A/N: Hello, fellow readers, I have returned with a new chapter. Also, I'm going to make this one a two-parter, so bear with me on this. So, with that out of the way, enjoy.

Disclaimer: This is my sign: I do not own Killer Instinct nor Carrie.

ARIA sat on her throne inside the Pinnacle, using a drone and the Stalker units to observe Carrie. As she rose from her chair, the Pinnacle's platform changed. Walls dissected in a hexagonal pattern, revealing glass, allowing light to flood the room. The table collapsed and sunk into a compartment under the floor, and two static cyborgs resembling armored knights from Medieval times appeared in its place. ARIA viewed the city, with several blimps drifting the sky. The doors opened and closed on their own as Cinder arrived.

"Did you complete your task?" ARIA asked.

"Yup. Handed Spider-Woman the pink slip, so where is that reward you promised me?"

"You earned it as my lieutenant."

"That's it? Eh, I'll take it, so what have I missed from the friendly neighborhood telekinetic girl?"

"Carrie and Jago have gone into hiding. I deployed the Stalker units and a drone on their location for surveillance. The same drone had discovered a group of cultists who seek the girl for their agenda." ARIA played an audiotape recorded from a Stalker unit.

"Long ago, when Gargos slew the Astral Beings, he suspected those rising against him, so he wanted to make an Heir."

ARIA stopped the tape. "The voice belongs to a shapeshifter named Pemba. According to her, this 'Cult of Gargos' intends to bear a child. I have sent silent drones to women at risk of the cult. If their victims end up pregnant with this 'Heir of Gargos,' I must send an Ultratech agent to…abolish them."

"Sucks for that person," Cinder said.

An alarm echoed through the room as ARIA uploaded a screen. A factory set on a mound of volcanic rock appeared. "There's a security break-in at the lab. The location is in Colorado, in the town of Dotsero. I'm sending the Fulgore units. You should head there too."

"I'm calling first dibs on whoever is dumb enough to pull this stunt."

Cinder arrived at the workshop with the Fulgore units. The intense heat damaged parts of the lab. A lake of lava boiled on the factory's right side, and within it was a giant tower contraption. It brought back memories for Cinder when he underwent the procedure that changed him into the fiery creature after ARIA caught him stealing data. She would've killed Cinder or send him to jail, but she offered him to join her for his potential.

"Well, whatever caused that break-in isn't here. It must've been a false alarm," Cinder said.

"Sensors show someone near. Could be the one responsible," a Fulgore unit reported.

Caw! Caw! The soft yet harsh noise echoed in the room, leading Cinder to a crow perched on an object floating in another lava lake. Although finding this unusual, Cinder did not care. He formed a small fiery bomb and tossed it towards the bird. He snapped his fingers, and the bomb exploded. His amusement as the crow flew away was short-lived when an entire group swarmed the lab.

A thundering bang bombarded the entrance. Dents molded repeatedly until the door flew from its hinges, landing in the lava. As the birds flew off, Cinder and the Fulgore units centered their attention on the unknown assailant.

A man emerged from the darkness, with war paint covering most of his shirtless body, including his face. A feather war bonnet etched on his head and a bear claw necklace wrapped around his neck. The man sported desert-colored pants with shin guards and combat boots. He carried two tomahawks in each hand.

"Target scanned: Thunder," a second Fulgore unit said.

"Wait, if he's Thunder, where's Lightning?" Cinder joked. "So, Geronimo, to what do we owe this visit?"

"I've come for my brother, Eagle," Thunder replied.

"I hate to break it to you, Chiefy, but your brother is in another castle, so why don't you shoo before things get intense?"

"Do not test with me, and you will not stop me."

"Oh yeah? You and what army?"

Another set of stomps boomed towards the room, but heavier. A pair of cyan eyes gleamed from the dark until the figure emerged: a rusted bronze golem with stones as a body, constricted with vines and brushes.

"Oh, hey, Aganos, how are you doing?" Cinder stepped back, glancing around for exits. "Listen, no hard feelings between us, with the whole mind control thing."

Aganos glared at Cinder as memories lingered in its mind.

A black veil surrounded the golem as voices shrieked, "Serve Ultratech!"

Aganos wanted to escape until a spark of light gleamed, enveloping the golem until a ceiling lined with rock structures came to view. Drips of water stirred Aganos, and a campfire lit the cavern. A loud boom rumbled outside, with rain pouring from the sky.

"Where…am I?" the golem spoke.

"You're at Devil's Landing." A man arrived at the cave, holding something black in his hands. Cuts lingered on his body from an earlier battle, though blending with the war paint.

