Rain: A Manifesto

by venomsixx

The life of the mysterious Rain. Through his eyes, he tells us what he went through in his days a a child, his time with Kahn, and his life through and after...

11. The Reaving Wolves

Rain: A Manifesto

The Reaving Wolves

"Please, sit down," Terrin said as she motioned her hand toward the only empty chair at the table. I complied and sat up as straight as I could, attempting to imitate the elegance of the other council members. I doubt I was very successful.

The rest of the council sat back down. Terrin reached for a golden chalice that was placed in front of her and delicately took a sip from it. "Congratulations on completing your tests, once again," she said as she pursed her lips. "As I said before, I was the last member of this society enter the Military Command Kaste via testing." I noticed Kazius turn his head away from Terrin and subtly role his eyes. Terrin continued, "That was nearly one-thousand years ago. Difficult to believe. Although, you now know how difficult those tests are." I nodded. "Many students have died or returned to their rightful roles as serfs after failing to enter this kaste in the time between my success and yours."

"And that is why the four individuals that you are sitting at this table with are sitting here," Kazius chimed in. I shifted my gaze toward the pale skinned, well dressed diplomat. "We are the ones who do not fail. Some of us tested our way here." Kazius peaked over at Terrin for a moment before looking back my way. "And the rest of us worked our way through the ranks to get here. The War Council is the ultimate strength of this society; the spinal cord that connects all functions in this clan so that they can properly operate."

"I understand," I responded to Kazius.

Terrin began to speak again. "Tell me, Rain. As a new General of this War Council, what roll do you see yourself playing? How do you plan on contributing?"

I remained silent for a moment, thinking out my response. I knew what I wanted to say, but wanted to make sure I articulated my proposal in a precise and convincing way. "Well," I leaned onto the table and looked only at Terrin. "I'd like to assemble a strike team."

"He's just a boy," said the one voice at the table that had yet to utter a word. Glacios had a voice that was softer than his appearance would suggest. It was neutral and calm, but still unwelcoming. The elderly council member cleared his throat and leaned back. "I have worked in covert operations for thousands of years. Do you think you can make a better strike team than I?"

Glacios was challenging me to a game of old versus young. I decided to play along. "General Glacios, with all due respect to your status and legend, the Iga-Koga covert ops have never had a real strike team." Kazius' eyes widened and Terrin gawked at me with pursed lips. They might have thought I was insane for a moment. Ron on the other hand enjoyed my bold comment, as he was conspicuously holding back a smile. It was likely very wise that I flattered Glacios before I attacked his military operations, at the very least for damage control. I had never actually heard of the old man before entering the meeting room that day, but it is always best to boost someone's ego before you tear into them. "As proficient as you and your division have been in the field of assassinations and guerrilla warfare, we are not actually thinning Shao Kahn's forces, or his hold on this realm."

Glacios laughed mockingly and leaned closer to me with his arms now crossed on the table. "Define yourself, boy."

"Look, killing Kahn's officers and diplomats only helps us advance our goals temporarily. We need to take his assets away," I spoke strongly and looked to every face sitting at the table, making sure to appear strong to each council member. "We need to start taking territory. We need to start wiping out squadrons, armies, trade routes, supply caches. Anything that feeds the strength of the Empire."

The room remained quiet for a few seconds until Kazius broke the silence. "And how do you propose we gather the forces necessary to engage in an all-out war with Shao Kahn?"

Ron chimed in. "He's right. Our men are well trained, but too few."

I looked at Ron and nodded once. "I'm glad you brought that up. That leads me to my next idea of how to contribute to this Council. I would like to help with recruiting. Both in terms of bringing new warriors to our great society, and by forming alliances with other groups who oppose Kahn."

"This is absurd!" Glacios yelled as he slammed his fist on the table. "I will not have some child come in here and tell me that our customs that we have kept for thousands of years…"

"Do you want to win this war or not?" I barked very loudly at Glacios. It surprised him. He stopped and reclined back in his chair.

