Chapter seven: Assault on Lord Herb
"Loyal warriors of the Musk Dynasty, hear the words of your Emperor!" Herb, the twenty third Emperor of the Musk Dynasty, looked down at his vast army from a balcony located at the top level of his black stoned fortress. His voice rang out loudly, echoing throughout the land like thunder during a storm. Though normally quiet in nature, the Dragon King began his speech with a deep booming voice, a voice that demanded respect and instant attention.
Thousands of soldiers that made up the first corps, clad in modern fatigues stood assembled in formation below him, awaiting his declaration of war. The Emperor's voice was, even now, being carried across the empire to the ears of his citizens and military alike via television, internet, and radio. This anticipated event was to be the biggest event that had ever occurred in the modern empire's history. To say that the citizens of the Musk Dynasty were listening and clinging to his words was an understatement.
"For many years, our empire has been strong. We've made the whole of western China ours thru bloodshed and countless sacrifices. Yet, despite all these successes, one thing still remains beyond our grasp: the village of the Amazon women!" He spoke the name with disgust and his narrow eyes flashed with intensity.
He pounded on the podium in which his microphone was attached to. "For thousands of years, far before our empire came into existence, our tribe as fought many incredible battles with these vermin. Somehow we were always thwarted. When we gathered anew after the Qing dynasty faded into the pages of history and formed our own new dynasty, the Joketsuzoku Amazons struck us hard and often, jealous of the land we claimed as our own. Through the strength of our people, we managed to hold our own. They killed our women and children in retaliation, and destroyed our towns and cities with impunity! But tomorrow that changes my friends! Tomorrow, we will slay the Amazon's in savage combat and pay them back in kind!"
He raised his fist to the sky and the men below him bellowed a loud war cry.
"Tomorrow we march into glorious battle. This coming conflict mark the fall of the Amazon nation! Return to your wives and rest, warriors of the 1st corp., but be ready for the coming war! We depart at dawn.-
Lord Herb, the great emperor with the power and virtues of a dragon flowing through his veins, gave another savage cry and his men cheered, waving their weapons in the air. He watched for a long time as the large masses of men break apart as they returned to their homes, some for the last time.
He turned his gazed up and looked out at the beautiful evening horizon as a cool breeze ran through his hair. The setting sun reflected off of the dragon scale armor he wore on his body and he glowed a magnificent golden hue. From the distance, he looked like a shimmering being of light, omnipotent and indescribably beautiful.
He thought of the Amazon hordes as he gazed at the distant mountains that separated his land from the disputed lands of the Amazons and his very being filled with unquenchable hate. "Joketsuzoku scum…"
Herb had lost his father ten years prior during the last of the great battles against the Amazon's, leaving him to the care of his people. His mother had died three years before that to cancer. The loss of both his parents over such a short period of time had hardened him into a tight-fisted warrior. For over a year, he had retreated into himself, swelling with sadness and anger. The two losses hurt young Herb more than he would ever dare admit, even to himself. He was somewhat unstable as a result and he understood that. The events that had involved the Amazon's had given birth to a hatred that sent him into the embrace of rage at times. The little life-changing plunge at Jusenkyo hadn't helped his mental stability either.
Over time, he had learned to control his fits of anger and maintain his powerful and invulnerable image in front of the public. But today, on the eve of battle, he couldn't help himself. His powerful body shook with rage as his soul cried out for revenge. He knew that in the battle to come, the Lord the Musk Dynasty would disappear and leave a killing machine in its place with a quest for vengeance and a taste for blood. Too many of his people had died needlessly; too many homes had been shattered in pointless raids and attacks. It was time for a closure. The ancient battle between Amazon and Musk was going to end very soon.
Soon Amazons, you will pay the price for resisting my power! You will suffer twice as bad for the murder of my father! But for now, I need to relax. I must conserve my power for the battles to come.
He shook his head to clear it and forced himself to calm, clenching and unclenching his fist repeatedly while he took deep cleansing breathes. He decided to forget his anger for the moment and focused on the matters at hand. After all, planning a war was a tough job.
While the Musk preferred to hold onto the old ways of living, (males older than six were kept away from women for training purposes until they reached the age suitable for marriage, for instance,) the country wasn't entirely against change. Tradition and technology had blended together nicely. Older styled villages still flourished in the capital suburbs and villages, but office buildings and skyscrapers existed as well. Herb's royal guards, the Elite Jun,still brandished traditional weapons while the rest of his vast military had harnessed the power of guided rockets, long range artillery, and automatic rifles. They had built a small navy as well, one the patrolled the Musk-owned coastline like the Chinese wooden ships of old.
Their enemies, the Amazons, had adopted a similar plan of action. Their vast tribe had built a huge series of buildings and tunnels under their village and they possessed modern weapons bought from all over the world. It was a threat the Musk couldn't ignore, not with the Communists looking for any excuse they could to take the Musk territory for their own thereby reuniting all of china under one banner.
Taking a calming breath and forcing that train of thought from his mind, he pushed his hair back behind his slightly pointed ears and gathered his wits about him.
"Mint, Lime, come here!" He barked the order with strength.
