BACK TO REALITY - PART 2

"I will destroy you," Wraith said to Snake Eyes, as their swords clanged together with swift fluent of motion, as if they were choreographing a battle scent in a movie script. "Your missions are well documented in Cobra archives as is your life history, Cobra Commander has seen to that personally. And you're a legend in martial arts circles -- none have come close to striking you down. You've killed many men. But I intend to make history. I'll be the first to do the impossible. You'll taste your own blood as I plunge my sword through your chest and finally rip that mask off your face to reveal to the world you're not as invincible as you seem."

Snake Eyes pushed in and faced Wraith eye to eye, looking into Wraith's cold, calculating eyes through his mask. And he mouthed something to Wraith which could be seen by the movement of the lower softer portion of Snake Eyes' mask. They were two words.

Wraith snarled with anger because they were two words of utter defiance, the very two words most spoken in the English language that very few people wanted to hear but mostly all have spoken. And no one had ever said that to him before.

Serpentor joined the fight on the front lines, swimming through the air on his air chariot, adorn in his new battle armour of gold, and fired a volley of weapons fire into a crowd of his enemy. But his aim was so arbitrary that he didn't care who he killed, his enemy or his own men. And yet he was so ruthless he did not care who he struck down.

G.I.Joe forces retaliated, but could not bring him down, missing him as Serpentor flew over them. He was just too fast for them to hit.

"You're so pathetic, G.I.Joe." He shouted down to his enemy. "The might of Serpentor will dawn like a new star despite this insurrection. I have spoken, and this I command! I am the culmination of all your history conquerors, rulers and strategists. I was born with all I need to know to triumph over those that usurp my authority. I am all powerful!"

"Your emperor is a maniac," Kamakura remarked, as he and Storm Shadow continued to fight it out. They backed off for a moment as both men tired, and breathed in oxygen to regain their strength. "You're foolish to follow an undesirable like Serpentor, he will be your undoing."

"Bite your tongue, hatchling," Storm Shadow said.

"You're a warrior without honour, Storm Shadow," Kamakura said, "and I intend to bring you down for the traitor you are."

Kamakura raised his sword to strike, but all of sudden he heaved in horrible pain as an arrow came swiftly through the air and impacted through his left forearm under his arm pad. He held onto his sword, gripping it as tight as he could as the arrow stuck half way through his arm. His muscles throbbed with pain, but he stayed true to his ninja training and held onto his sword in the midst of it all. And as he was a ninja kept at a battle ready stance despite the pain.

Storm Shadow looked around to see who had fired the arrow and saw Firefly, dressed in his grey camouflage attire a top a H.I.S.S. tank in the gunner turret a few yards away, with a black metal bow in his hand. He looked at the ninja with detest, as he lowered his weapon.

"You've grown weak, Storm Shadow," he said, in a gruff sounding tone, a sinister sound of voice. "Allowing an apprentice of such weak breeding to match wits with one such as yourself. And you call yourself a master. Pathetic. I wouldn't hesitate to cut his throat. Now finish him. Don't hesitate. Take your sword and strike him down now."

"I will not be told what you do by the likes of you, Firefly," Storm Shadow said in response. "You betrayed the members of the Arashikage Clan by murdering my uncle and slaughtering its warriors."

Firefly jumped down from the gunner turret. "Even your memory is at fault," he said, walking towards them. Snake Eyes and Wraith had taken their fight elsewhere, and were no where near the trio. "It was not I who murdered your beloved uncle, it was Zartan, the changeling. I was hired to conduct a killing by Cobra Commander, to kill Snake Eyes, an outsider, who you brought into our clan because you felt sorry for him. But I was not the one who made the kill; I was not the one who killed the Silent Master. But you know the truth and still fight for Cobra. You are weak-minded, and so is this pathetic weakling."

"I am not weak," Kamakura voiced angry, allowing his emotions to get the better of him, and lashed out with his sword at Firefly. But Firefly feared nothing from him, and clasped Kamakura's sword between his palms in an ancient Arashikage technique that was only taught to the masters of the Arashikage Clan.

After stopping Kamakura's attack, he brought his right arm up and elbowed Kamakura in the face, and used the moment to snatch Kamakura's sword away from him. "Impressive craftsmanship," he said, glancing at the sword. "And each ninja's sword is unique. It's a part of their training to craft such a weapon to be used by only the one that wields it. You may be a ninja, but you are far from being a master of your art. Prove your skill against me. Let's see how far you have progressed with Snake Eyes training you."

"No!" Storm Shadow protested. "He is my opponent."

"Not any more."

TO BE CONTINUED.