"Well, yes," Glacios replied. I had him in a corner now.

"Well the only way to win a war is by fighting it," I stated sternly.

"The kid's gotta point," Ron asserted as he kicked his feat forward and slightly tilted his head to this side. "We need to send a message that Kahn can't harm villages that are under the protection of the Iga-Koga. We can't afford to lose the small amount of peasant support that we have. Also, recruitment is low and trial completion percentage is even lower. I think some new troops and new alliances could help us out here."

Glacios looked toward Ron. "Have you forgotten your place, General Ron? Our codes do not permit us to make alliances with anyone just because they also oppose Shao Kahn. Could you imagine if we were working alongside democratic individualists?"

Kazius found the comment very entertaining and snidely laughed with his nose held high on the air. He eventually rescued some words from himself "I… oh please forgive me. That would just be wonderfully absurd."

When he was done laughing, Terrin reentered the conversation. "Fellow council members, we have often discussed how we would build an army to win this war. We all see a future where Outworld is living under Iga-Koga aristocracy, and we all have agreed that we need to build a real army. We cannot build an army off of 500 men."

I could already tell I was going to like working with this woman. She continued "I think General Rain's idea of a small strike force is a good one. If his results from the strategy exams are any indicator of how he will fare on the battlefield, he will be able to drive Kahn's forces away from neighboring villages, as well as sabotage infrastructure that is crucial to the Empire. That alone may even increase interest in the Iga-Koga Society from those who wish to fight against Kahn. I also am happy you wish to be involved in recruitment." She pointed toward Ron. "That is General Ron's area of expertise, so speak to him in private regarding those issues. However, I do not think that we should be speaking to other factions that oppose Kahn. At least not yet. We need to guarantee that any potential allies would be loyal to our system of governing."

Terrin was clearly the moderating and tone setting voice on the council. She was extraordinarily charismatic. Everyone gave their full attention to her when she spoke. "What is the council's conclusion on the manner?" Terrin asked, in a way that almost seemed rhetorical.

Kazius sighed with annoyance and looked at me with contempt. "I concur." He then pushed his straight, black hair to the side and continued to stare me down. "Just do not interfere with those of us who practice real diplomacy and negotiation."

I could tell I was not going to enjoy working with Kazius. But if he wanted a political rivalry, I was happy to give him one.

"Thank you, General Kazius," I said with a wry smile.

"I like your ideas, kid. They're fresh, we need fresh blood around here," Ron affirmed as he pulled his chair back slightly.

I thanked Ron as well, but Glacious continued to stare me down for several moments. "Fine," he finally let out in an abrupt manner. "If the boy wants to play war, let him play war. But let it be clear, I will not so easily let us walk into entangling alliances with any old revolt. I have dedicated my entire life to this society, and will not see it fall victim of either totalitarians or anarchists."

"Very well," said Terrin. "The only thing left to discuss is how we will build your team then, General Rain."

"Oh, I already have a team in mind," I replied very swiftly.

Terrin pulled her head back and paused momentarily. "Um, who did you have in mind, exactly?" She asked as she slowly tapped her fingers on the table.

I leaned back and adjusted my robes, briefly thinking of the order in which I wanted to list my desired team members. "Li-Qin, the great warrior."

"The man you just defeated in your tests, correct?" Asked Ron.

"Yes," I responded quickly.

"Just because you promised your adoring audience that he would fight with you at your pep rally, it does not mean he will fight for you. You dishonored him by leaving him alive," Kazius chimed in with a sigh.

I shook my head at Kazius and smirked. "Well I won't be asking him to join me though, will I?" I snapped back at him. Kazius fiendishly smiled as he precisely pushed his hair to the side once more. I continued to list my team. "Lynn, the spy."

Terrin squinted and turned her face slightly sideways. "Forgive me, who is that?" She asked keenly.

Before I could answer, Glacios jumped in the conversation. "She is only a student. She is in the Secret Operations Kaste. She cannot join a strike team. She has not even passed all of her tests."