Two men detached themselves from the shadows created by two large pillars which flanked the door that led from the balcony to Herb's chamber. They bowed humbly before him, neither daring to look into his eyes.
"You summoned us my lord," they asked in unison.
Herb turned around to face the two guards. "Come now, my friends. Rise and face me. There isn't need for such formality here." His voice held an affectionate tone reserved only for those closest to him. Mint and Lime complied, both rising with an attentive stance, ready to act on his command.
Mint, the weaker of the two watched his master with large, watchful eyes, stroking the skin's of a wolf he wore over his clothes. Small, fast, and cunning: these were the traits that had earned him the title of bodyguard of the Emperor. He was unmatched in his skill with throwing knives which he threw with deadly accuracy every time. In battle he was like a wolf, savage, and quick.
Mint glanced at his master's powerful dark eyes and nervously fiddled with the handle of a knife attached to his belt. He never felt completely comfortable in Herb's presence. The Dragon Emperor's body radiated with ki and his strength was a thing of legends, like the great dragons themselves. Mint often wondered how such a powerful man had lost a battle to a commoner like Ranma.
Then again, he shouldn't really be thinking about being beaten by a commoner. He had always thought that he was the fastest warrior in the Orient and it was that skill that had always landed him the stealth missions. He was defeated at Mousse's hands, a fellow Chinese boy and an Amazon to boot. That fact stung more than anything. He had been fast but Mousse was faster still. In his heart, he wanted nothing more than to prove that it had been only a fluke, to correct that past wrong.
Soon, I will have vengeance, he thought. I'll show Mousse what true speed looks like! A mischievous smile appeared on his face like lightening but he wiped it away just as quickly when he saw his master was about to speak. When Herb spoke, one gave him his absolute attention.
Lime, the stronger and more confident of the two stared at his master with feral, cat-like eyes and waited for a command. He dressed in the skins of a tiger that barely managed to cover his powerful form. The skins crossed over rippled muscles and, like Mint, two long shoulder pads extended from his shoulders. He preferred no weapon and loved to use unarmed combat where he could use his strength to crush his enemy.
Still, in the back of his mind he knew he was wasn't the strongest fighter anymore. A vision of Ryoga beating him senseless appeared in his mind and he snarled savagely, clenching his hand into a tight fist. It had turned his already confusing trip to Japan into an inexcuseable failure.
I'm sure that if I fought him again I would be stronger! Soon, I'll return to Japan and claim my victory. He too silenced his thought when he saw Herb was about to speak.
"My warriors, my friends!" Herb placed his hands on each of their shoulders.
"Long have you both served me well. In our first battle against the Amazon's so many years ago, I requested your strength," he glanced over at Lime, "and your speed," he turned to face Mint. Both bodyguards took pride in his compliments and puffed their chests out ever so slightly. Compliments from Herb were rare and far between.
"Then, when we faced off against Ranma Saotome and his friends, your skills were a blessing that saved us from peril and misfortune. Now I request that you use that power again in the war to come, a war to end all wars with the Amazons. Will you guard me as I lead my forces to victory?"
The two boys nodded. "We will serve you faithfully to the end, Lord." Mint bowed low.
Herb nodded and motioned for them to follow him. "General Malleic is here reviewing our strategy with his subordinates. Come join us."
He threw open the large doors to his personal bedchamber and moved to the far wall where a large grid map of China hung. The map showed the exact location of the Musk Dynasty, the Amazon village, and all friendly units between the two. Three black lines lead up to the Amazon village from different directions, passing the pinpointed objective points that were placed at various strategic locations along the way. Reviewing the map was a tall, medium built, slightly gray-haired soldier, who analyzed the data with his sharp tactical eyes. Occasionally he'd break his silence to point something out to his staff who took personal notes for him to look over at a later time.
Lime studied the battle plan for a moment then made an irritated clicking sound with his teeth. "Master, there is no need for all this planning and organizing. Give me direct control of our men and I will give you the results you seek! Armed with our latest technology and air support we cannot lose! I will lead our army to their very gates and level that village myself!"
Herb cut him off with a raise of his hand. While bold, it was evident that his bodyguard's military experience was somewhere near zero. "No Lime! You know full well that the Amazon's are far stronger and smarter than that! Real strategy must be used in this day in age. The days of battlefield brawling is long over. My spies have reported a drastic build up in Amazon military supply trains over the last few months. Also, for the first time, the savages are forming a true army of their own, with capable officers to lead them. My spies have confirmed this. We must go about this cautiously!"
He pointed to a spot colored in red on the map. "We recently had several male Amazon's defect to our side. They told us of a secret underground tunnel that leads right into the center of the village. This tunnel is said to be big enough to move whole regiments through. They said it was designed back before the Battle of the Mountain ten years ago to quickly move and surprise attack our caravans. My scouts have confirmed this information to be face value."
Herb grinned. -Now for the fun part! We can count on the fact that the end of the tunnel will be heavily guarded so a huge assault there would be a pointless waste of lives. The enemy could simply bottleneck our troops and pick them off at their leisure. Therefore, we need to draw as many of their warriors away from the exit as possible. Our three corps will set out tomorrow, and smash whatever interception force they rush out to meet us. From there, we will push them back, boxing them within the village's perimeter, if possible.
