader.

Suddenly, all the remaining Centaurs stood up straight without even trying to fight against the humans. Jax, Liu and all the soldiers froze as they noticed that the invaders weren't resisting any more.

"What the hell are you doing?", major Briggs demanded, still in his stance, obviously not trusting the invaders.

Those seemed to be receiving a message from somewhere else through their minds. The Centaurs intently listened to the voice that only they heard telepathically. Then, all their faces lowered at once and they just walked away from the fight scene, leaving their dead comrades behind.

"Come again?", Ellison asked himself, not believing his eyes.

"They're retreating! They're retreating?", another soldier was heard.

Jax followed the path the invaders took. A bright portal opened in front of them and the surviving invaders simply walked into it without even looking back. All of a sudden, the humans were left alone with a large number of Centaur corpses.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once alone with Motaro's corpse and the bonfire that still raged on, Sonya left the parking lot and looked around for a street sign. Looking for a name in the darkness was bad enough without having a sharp pain in her head and stomach. Finally finding one, she remembered to the best of her abilities that the closest hospital was about half a mile away. It was thus possible that's where Rayden had taken Johnny and Scott. Hoping her memories served her correctly, she limped and staggered towards it.

She was glad when she eventually saw the entrance of the emergency room. Running towards it anxiously, she faltered through the main doors, still trying to stop the incessant bleeding from her mouth. Seeing her condition and her bloody clothes, a nurse dressed in white asked her if she needed help. Sonya didn't even hear her as she saw Johnny seated several steps away. The actor was bruised and bleeding also, but healthy overall with no injuries that wouldn't have healed with time.

"Where's Scott?", she asked, proceeding towards him as he stood up.

She wanted to go past him, but he grabbed her right upper arm and stopped her, which proved to be quiet easy to do.

"Sonya, stop", the actor advised.

"Let go of me!", she pulled her arm free, still panting, "Where is he? Where's Scott?".

"Sonya, listen", Johnny gently replied before he stopped.

She stopped also, staring into his eyes and trying hard to stand still. She told herself that she hated the sound of his voice.

"His spine was crushed. Some bones from his rib cage had pierced his lungs", the actor stopped again.

Sonya shook her head.

"No", she blurted out.

She saw for the first time how heavy his eyes seemed, as if he'd been crying.

"Sonya, he's gone", Johnny added, "There was nothing the doctor could do".

"No, goddamnit, no!", she stepped away from him, "He can't! Not now!".

"I'm really sorry", her fellow kombatant said, "Time of death was less than ten minutes ago".

"I want to see him", she quickly told him.

"I don't think that's a good idea right now", Johnny was trying to remain calm, "You've been...".

She didn't wait until he was finished making his statement as she turned away and headed for the operating room, although she had no idea whether or not the ninja was there. Understanding that the only reason she was here was because she had succeeded in killing Motaro, Johnny followed her in. She opened the door and saw that the disorganized room had two beds, one of them with a covered body lying on it.

"Do you want to be alone?", Johnny was right behind her.

"It doesn't matter", she remarked as she walked in.

The actor walked in also and closed the door as Sonya lifted the cover off the body's face. Surely enough, it was Scott. She had no reaction as she placed two fingers from her right hand on his throat. The truth finally set in and she gasped when she didn't feel a pulse. She began sobbing as she squatted next to the bed. She put her right arm on the ninja's chest and rested her head face-down on her elbow.

"He asked me to marry him", she uttered between cries, "I should've been here when he died... I should've been here".

"You can't do anything here", her fellow kombatant placed a hand on her shoulder.

Sonya stood up, still crying. She bent down and kissed the ninja on the lips before covering his face again. She walked out of the room trying to dry her eyes as he followed.

"I need some air", she gasped, still in tears, "You better stay here and get a doctor or something".

Johnny stayed behind as he watched her leave the hospital. The actor had to admit his chest and ankle hurt a lot, so getting some help for himself was the sensible thing to do. As he was about to take her advice and ask for assistance, he looked at the door which she had used to leave again.