"Well, she needs to pass faster," I replied. The whole council looked astonished by my demand. Their facial expressions were something to be cherished. "In fact, she needs to be graduated as soon as possible," I further demanded. "There is no other intelligence agent that I can accept on this team. I have already been in the field with her when we were in the presence of a vampire. She is shrewd and intuitive. Forgive me for being so adamant on this point, but it is an issue in which I will not compromise."

Terrin blinked very slowly three times before looking around the table at the other council members. She slouched over and crossed her arms with a sigh. "Continue, General."

I complied. "I will also require Yun, the assassin, Jenrick, the swordsman and Crevall, the archer." To this, the council agreed, except for my choice in Jenrick. They would not let Jenrick join a strike force because he was one of their best trainers. They needed him at the fortress. On this point, I complied and allowed for my second choice of Delion to be selected as my swordsman. I also made it clear that I would be using Tanya, Chameleon and my friend from the library, Aalto as regular consultants. I was expecting more resistance from the council. But they wanted me to assemble this strike team, for different reasons among them of course. Kazius and Glacios made it very clear that they wanted me to have this opportunity because they wanted to see me fail. Kazius was probably hoping that I would dishonorably resign from the War Council once my strike team failed to deliver, whereas Glacios was likely already eagerly anticipating the news of my impalement at the hands of a band of Tarkatans. But Ron and Terrin actually seemed to think my idea could work. They were willing to try new things. They represented the progressive and evolving voice on the Council, whereas Kazius and to an infinitely larger extent, Glacios, represented the conservative and traditionalist voice. There was a reason that Ron and Terrin were more welcoming of a youthful voice becoming an important part of their infrastructure.

After the details were worked out, Terrin again took it upon herself to move the topic of discussion onwards. "Very well then. General Rain has explained how he wishes to contribute to this council and this society, and the rest of the council approves." Terrin looked my way. "You may begin performing your duties at your will." After a brief moment of silence, Terrin stood up. "If no one has any other issues to bring forward for discussion, this council is adjourned." The council stood and all four members started walking toward the stone door. I followed in their example. When I reached the hallway, Ron began to walk in the same direction as I did. "Hey Rain," he said. I slowed down to acknowledge him. "I just wanted to say, I'm really looking forward to working with you." In the well-lit hallway, I could see Ron was not wearing typical Iga-Koga attire. He was not wearing a mask, robes or any type of traditional ninja-like Iga-Koga gear. He was wearing what looked like farming slacks that were worn all over town in the coastal village that I grew up in, and a casual green tunic with elbow length sleeves. He wore no black or gold.

I smiled. "Thank you Ron, that means a lot. I am looking forward to sitting on the council with you as well."

Ron stepped ahead of me slightly and turned around so he could face me while he spoke and walked backwards. "Say, would you like to come over to my quarters for dinner tomorrow night? I want to discuss what you have in mind for plans to increase recruiting. Also, my…"

"Watch out!" I quickly called to Ron as I pulled him away from a passerby that was coming down the other side of the hallway that he almost ran into because he had his back turned away. Ron waved to the person who he almost ran into with a smile, and then continued what he was saying to me before. "Also, my cook makes amazing steak."

"Yeah sure, I'll be there," I answered with a smile that I made sure was apparent despite my mask.

"Great!" Ron responded enthusiastically. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"One more thing, General Ron. Your attire, it does not seem very… common for a high ranking Iga-Koga member."

Ron's eyes opened wide as he began to walk in the other direction. "You're a General now, kid. You can wear whatever you want." I could hear Ron laughing loudly until he walked around the corner. I was off to a good start. One day into entering the Military Command Kaste, and I had already made an ally on the War Council. On a council with only five members, one ally can go a very long way. Perhaps more importantly in the long term, Ron had just given me an idea which would end up becoming a paramount part of my identity.