"Lime and Mint, you will lead two of General Haower's divisions because of your popularity and well standing with our men. We need moral to be at its highest. You will have two colonels to guide you in the decision making instances. These two divisions will be the 3rd Musk Combat Division, and the 11th.
-General Faing's Third Corps will accompany Haower's to provide immediate relief if the situation calls for it. Once we reach striking range of the Amazon's main command center, it will be his job to back you both up and harass the enemy's main gate from the Jusenkyo heights. That should send the fools running to us! Meanwhile, General Malleic's 1st Musk corps will fight its way up the tunnel and burn the city from within! By this time, the Amazon forces should be shattered, confused, and boxed in from both sides. From there, it will be a simple matter of picking them off or watching them burn."
Malleic nodded, squaring his broad shoulders, turning to address the others. A seasoned soldier in his early fifties, the senior general under Herb looked surprisingly youthful. The only indication of his age showed at his temples where the hair was turing gray against the short cropped head of black.
"In anticipation of an early Amazon strike that could disrupt our plans, General Faing has moved his corps to the base of the Jusenkyo bluffs to shield our advancing units. We have all three corps ready for battle, placing our forces at about 105,000 men, including our reserves. On paper, it's a perfect plan. The determination of our soldiers to end this war once and for all should keep moral within the ranks at an all time high, making this a relatively quick and decisive campaign."
"A marvelous set of plans, general," Lime echoed, bowing his head respectfully.
Herb nodded. "Indeed, it's a wonder we didn't think of such an attack years ago. Listen well, I am certain the enemy does not know we are aware of the tunnel, but it is very likely that they know of our coming attack. You can be sure that they will send their best assassins if they do. Guard the door and do not let anyone in. I grow weary for sleep."
Mint and Lime bowed. "As you wish, master."
General Malleic came to full attention with a fluid precision unknown to all but disciplined military soldiers. "Rise up in the name of the Dragon Emperor!"
Everyone in the room came to attention as well. "Rise up in the name of Dragon Emperor!"
Herb motioned with his hand. "Dismissed."
Malleic and his staff packed up and left moments later. Mint and Lime filed out last and closed the heavy door, leaving Herb alone with his thoughts. Sighing heavily, he sat on his large bed, utterly spent of mental energy. He gently massaged his temples in an attempt to ward off a nasty headache that had been plaguing him for most of the day. Things had been going at a fast pace all week and he needed a break. Even dragon's needed rest.
Being a ruler meant one had to always appear strong and powerful in the eye's of his subjects. To show one's true feelings was to make one seem fallible. That's what Herb believed first and foremost. But that didn't mean he wasn't human. He had his own problems, even if he pretended otherwise. He sighed again and placed his head in his hands, allowing his multicolored hair to fall around his troubled face like a veil. For a brief moment, loneliness touched his spirits which lay exposed for the first time in a very long while.
For years he had kept his inner self hidden and locked away. Now all that trapped emotion was beginning to weigh heavily on his spirits, begging to be released. He only wanted a friend, a companion that he could open up to without fear of being ridiculed or judged, and who wouldn't spread private news to the masses. Mint and Lime were the closest things to friend he had to filling this role, but they were his guards and comrades, which left little time for paling around. Their job was only to serve him.
Stop this! You're behaving like a child! Herb snarled at himself and cut off the current train of thought. He had the future of his empire to think about and that left no time for self pity or personal want. All that could come after he accomplished what the previous two emperors could not.
He looked up at the ancient looking grandfather clock that hung on the far wall. The clock was just one of the many exquisite items that occupied the room but to Herb, it was the most precious of his belongings. Smiling slightly, he stood up and walked over to it. Memories rushed back as he gently ran his hand over it, feeling the smooth wood finish under his fingertips. The clock had been a gift from his father who had carved it and put the gears in single-handedly. He had given it to Herb as a battle present shortly before he was killed in the Battle of the Mountain.
The Musk and Amazon tribes had existed for centuries but it wasn't until the end of World War One that the modern Musk Dynasty had come into existence. The area carved out to serve as the lands under the Musk's control included the Amazon territories and the proud, female dominant society had no intention of being assimilated into the forged empire. For decades violent and indecisive wars had erupted between the two nations, and countless people had died as a result. Now at last, Herb, the third emperor of the Musk Dynasty, would end the cycle of violence and bring peace and order to the land.
Father, Herb thought to himself, I wish you were with me now. I am sure you would be proud of me.
He sighed sadly and removed his hand from the clock. His face set with determination and pride as a feral grin appeared, almost stretching from ear to pointed ear. "Just you watch, father! I will avenge you and bathe the ground with the blood of the entire Amazon village!"
He shook his fist up at the heavens, triggering a ki shockwave that rattled the room. Revenge would no be denied to him, he had waited too long and planned too hard to let anything stop justice from being served. His weariness forgotten, his aura surrounded him as adrenaline coursed through his veins.
Someone chuckled loudly and Herb whirled around in surprise. He hadn't heard anyone come in through the main door. Lime and Mint were guarding the entrance, and even if they had been defeated, the sounds of battle would have tipped him off instantly. No, this person had entered without making a sound or opening the door at all!