"Devil's Landing? How did I get here? You're hurt."

"I'll be fine. Are you okay?"

"More than okay. The pain in my head is gone."

The man placed the black object on the ground and pushed it towards Aganos. "This was on you when you approached me. I had finished destroying that monster over there." He pointed at a Fulgore unit with cables exposed from deep slashes. "I sensed conflict within you during our fight until I spotted this object on your head. Once I bested you, I destroyed the device, freeing you."

Aganos grasped the gadget as pieces of memories returned to its mind. "I remember now…I was on a journey to find Kan-Ra. I found him in the cave where I'd mend, and as we fought, that damned monster trapped me in an illusion."

"Who is Kan-Ra?"

"He was once my king's vizier. He tried to murder my master for power, but I stopped him. The king cursed him with a flesh-eating rot and banished him, but somehow, he survived. Before his death, my master tasked me to locate the traitor and kill him. Kan-Ra stole my life energy and escaped while I was under the illusion, but once it ended, a fiery creature called Cinder appeared. I tried to fight him, but my run-in with Kan-Ra weakened me. Thank you for freeing me, um…"

"Oh dear…" the man said in his native language as he palmed his head with his hand. Then spoke in English, "We haven't introduced ourselves. I am Hinmatoom, but you can call me Thunder."

"I am Aganos. Once again, thank you for freeing me from my cruel bondage. I must continue my hunt. If I cross paths with Cinder again, I'll make him pay for his crimes."

"We can work together, for I have a grudge with Ultratech."

"Was it something they did to you?"

"Yes. Ultratech captured my brother and turned him into a horrid creation."

Thunder and Aganos set out together once the storm ended, leading them to an Ultratech lab in Dotsero, where they faced Cinder and his army of Fulgore units.

"You may have a golem," Cinder said, "but I have an army of rock'em sock'em bots. Show 'em!"

The Fulgore units surrounded them, their plasma blades spinning. They darted towards Thunder and Aganos. The war-golem slammed the ground with its fists, sending not only the cyborgs but a wave of volcanic rocks away from them. Though they suffered damage, the cyborgs were not out yet.

"You handle those machines. Cinder is mine," Aganos said. Thunder nodded as they approached their opponents.

"I had beaten your ass once, and now you're asking for a melting point," Cinder said.

"You only bested me because of Kan-Ra's illusion. Now fate is on my side."

"How do you prefer your rocks? Rare, medium, or toasty!" Cinder shot a blast of fire from his clawed hands, but Aganos formed an X with its arms, blocking the attack.

The golem curled into a ball and barreled towards Cinder, tackling him. After that, Aganos formed a barrier around the battle site.

The burning effigy awoke, only to discover the barrier until a smirk crept in his face. "You closed the surrounding space, but not the air."

Cinder jumped and hurled a few plasma bombs at the golem, exploding them by snapping his fingers. With the golem cornered, he attacked until Aganos slapped him. He formed a giant plasma bomb and threw it at Aganos. Once he snapped his fingers, a loud explosion rocked the lab.

Cinder dusted his hands until Aganos emerged and punched him with the force of a speeding train. He crashed through the barrier, half-stunned by the blow. Tired but brazen, Cinder chucked small plasma bombs at the golem. With quick snaps, they exploded. He shot a stream of fire, encasing Aganos once it backed into a corner again.

"What's wrong, Aggy, can't take the heat?" he said.

The vines around the golem crackled and snapped from the flames. Aganos pushed through the fire and punched Cinder, knocking him unconscious. The golem glared at its opponent before it shifted its attention to Thunder.

Thunder fought against the Fulgore units until one cyborg opened its chest plates and fired a laser beam. Aganos moved in front of Thunder, blocking the beam.

Thunder glanced at his rescuer as smoke rose from its body. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, although I'm too old for this," Aganos said.

The Fulgore units reformed and dashed towards them. Aganos bowled through the Fulgore army while Thunder attacked from the rear. The battle ended as fast as it began as metal bodies littered the ground.

"Is Eagle amongst them?" the golem asked.

Thunder closed his eyes briefly, sensing the auras. "No, he's not."

"Don't worry, we'll find him."

"What of your quest to find Kan-Ra? I don't want my quest to be a burden with yours."

"Though I'll keep the wish of my dying master in my mind, I must carve my destiny. Besides, that sorcerer will have to show himself one day. Until then, I'll help you."

A/N: Well, that's it for the first part of the story. Well, time to let my brain rest to prepare for the second part mentally, so I'll see you later.