I ran through the halls and down a few flights of stairs, until I reached the tailor's facility. "Lord Rain," the tailor blurted out as he fidgeted and stood up quickly. I walked up to the counter. He was a young man, only slightly older than I; perhaps about fifty or sixty. "I would like my own personalized uniform to be designed. Can you do that for me?" I asked sternly.

The tailor immediately began throwing cloth and material off the counter. "Oh, why, yes, yes, absolutely, my lord. Now let me just find that sketchbook, and ohhhh, where are my inks? Ah, here we are." The tailor frantically tossed all of the sewing needles, containers of threads, strips of cloth, silk strings and embroidery designs to the floor. All that remained between us on the counter was a sketchbook, an assortment of different ink colors and a long feather. I told him exactly how I wanted my attire to be crafted. We spent at least an hour going over every minute detail on every inch of the design. To every one of my suggestions, the tailor would answer with something like "Oh, very good my lord" or "My lord, that would appear just splendid." Every now and then, he would make a suggestion of his own: "My lord, perhaps we could try something like this here. I think that would look marvelous. Fit for a noble leader such as yourself." Chameleon would have been driven sick with rage he was the one being drowned by flattering titles and pleasantries. But I did not mind it. If anything, it felt fitting.

Eventually, the tailor finished the sketch. Without my even asking, he quickly sketched a less detailed copy and handed it to me. "For your own collection, my lord," he said with eagerness.

I grabbed the sheet and looked at the drawing as a small smirk crawled onto my face. My eyes than crept back up to the tailor. "How much do I how you for this?" I asked solemnly.

The tailor put his hands up and shook his head with persistence. "Oh no, no, no. No charge, my lord. No charge for a General." I tucked the paper to my side and slightly bowed my head before walking away. "I'll have this for you by tomorrow night, sir," The tailor yelled as I made my exit. When I reentered my and Tanya's room, I immediately sat down at the desk. I put a lantern right next to the drawing so that I could see the image that the tailor had drawn in all of its details. I thought it was perfect. The ultimate representation of me, rather than the Iga-Koga. The base color was indeed black. Black slacks, a tight black sleeveless shirt, fingerless black gloves, a think black belt and a tight black hood. However, the color that stood out the most was one that I guarantee no Iga-Koga warrior had ever worn before. Although the main color of the boots was also black, the shins and top of the foot were covered in a deep, yet vibrant shade of purple. The long V-necked vest that went over the sleeveless black shirt was of the same shade of purple, along with the long, flowing loin cloth that hung beneath the belt. There also were a pair of fairly thick, purple wrist guards that stretched all the way to the elbow and of course, a well thought out and detailed purple mask. The only gold that I kept on this design was the Iga-Koga symbol, the symbol of the Military Command Kaste, and the insignia for my rank of General, all embroidered on the purple vest.

Tanya walked in the room and greeted me. But I did not reply. She then stepped behind me and got a view of the drawing that I was intently fixed on. She placed her hand on my shoulder and let out a soft chuckle. "Purple, Rain?" She asked contemptuously. I placed the picture down and turned my head to Tanya as I placed my hand on top of hers. "Look into the sky," I said as I pointed to the window. "Although some find it intimidating, I find the Outworld sky to be an essential symbol of life itself. Violent and unpredictable, but always authoritatively present, flowing above the heads of every Outworld inhabitant. I have always found peace in allowing myself to get lost in the sight of the shifting shades of purple. The sky is both a source of my strength and a haven of tranquility." Tanya bit her lip, and sat on my lap to kiss me, very deeply.

"I love it when you go on philosophical tangents," she purred with a seductive smile. "Now I feel foolish for mocking you." We both shared a laugh, and talked for a little while. I told her about my first War Council meeting and the formation of my strike time. More than anything, she was excited that Ron was going to discuss the formation of alliances with other factions. I reminded her that we would have to be patient. We could not rush anything with this council.

The next morning, it was right back to business. I found my way to my newly granted study chamber. It was a long, empty and shadowed room. The stone walls were of a deep grey, and were obviously polished recently. A gold and black marble desk sat in the middle, the surface completely clear except for a single scroll. I picked up the scroll, and began to unroll it. I then heard a knock at the door. "Enter," I called. In through the doors walked Aalto, my friend from the library.