His grin reached his eyes and they danced red with delight. How interesting
He turned around and saw a man blanketed by a cloud of gray ki standing before him. He took up a loose defensive position, studying this uncanny phenomenon with interest.
A ki shroud? What does this man hope to accomplish?
"Your goals are admirable, Emperor Herb. However, I'm afraid that your little war will have to be canceled. I don't think you will be in any condition to fight when I get through with you."
"Who are you?" Herb's eyes never left his opponent. "Are you some sort of weak Amazon assassin? You are certainly original in appearance, aren't you? Coming here was a mistake, intruder, make no mistake of that. I will make you pay many times over for your arrogance."
"I am not here on the Amazon's behalf. I couldn't care less if their people live or die. Nothing about them is of my concern. I have come here for a different purpose, to punish you for a truly dishonorable folly that you made some time ago."
Herb raised an eyebrow. "And what might that be?"
The Shadow Warrior took a step forward and pointed a cloaked finger at Herb.
"You once fought against a Japanese boy named Ranma Saotome. You were defeated in that battle due to your own stupidity and overconfidence. To lose against a student of the 'Anything Goes' style of martial arts is to commit an unforgivable sin. I am here to punish you for that, and to see how strong you really are!"
Herb winced at his words and a long buried memory resurfaced despite his efforts to keep it away. During his fight with Ranma, the pigtailed boy had tricked him into placing too much energy into the air which Ranma had then used to create a revision of the Hiryu Shouten Ha. While Herb was quite aware of the effects of the final attack, the revised version had taken him completely by surprise and given him a bitter taste of defeat. It had been his first and only loss in battle.
"So you do not deny it? You do remember that defeat, don't you?"
Herb blanched as the statement triggered further memories. If defeat itself hadn't been bad enough, the mountain they had been dueling on had fallen apart and Ranma had actually saved his life. They had parted on friendlier terms, but that didn't change the fact that it had still been an embarrassing escapade.
Herb found himself growing angry and a low growl escaped his clenched teeth. While he didn't hate Ranma anymore by any means, being defeated by the commoner was still the single most embarrassing event that had ever happened to him. -Ranma was very lucky, Intruder. I'm far stronger now than I was then.-
"Is that so? I suppose we'll find out, wont we?"
"You've also underestimated my powers. What sort of weakling would need the protection of a ki shroud?!"
He casually raised his hand and threw a small ball of yellow energy at his opponent. The Warrior looked down in surprise as the ball hit his chest and quickly dissipated his energy cloak in much the same way that the sun banishes the dark of night. Shining golden light repulsed the Warrior's dark shadows, tearing it away from the armor underneath in a matter of seconds, showing his true form.
Herb gazed at his unveiled opponent with a mixture of subdued awe and disbelief. The Warrior's body was covered from head to toe in gray battle armor. Metal spikes rose from his large armored shoulder and arm pads and his face was completely concealed in a face mask and helmet that sported smaller spikes which started on his forehead and went back in a line to the back of his skull. His arms, legs, back, and chest gleamed, adding to his inhuman appearance. A quick flex of his metal gloved hands signaled that he was ready to fight. Stepping forward, the armor caught the light of the room's many candles. His metal clad boots clanked loudly on the marble floor as he stepped well inside Herb's comfort zone. All in all, he looked like a Samurai warrior Herb had once seen in an old Japanese history book.
The Musk lord laughed and turned to sit down upon his throne at the back of the room. "This is very amusing! I am sure that your reflexes are sluggish at best inside of that heavy armor. You are not even worthy of facing me in combat! You are all boast and no substance. Mint, Lime, come to my side!"
The door flung open and the two young men flew to their master's side. Their gaze fell on the Shadow Warrior and they dropped into combat stance, moving in front of Herb to shield him from harm. The Warrior paused for a moment, reassessing his situation. It was clear that he had never faced two on one odds before.
"Are you in danger, my lord," Lime asked.
Herb made a casual gesture and the door to his chamber swung closed. "My good friend, this foolish interloper is a hindrance to our plans. Kill him and throw his worthless body to the dogs! He will make the perfect sacrifice to the gods to ensure our victory."
Mint and Lime need no further instructions as they rushed forward, throwing themselves into combat mode. Moving side-by-side as one, they jumped into the air and launched their feet at the Warrior. Their attack connected with his breastplate armor and sent him crashing into the far wall, cracking its frame.
Herb watched this from his throne and laughed, growing more confident by the moment. "How entertaining his evening is turning out to be! There can't possibly be a better way to relieve stress than this!"
Yet, even as he enjoyed the show, he struggled to keep his ego in check and observed this threat for weaknesses. There had to be more to this opponent than meets-the-eye. He wouldn't have come to fight if he didn't have an edge of some kind.
"Give up. If you do, I wont have to hurt you." Mint said evening, running his hand over a particularly sharp knife. No doubt it was made to cut into the very heart of a man. Young and normally immature as a child of his age should be, he was all business now, showing power and determination of a man many times older.
"Refuse and we will personally tear you limb from limb," Lime added cracking his knuckles. "So please refuse. I haven't had a good fight in a long time!"