Johnny limped towards and then out of the door, searching around the night air outside. The first thing he saw was an electronic sign overhead which flashed the time and the temperature. 1:43AM, 39F, 4C repeated incessantly as the kombatant combed the area. He finally spotted her as she was seated on the sidewalk behind an ambulance with her head down. Feeling the cold, the actor limped towards her, stopping on the sidewalk about a yard away without sitting down also.

"You want to talk?", Johnny asked, looking down at her.

Sonya lifted her head and only turned to him long enough to see who was addressing her. She then stared ahead and quietly shook her head. Johnny could still see fresh tears on her face as he sat down next to her and stared ahead also.

"I'm glad you were able to finish off Motaro", the actor said, looking at her.

"You two helped", she looked back at him.

He wrapped one arm around her shoulders as she wrapped her arm around his lower back in response. She then rested her face on his shoulder. Johnny remembered that he had lost someone who was, in some way or another, always on his side on the long run. From the raid on the House of Representatives all the way to the present time. The actor suddenly recalled the comment Scott had made when he was told that the kombatant planned to call someone to help them investigate whether or not Goro's specter had returned. "Who, the ghostbusters?" resonated through the actor's mind as he felt tears coming down his eyes as well.

"What?", Sonya lifted her head off his shoulder and looked at him.

"Nothing, it's just ironic", Johnny replied, drying his eyes, "I came here to console you".

"Oooh", she turned and wrapped both arms around him.

They remained outside, trying to stay warm in the cold air and comforting each other.

XXXXXXXXXXEPILOGUEXXXXXXXXXXX

Scott gasped as he sat up, still wearing the black pants and tank top from his commando outfit. The image of Motaro was still in his mind as he opened his eyes and looked around, wondering where he was. It was bright, but he could see no floor nor a ceiling, although was a obviously lying on a hard, comfortable surface. The ninja sat up completely as he turned to his right, seeing Rayden as the deity was squatted next to him.

"Scott, you are dead", the thunder god told him, "As the protector of the realm of Earth, I will guide you to Hades. You will find rest there".

The god stood up and offered his hand. Scott gripped it and was pulled up to his feet. The ninja felt fine and didn't see any injuries on him. He was nervous as he walked towards an unknown destination with the god by his side. They walked for a few seconds until they reached the shore of a crystal-clear river. Scott could see through the water, but the ground under the water was still invisible. Looking ahead, the ninja saw a small wooden boat being operated by a skeleton dressed only in a piece of cloth.

"Oh, God...", the ninja recoiled.

"Everything will be allright", Rayden assured, "Hades is only here to help you reach your resting place. You will be allright".

Rayden and Hades locked eyes, communicating nonverbally for a few moments before Hades nodded. The thunder god then looked at the ninja.

"The boat is yours", he told that one.

"So that's it?", the ninja asked, "This is how it ends?".

"Life never ends, Scott", Rayden let him know, "You are simply going to the second and final stage, where you will be able to rest after your efforts on the Earth realm".

"Oh, well...", Scott stopped briefly, "Thanks for everything".

"It was my pleasure", the thunder god bowed, "Be strong, Scott".

Rayden vanished. Scott then hesitantly climbed into Hades' boat. The new god took him for a ride across the clear river. The ride lasted less than five minutes, but Scott spent the entire time looking up at the bright, sparkling sky above.

"Wow, it's beautiful", the ninja commented.

"Yes it is", Hades flatly replied in a neutral voice.

The boat soon anchored at the shore of another land.

"This is your stop", Hades told him.

"OK, thanks for the ride", Scott said, stepping off the side of the boat and securing is feet on the dark ground below.

The land he saw was familiar. After all, it was the same one he had visited earlier in order to train with Durak. The bright sky and the relatively dark ground felt like home. The first sound the ninja heard was a familiar voice from behind him.

"Look who's here".

Hearing it, Scott turned around. Durak approached him with Lee at his side.