"Aalto?" I let out, very surprised. "What are you doing here?" I asked as I walked toward him.

"I'm your new secretary," he shrugged with a smile.

"Wait, I get a secretary?" I chuckled as I shook my friend's hand.

"Apparently," he replied. "There was an opening for the job and I got a letter saying that I was already chosen. Someone must have put the word in."

'Ron,' I thought to myself. "Well, I could not have thought of a better paper pusher," I said smiling.

Aalto crossed his arms and placed a foot forward. "Hey, I got you this far didn't I? Don't think that just because you're a General that you're going to get by around here without me."

"Well at least now you'll get a larger bag of gold for it." We both laughed. But just because Aalto was my friend, it did not mean I would give him any slack. "Well, how about you draft my schedule for the day," I said, shifting to a more professional tone.

"You're holding it," Aalto answered as he pointed to the scroll in my left hand that I had picked up off the desk. I opened the scroll all the way and sure enough, a full schedule of my day had been mapped out just as I would have designed it myself: a half hour meeting with each of my new team members.

"Good work, Aalto. Let me know when Crevall arrives."

We both bowed, and Aalto made his way to the exit. "My desk is just outside," he said as he opened the doors. "Let me know if you need anything."

I was glad to have Aalto as my secretary. It is always good to have close friends at your side, as long as it is not a distraction from the important things in life. I began thinking about the questions to ask my new team members. Before too long, Aalto slowly entered my study chamber again. "Crevall here to see you, General," he said as he stepped away from the doorway and a masked man with copper-red hair entered the room. He wore a mat black gi and kept his very long bow wrapped around his back. I told him he had been selected to join my team. He responded with enthusiasm, just as I expected he would. He was a pure Iga-Koga loyalist, never failing to follow orders. I had already done research on my prospective troops. I just wanted to speak with them to be sure that they were ready and willing.

My next interview was with Li-Qin. This meeting would be much less predictable. I did not know how he would react to my selection of him to be on my strike team so soon after I had defeated him in front of the entire clan. But he was cordial. He told me that he was at first angry with me for embarrassing him, but thanked me for giving him an opportunity to regain his honor. I was relieved with how Li-Qin reacted. There was no better pure martial artist that the Iga-Koga had to offer, and I needed him on the front lines.

My next briefing was with Yun, the assassin. He was dressed in similar attire as Crevall, but wore very tight black clothing rather than a gi. Another similarity he shared with Crevall is that he was a very blatant Iga-Koga loyalist. But he was more introverted. His personality was very similar to his reputation as an assassin. Cold, quick, quiet and calculating. He was the perfect soldier.

Delion was the wild card of my briefings. There was a reason he was my second choice for a swordsman. Delion was no doubt the best swordsman that the Iga-Koga Society had to offer by a substantially wide margin. But he came with a reputation of reckless behavior and disorderly conduct. He lived up to his infamy by entering my chamber nearly 20 minutes late, slowly approaching my desk with a wide smile, and greeting me with the question "What's the game plan, boss?" His voice was low and grated. I took a moment to observe this man. He was very tall. He stood at least six foot eight, but was also quite thin. He wore an open black cloak with a hood that was kept down. He kept his right hand wrapped around the handle of the sword that was sheathed on his back. The weapon was far too long to keep at his waste.

I took a breath and greeted the tower standing before me. "Delion, you have been selected to join my strike team. I just wanted to welcome you aboard and ask if you have any concerns or comments before we commence operations."

Delion stepped closer and put his hands on my desk. "What's it pay?" He asked as he raised his eyebrows.

I cleared my throat and locked eyes with the swordsman. "You'll be well compensated," I assured him. "You will receive both a raise from the society and payment from my own pocket."

Delion flipped his long black hair out from his eyes and smugly laughed "Ok, you got my attention. Keep talking, boss."