The armor clad fighter laughed and rose to his feet with outstretched fists. "You two clearly overestimate yourselves. Come on, I don't have time to waste on guards! Let's get this over with."
Mint threw six daggers with blinding speed but they clattered off the armor with no visible damage to show for it. Lime rushed forward, furiously throwing punches, laughing despite the seriousness of the situation. Bringing his hands together, he swung sideways, slamming into the side of the Warrior's face mask. The mysterious man half stumbled to the side, apparently dazed at the quick switch up of attacks
"Not as easy as you thought it would be?" Lime threw another punch, slamming his huge fist into the Warrior's midsection, hurling him backwards again.
Behind his mask, the man blinked in surprise. He had come to this castle tonight to battle Herb; he was completely aware of the emperor's skill and abilities. But clearly he'd made a tactical error, because he had no knowledge of these two guards and their apparent skill had momentarily gotten the better of him.
"I have you!" The tiger guard launched his hands outward, aiming for his opponent's neck.
With a burst of great speed, the Warrior stood up straight and locked his hands with the Lime's. The two grappled, each trying to overpower the other, staring each other down. The Warrior bore down on the guard, intensifying the strength of his grip, trying to break his opponent's fingers. He began to lean forward, a grunt of concentration escaping from his lips.
Lime's eyes widened in shock, and his grin faded. He had clearly hoped to overpower his enemy in a matter of seconds. No one could possibly move that fast after receiving the brunt of his strong attack, and yet, the unthinkable was happening before his eyes. He put all his power into his arms and leaned forward, pushing the Warrior's arms backwards again. At such an angle, he could surely dislocate the man's arms.
"You are strong," The warrior muttered, straining. "However, I cannot be overpowered so easily."
Crying out, his strength increased yet again, and he pushed Lime's hands away with ease. Turning his head slightly, he chuckled evilly and brought his left foot up, catching Mint in the face as he tried to sneak in close to attack. The attack propelled the boy's body away where he fell to the ground and skidded onto his side.
Lime couldn't believe how much power the man had as his enemy pressed on, straining the bodyguards arms to the limit. It isn't possible! No one is stronger than me! He thought frantically as his feral eyes went wide in fear.
Executing another attack with blinding speed, the Warrior brought his armored knee up and slammed it into Lime's jaw, completely shattering the bone it hit. The boy cried out in pain and watched as blood and several broken teeth flew out of his gaping mouth. However, he did not go down. Ignoring the pain, he threw his freed fist forward and smashed it into the Warrior's chest armor, denting it slightly and pushing the man backwards, away from Herb by several more feet. The Warrior grunted but managed to grab Lime's arm before he could pull it back to hit him again. Using the strength in his arms, the Warrior preformed an overhead throw, sending Lime crashing into the far wall. A sickening snapping of bones was clearly audible throughout the chamber. The stricken guard fell to the ground as blood oozed from his broken jaw. The light dimmed from his eyes as unconsciousness claimed his mind.
"Appearances aren't always as they seem, Lord Herb." The Warrior flexed his blood-stained gauntlet. "This armor is far more flexible than you would imagine. Lighter in weight too. As such, my speed isn't hindered in the slightest."s
"How dare you!" Mint attacked with a knife in each hand, looking for a gap in the man's armor. He jabbed his hands forward but the Warrior easily knocked the projectiles away. As fast at Mint attacked, the Warrior countered just as quickly, blocking all of the deadly blows with ease. Like a tornado of death, Mint struck, but the Warrior side-stepped every blow with fluid grace, his form moving at a blurring pace equal to his attacker.
"Damn you!" Mint snarled. Crouching low, he drew the sword he kept at his side. He swung wildly, losing control of his senses, giving in to fear and anger. Ducking the blow, the Warrior chopped his hand to the side, snapping the blade neatly in half.
The boy back-flipped away giving him some room to maneuver. The Warrior shifted his stance slightly, reviling a small crack of exposed skin between his shoulder pads and the armor on his arm. Aiming carefully, Mint threw another knife. The blade imbedded itself into that exposed bit of flesh and a cry of pain escaped from the lips behind the covered mask. Mint grinned wickedly, praising his impeccable aim.
The Shadow Warrior grunted as he pulled the knife out, unleashing a small geyser of blood as it spurted out of the wound. He looked his arm over and quickly noted that the wound wasn't too serious. The blade had gone deep but had missed the bone altogether. Still, being wounded by such unimportant opponents was not something he had expected. It would only serve to hinder him further against Herb.
I think that its time to use the revised version of prince Toma's final attack. He grinned inwardly. How nice! A test for the new move I've gained. What better way to test it than in combat! This will be a crucible by fire.
Howling, Mint snapped his foot up, catching the Warrior in his plated jaw. The blow staggered the powerful man, throwing him back to the doorway of the chamber. He quickly reached up, gripping each side of the doorway, steadying himself against taking a tumble outside of the chamber. His grip shattered the wooden frame and he hunched his stance forward slightly, performing a front roll that ended up with him back on his feet.
Mint watched warily from the other side of the room. His foe was easy enough to hit, but he refused to fall. In truth, Mint had never seen such a foe as this before. He was more than a little worried that this Warrior would be enough to handle even Herb himself. A cold sweat trickled down his neck and he gulped visibly, realizing perhaps a bit too late that he had bitten off more than he could chew.