"I knew you'd be coming soon, but I didn't think my training would get you killed that quickly", the large Shokanite grinned.

"Hey, Lee, you OK?", the ninja asked what sounded like a dumb question.

"Just fine", Lee told him.

"Now that you're a permanent resident, you can use this land's resources", Durak said, "Just like we can".

"Really?", Scott placed his right thumb and index fingers together.

When he separated them, a red rose appeared in his hand.

"Supercool!", the ninja smiled.

He remembered where the rose had come from. It was his memories from the Earth realm, of Sonya, Johnny, Liu and Jax. His smile faded and he felt sad all of a sudden since he realized he had left them all behind.

"Do not worry about your friends", Durak advised, recognizing the expression on the ninja's face, "They are fine and Motaro's dead. Relax and enjoy your surroundings. You will see your friends soon enough".

The Shokanite patted him lightly on the back. Trying to cheer up, Scott turned and saw someone else next to him. It was a young man, definitely younger than him, with short blond hair. Scott told himself that the stranger had a face that reminded him of Sonya, but it wasn't her.

"Wait a sec", the ninja grinned, "I've never seen a picture of you, but I bet I know who you are. You're Danny, am I right?".

"Nobody has called me 'Danny' in ages", the stranger proved him right, "And you're the guy who tried to... replace me?".

"Yeah, I guess I am", Scott kept grinning as they shook hands.

"I always thought you'd be the first guy at my funeral that I'd see here", the ninja heard next.

He turned to see lieutenant Richards, whose death he still remembered at Kano's hands.

"Rich?", Scott couldn't believe his eyes, "Man! It's been forever!".

"Yes it has", Richards briefly wrapped an arm around him.

"And this here is Kung Lao", Durak pointed at another man in a blue outfit who wore what Scott would've guessed to be a Mexican sombrero, except that it wasn't.

"He was the Earth realm's champion that Goro faced five centuries ago", Durak explained.

"It's an honor", Scott extended his right hand.

"The same", Kung Lao replied, gripping it, "I must admit I am looking forward to spending time with you".

XXXXXXXXXXEPILOGUE 2XXXXXXXXX

Motaro woke up in total pain. He could feel his body being healed from the inside. He groaned as he staggered to his feet. The only two people he saw in the chamber were Shao Kahn, who was seated on a throne, and Shang Tsung, who stood next to that one.

"Oh, does that hurt?", Shao Kahn asked, as if he was addressing a mere child.

Both the emperor and the sorcerer smiled, wishing to make the Centaur pay for all the stress he put them through.

"You said you'd conquer the Earth realm? How pathetic!", Shao Kahn exclaimed, "You couldn't even wipe out the kombatants as you claimed. And you lost to a woman!".

"I know of Sonya, my emperor", Shang Tsung spoke up, "There is no shame in losing to her".

The sorcerer then turned his attention at the Centaur.

"But still, the extent to which you failed will be told in legends for centuries to come, I imagine", the demon sorcerer continued, enjoying himself, "Your invasion force has already retreated back to its own realm, admitting defeat".

"Damn you!", Motaro roared, charging at them.

"Calm yourself", Shang Tsung quickly ordered.

Not knowing why, the Centaur stopped in his tracks and quieted down.

"I knew your Centaurs wouldn't accomplish anything with their stupid beliefs", emperor Kahn continued, "I told you I should have been in charge of you and your army".

"My emperor has graciously given you your life force back", Shang Tsung icily smiled, "You have a choice. Choice one, you can finally agree to be one of us, in which case you, and all your students, will be under my emperor's control. Or choice two, where master Kahn, who was so generous just now, can take your life force back".

Shang Tsung's smile faded.

"In which case you will go back to being a corpse", the sorcerer added, "What will it be?".

Seeing as to how he had no choice, Motaro bowed his upper body.

"Kneel", Shang Tsung ordered.

The Centaur did as he was told, never taking his eyes away from either individual. Seeing it, Shao Kahn stood up.

"Now, my second-in-command, let us talk", the emperor approached Motaro.