The Mortal Kombat tournament has been the only thing I could call home since the last of the Zetarran race were exterminated by Goro and Shao Kahn. The one place I could be myself, and destroy the realms that annihilated mine. All these worlds that thrived as my race were driven to extinction. They would feel my pain, and my wrath with each generation that challenged it.
Kitana changed all of that, until now. Across the field, my opponent was one of these pathetic hooded figures that followed D'Vorah like dogs. Kytinn? Worshippers?
Kitana Kahn didn't feel the need to watch me do my thing, but she wasn't wanted anyway. Instead, Shao Kahn stood before us as the two competitors met. The figure wore a black robe with deep hood. Underneath, what little I could see, it wore a nearly turquoise and green attire, but under the right light, looked purple, or red, or blue, it seemed to change based on when you cracked a view.
The mystery dropped with the heavy linen robe and shock set into my heated veins.
"Chameleon!"
"Syzoth."
"Fight!" Shao Kahn would not let us speak further.
Claws extended, we reached for one another in shares swipes. It would seem I had over extended as Chameleon latched to my right wrist with his right hand and then pulled it up to let his right jab me with his claws. Leather armor protected me from any damage he could cause, but it pulled as his sharp talons retracted, nearly took the strap with it. A quick knee to the kidney would push him off, but he did not let go of my wrist.
A stomp to the boot, elbow to the temple and then the opportunity arrived to drop down and rise up with a powerful uppercut. It seemed in vain as Chameleon reared back and used his palms to strike my ribs, which forced me back toward Shao Kahn.
"You suck!" He pushed me toward Chameleon.
Chameleon charged forward, with one leap our backs rolled against one another, mine on top of his and I had landed on his opposite side. As he jerked around, my book struck his chin and Chameleon then struck Shao Kahn with his whole body.
"Finish him!" Shao Kahn clenched his massive fists between Chameleons shoulders and shoved him into the dirt.
With a swift lunge, his arms grabbed at my core, so mine wrapped over his, just beneath the ribs. He tried to push, I tried to pull until as one we pulsed down and in one motion, hoisted him up on my shoulders, but he had continued the journey through and landed on his feet.
Shao Kahn looked entirely too amused with all of this back and forth. He dodged my path when Chameoleon cracked my back with a kick and launched me forward, but instead of a shove back into the fight, Shao Kahn grabbed my collar and threw me into the ground, much as he had to Chameleon.
"You yield, Syzoth." He forced my hand, for what reason, I did not know.
"I will kill him!" A spit and hiss up at his face, but even without his hammer, he was a deadly weapon and threatened to crush my skull into the earth his big black boot.
"I thought you much smarter than this, Syzoth." Chameleon took three steps back from the Kahn and then faded into the environment.
Where did he come from?
Betrayer of our kind.
He will be the first I kill.
Night fell on Outworld much as it did the night before. Nothing different, but the air felt stale the scent musty with all the bodies that came to see the tournament. Commerce boomed in the cities near the palace and coliseum. A great success for Kitana as politician, but her success as a Kahnum of Outworld would be decided with the fate of the last fighter.
At the highest top of the seating where the fools and children watched us battle, I sat the whole night through. There was no activity on the field, no dance, no song, no blood, but I could see our brief fight play over again and again. It had been so long since I had seen another of my kind, let alone the coward and traitor Chameleon.
This tournament had become something more this night. Tomorrow, the second rounds of fights would begin. The battles would be to the death and the victor to face Goro. I would find myself against him again, without question, and then I will kill him. Chameleon will not escape a second time.
We Zetarran are no more, so why would a traitor to our people seek me out now?
Does it matter?