"My turn." The Warrior snarled, extending his hand. "Hell Fire Blast!"
He threw a column of red fiery energy at Mint, engulfing the flailing guard in flames. The Wolf boy screamed as his clothes and skin began to burn. As he panicked, he stamped at the flames with his hands but they refused to extinguish. In desperation, he rolled on the ground but the flames stubbornly refused to be smothered. Pleading eyes foretelling his agony, he gazed up at Herb, crying out for help as the lord watched on in horrified fascination.
Before Herb could move, the Warrior clenched his fist and the flames went out, leaving only a thin smoke trail in its wake. Mint fell to the floor, unconscious and badly singed. His body smoked painfully as a smell of cooked flesh filled the air.
The Warrior gazed down at his hand and smiled behind his mask. I turned a move that was an illusion into an actual flame attack. I wasn't entirely sure it was going to work seeing as it was the first time I had used it. Lucky me...
"Mint…Lime…" Herb's disbelief turned to raw fury and he leveld his feral gaze on the interuder. "How dare you!"
Herb rose to his feet, snarling savagely. His seething gaze at his opponent was like a cat eying a cornered mouse. His eyes shone with divine retribution. Raising his hand, the massive door to his chamber slammed shut, entombing them both where a battle could be waged without distraction.
The Warrior laughed shortly, kicking Mints prostate body out of his way. "Relax Herb, I did not slay them. Such petty foes are beneath my interest."
Herb shook his long hair over his shoulder and took several calming breaths. "You fought well. I have to give you that much. You defeated the Musk Dynasty's finest guards with near flawless precision. Now, let's see how you do against me!" A burst of air blew past as Herb tapped into his reserves of power.
The Shadow Warrior stepped forward, his arm dripping blood onto the marble floor as he moved. "That is what I came here for. I will defeat you."
Herb's face twisted with glee as fire burned through his blood, rushing through his veins and electrifying his senses. It had been far too long since he had felt the sweet rush of combat.
"I guess time will tell for certain! I don't suppose you'll beg for your life after I beat you? That would be so amusing!"
"I don't think so, Herb. I know of your fighting skills. You won't be the victor today."
Herb pointed a finger. "You've started this and I will finish it! An attack on the Emperor of the Musk Dynasty means death! When I defeat you in combat I will kill you!"
"Then consider that to be your fate as well, if I defeat you."
The Warrior leapt forward, extending his fist. Herb smirked and with one smooth motion, effortlessly grabbed the Warrior's wrist and flipped him into one of the room's many pillars, shattering it. He groggily shook his head to clear it as he slowly and painfully stood up amidst the rubble.
Herb laughed, waving his finger in the air. "Ah, ah, ah! Your own momentum was used against you. At least try and give me some small amount of a challenge before I remove your head!"
The Warrior bellowed in anger and charged forward again, throwing a volley of punches. Herb ducked down and swept his legs out from under him. A surprised look crossed his exotic face when the Warrior landed on his hands, and brought his leg up to kick the emperor in the chest. Herb barely managed to block the blow with his hands before it was too late.
"Impressive speed!" He brought his own leg up and kicked the rising Warrior in the ribs, spinning him almost off his feet. The Warrior grunted as he hit the ground on his knee. He growled with frustration and looked up at Herb, realizing at last that this man was unique, and possibly the strongest foe he had yet fought.
Herb laughed again, dropping back into a combat stance. "I'm afraid you have no chance of beating me. Your skills lack in potency."
"You show flawless skill, Dragon Lord. However, no warrior yet has been strong enough to knock me down. Don't think that you will be the first."
He stood up on his feet and dropped into attack position. Herb readied himself for another attack but instead of attacking, the Warrior teleported in a flash.
Herb looked around, never letting his guard down. "Come out, coward! Do not hide from me!"
A pair of gloved hands reached up from behind him, grabbed his neck, and lifted him off the ground. "Who's hiding?"
He threw Herb against the far wall with all his might. The emperor was saved by his own lightning fast reflexes that even the Warrior's strength could not deny. He used his powerful legs to rebound off the wall and slingshot himself back at his opponent, brining his fist around and slamming it into the Warrior's face mask.
Attack completed, Herb landed gracefully on the ground, forcing him to let his guard down momentarily to gather his balance. The Warrior took advantage of this and drove his knee into his unguarded stomach. Herb back-flipped away a second later, clutching his burning sides.
He grimaced in pain for but a moment before he recovered his composure and smiled. "Well done!"
"I'm just getting started."
The Warrior charged again, faking a punch and raised his leg to deliver an axe kick that would have torn Herb's arm from the socket had it connected. Luckily, he dived to the side and the kick caught nothing but thin air. He rose quickly to his feet but took a round-house kick in the face and was sent sprawling to the floor again.
Herb hissed in anger and flipped in close to attack. The two threw punch after punch at each other, both too close to one another to block effectively. They pounded each other in a test to see who could take the most damage before falling. Blow after blow shook the room as both men gathered enough reserve strength to lash out with a final, punishing attack. Summoning a great deal of strength, Herb drove his fist into the Warrior's plated gut while the Warrior responded by slamming his fist straight into Herb's face. The two fazed men back-flipped away from each other, leaving a pool of blood on the ground behind. Exhausted, they sized each other up from opposite sides of the room: the hot rage of the Dragon against the cool calculating Shadow. Both panted from exertion and felt as if they had just ran a thirty mile marathon.
"Perhaps you need to cool down, Herb?" The Shadow Warrior removed a flask of water and threw it. The glass container cracked against Herb's blocking arm and cold water drenched the young man, shrinking him a foot, giving him curves, and a higher pitched voice.
Herb blinked in confusion, shaking moisture from her hair. How did he know about my curse? "What was the point of that, Intruder? I may be smaller and weaker in this form, but I'm also much faster!"
She demonstrated this by jumping into the air with unparallel grace, delivering a lightning kick to his unprotected neck. The Warrior groaned in pain. Raising his arm almost completely by instinct, he caught her in the side with his elbow, shattering a rib with a glancing shot. Grunting in pain, she landed haphazardly, as he turned around to face her. The two backed away from each other again, nursing their injuries. Herb suddenly realized that further combat in her female form would bring about her eventual destruction due to a sheer lack of power. She just couldn't hit as hard as she needed to, which was the exact ingredient needed to beat this foe.
The Warrior raised his hand, palm outward. "Blood Lance!"
The same beam of power that had toppled Kirin shot out from his hand, aiming for Herb's midsection. Herb rolled to the side, cursing as her broken rib screamed out in agony. The energy beam cut through Herb's chamber wall, and shot out far into the evening sky. No sooner had she come to her feet again than a second, stronger version of the attack rushed at her, far too quickly for her to dodge. Eyes pulsing, she raised her hand and snarled, swatting the beam away from herself with flawless precision.
The Warrior took a step backwards. "That's impossible! That attack should have at least torn your arm out of its socket for attempting it!?"
"You seem to be my equal in unarmed combat Intruder," She said through clenched teeth. "But I can see your mastery of energy attacks leaves much to be desired. Let's see how you like this!- Howling, her body began to glow a reddish hue and with clenched fists pointed skyward, she summoned her vast reserve of power. -Take this! It's a new attack I created not long ago! Matrix Orb!"
Two blue, round balls formed in her hands and she hurled them at the Warrior with a piercing scream. He dodged the first ball but the second one caught him in the chest, searing his armor and burning the flesh underneath. The orb exploded a second later, throwing him into the far wall.
Herb smiled an evil grin. "Didn't like that much, did you?"
"Just you wait… I'm going to kill you! Hell Fire Blast!"
Fire flew from the Warrior's hand as if he were a phoenix, a being of incredible heat and flame. Like a flamethrower, the cloud of heat and fire closed in on Herb but she neither shrank back nor attempted to shield herself.
"I've already seen that move!" The Emperor raised her hand, deflecting the heat with a small blue energy shield. The defense tasked her considerably all the same, especially in her weakened state.
"Don't underestimate me!" The warrior growled in a mocking tone. He had proven himself to be a dangerous opponent indeed. The sweat that appeared on Herb's brow was all the proof he needed to confirm that she was indeed growing nervous. Strong though she was, he knew now that the fight would be his. She was wounded and almost out of tricks. While this fight had been the most entertaining yet, it was rapidly approaching its climax.
Herb balled her hand into a fist and slowly stepped forward, throwing off her long robes with a snap of her wrist. She too sensed the oncoming finality of their duel. -My final attack is the most feared attack in all of China. In thanks for such a great fight, I'll let you view it first hand.- Her body took on a pulsing green tone and her eyes shone neon green and as her form tensed up, rising off of the ground by several feet. She howled with strength as waves of power the color of her eyes crashed out from her body, shattering the ground beneath her.
The Warrior was more than a little relieved that the battle was coming to a close. He hadn't counted on the battle taking this long and he knew that Herb's soldiers would be arriving at any minute. He wanted to finish things as quickly as possible.
"Yes! Show me the ultimate power of the Musk Dynasty!"
"You treat this as though it's some sort of game! This final round will decide who lives and who dies!" Green energy flowed into her hands as she raised them high in the air. "Musk Dynasty Final Attack: Dragon's Rage!"
A huge "V" shaped wave of power rushed forward toward her waiting opponent. The "V" seemed to grow as it hurled forwards, opening like the great maw of a serpent itself.
The Warrior also threw his ki attack, which just so happened to be Kirin's chopstick technique, thus far his favorite stolen attack. Multiple yellow beams of energy flew from his hand right into Herb's oncoming attack. The two blasts clashed together, creating sparks and explosions as the two beams tried to overcome the other. Wave after wave of green and yellow energy overlapped each other, creating shockwaves that cracked the chamber walls and rocked the floor. Gradually, both beams started to dim as the fighters began to use up their remaining supply of energy. Strong as they both were, even they had their limits
Herb felt the edges of her vision start to darken and what little bit of power she still had evaporated, canceling out her beam. Her body felt drained and tired, her soul tapped of power and will to fight. Rolling to the side to avoid the remainder of his attack as it cut through her throne, she moved sluggishly, like an elderly woman, falling back a few steps to give her some breathing space. This appalled her to no end. If she had remained a male, defeating this upstart would have been all but assured. But as it was, as she was in this state, her chances were dim indeed.
She staggered backwards again, gasping for breath. -You are persistent!-
The Warrior stopped the convection of power as well, sucking great heaps of air in through his mask as he too felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Suddenly, and with considerable effort, he pushed off with his back foot, rushed forward, and slammed his fist into Herb's jaw. The move threw Herb into the wall at an almost sonic speed. Screaming, he beat on the shocked girl with all his might, bruising her body and knocking the breath from her lungs with repeated attacks. She collapsed into a heap on the ground at his feet, wheezing and broken.
"How...did... you have any...power...left...?" She tried to rise to her knees but the strength wasn't with her. She crumbled face first to the floor, her long tresses falling like a shroud as the floor accepted her with a resounding crack.
He looked at the fallen Emperor and laughed, straining to recover his breath.
-That was an incredible fight, Lord Herb. For a while I thought that I might very well have been defeated. I guess this turn of events proves who the stronger man was. You are one of the strongest fighters I have ever fought, second only perhaps to Ranma. I can't wait to take him on again at last.
Herb opened one eye. "Ranma….?" A spasm of pain wracked her body and she fainted dead away.
Taking off the glove on his right hand, he placed it on Herb's forehead, lifting the stricken girl into the air. "Your two special attacks will serve as great additions to my already impressive arsenal of attacks. For that, you have my thanks."
Just as he did with Toma and Kirin, he extracted the memory he needed, violating the emperor's mind. Putting his leather and metal glove back on, he allowed his freed target to crash back into the floor. Herb unconscious state spared him the pain and agony of his mind probe, which left the Warrior a trifle disappointed.
He stared down at his vanquished opponent for an endless moment. "Now I have to keep my promise and finish you off! I can't very well let you live. You are too strong and your desire for revenge would most likely lead you to track me down and hinder my further plans."
He prepared to bring his fist down on the defenseless boy's neck, smiled slightly underneath his mask. Oh, he was going to enjoy this. Down came his fist, down towards Herb's vulnerable neck, eager to hear the sharp crack that would come as the felled girl's windpipe cracked.
Suddenly, loud banging sounds erupted from the other side of the door followed by the sounds of men racing up the stairs. The door to the chamber shook once and then began to splinter under the force of what sounded like a battering ram.
He straightened his body and turned away. Damn! His men have come checking on him! Well, it seems I'll have to wait and finish you off some other time. The Gods have spared you this time. Live with the shame of your second terrible defeat!
Rising to his feet he flexed his hand and tendrils of smoke consumed him, masking his form. Elation filled him as he savored his latest victory but even still, there was still so much left to do. He had other people to attend to and it was best not to keep them waiting. He snapped his fingers, and with the coming of a spark of darkness, he teleported safely away.
Awakening to the sound of wood breaking and men shouting, Herb groaned and shook her head, raising her head to look around. Her body trembled in protest and she vomited blood, moaning in pain. Somehow, she managed to rise up into a sitting position. Her wondered why her foe had not finished her off. If the situation had bee reversed, she would surely have killed him.
Her soldiers were about break into the room and help her. Eye's widening in realization she looked down at her chest and panicked. I cannot be seen like this! I must find hot water!
Scanning the room with frenzied eyes, she saw the flask that the Warrior had poured on her earlier in their fight. If there was just a bit more water left within it…
With her hands she dragged herself over to the flask as agony raced through her. Clenching her teeth, she reached for the container and picked it up, righting it before what little water was left could escape. Using some small scrap of energy still residing within her, she heated the water and, raising her head, poured the miniscule amount of liquid down across her brow.
A sharper wave of pain crushed down on her as the curse was deactivated. Falling to his side facing the door, Herb saw the door burst open at last and then he closed his eyes and saw nothing at all.
Herb's soldiers crashed through the door and rushed to their fallen lord and his bodyguards. The palace's many doctors were brought in and the three were given immediate treatment. After several long moments of waiting in trepidation, the palace guards and the royal advisors breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the Gods when they found that their master would survive his horrific defeat. Under the supervision of General Malleic, Herb and his guards were moved to a safer place within the capitol to be cared for under the protection of armed soldiers and the best doctors in the land.
The Great War was postponed, for the time being. Broken and defeat though Herb was, power continued to radiate within his blood. His resolve was as strong as his body so a full recovery was only a matter of time.
Lying on a hospital bed several days later, he looked down at his bandaged clad body and reached with a shaking hand for the phone that was almost out of reach on the nightstand beside his hospital bed. Picking up the receiver he took a deep breath before dialing, summoning an authoritarian tone.
"It's me. I need an agent dispatched to Japan. Prep one while you come to me for your orders. Yes, I want you here within the hour. Come alone. Can you handle that, Information Minister? Good. I would hate to think even for a second that I'd put an incompetent person in charge of the department."
Placing the phone back on the receiver Herb clicked a fingernail against his teeth, thinking. He didn't know how this all would come to involve Ranma, but he would find out one way or the other. When his body was healed, he would take his revenge, and if he had to use Ranma as bait, then so be it.