This man was testing me, and I did not find it amusing. But he knew that he had leverage stemming from his reputation as the best swordsman in the clan. So I decided to play along. "In this Strike Force, we will be fighting the war, and fighting it seriously. My plan is to target Kahn's forces, and hit him where it really hurts." Delion crossed his arms, seemingly becoming immersed in my description. I continued, "We are going to take out his armies, destroy his infrastructure and actually try to gain some ground for this Society. Can I count on you?"

Delion laughed again and cocked his head to his right side. "A change of scenery, some action and some blood to spill?" The swordsman asked caustically. "Not only can you count on me, I'll be the star of your show!"

He was really starting to get on my nerves now. But I bit my tongue and let my anger pass. "Good," I responded with a smile. "In short time, you will be hearing from either me or my secretary regarding your orders."

Delion dramatically turned around. His hair followed his motion like an army of whips. He began to walk toward the exit of my chambers. "Sounds good. See ya, boss," he said as he marched away.

Delion was a dramatic change of personality from the three troops I had previously interviewed. He carried himself with a sense of arrogance and brashness that would be a rarity to me until I came into regular contact with Earthrealm Americans. But beyond his proficiency as a swordsman, he carried something that my other soldiers did not. I could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes. Delion had a lust for blood and the battlefield. While the others fought for honor, peace or loyalty or the Iga-Koga, Delion fought for his lover: death. I viewed this as a positive asset, one that would allow me to forgive his arrogance, for he had no fear or moralistic reservations.

My last appointment arrived ten minutes early. Lynn slowly and cautiously stepped through the doorway. "You called for me, Sir?" She asked sternly.

"Do you know why I called you here, Lynn?" I asked as I crossed my hands on my desk.

"No, sir," she immediately replied. Her face was stone-cold and neutral. I could not get a read on whether she actually knew what I was about to ask her.

"I'm starting a team," I told her. "I want you to serve as my spy and reconnaissance specialist."

"But Sir," she interrupted, still holding her poker face. "I've yet to complete my training. I don't know if I am ready to be on your team."

"Nonsense, Lynn. I've seen you in the field. You've got one asset that no amount of training can teach: survival skills. And it's an asset that I need on my team."

It did not take much convincing. "Sir, I thank you for praising my abilities. But I do not think that the trainers…"

"Already taken care of," I interrupted.

Lynn agreed. My strike team was completed. And she was the most important piece of the puzzle. No military operation can function without good intelligence. And, I had read her files. She was a genius in spy work. All of my desired members had agreed to join my team. I exited my new office, and told Aalto he could go home after sending out memos for each member to join me in the courtyard at midnight. But first, I had to get my new uniform. I quickly ran back to the tailor. It was even more beautiful in person. And on me, it was a match made by the Elder Gods themselves. I put on the mask, and rarely let anyone see my face from that point on. When I donned the purple garbs, they became the signifier of my identity. My face was not.

I had a dinner scheduled with Ron. I made my way to his quarters and knocked on his door. He soon welcomed me in with a warm smile. His quarters were beautiful. I had never seen such high-born materialism before. Smokey maroon wood softened with blue silk made up his furniture. Two servants began to lay silver dishes out on the table. The food was so luxuriously decorated that I did not even realize that it was meant for eating.

"Please, sit down," Ron said as he motioned to the chair across from him. I nodded and did as he instructed. His servants stepped out and placed more shimmering platters in front of us. "I see you've personalized your look," Ron attested as he served himself a large piece of meat. "Good for you."

"Thank you. I took your advice about wearing whatever I want and went the distance with it."

Ron laughed with his mouth full and gulped down a few sips of wine. I served myself some dark, leafy vegetables. "So," I said as my voice moved to a more professional tone. "What did you wish to discuss with me regarding recruitment for the society?"

Ron finished chewing and wiped his face. "Rain, I'm a man of the people," he claimed as he left in his chair and placed his elbow on the large armrest. "I joined this Society hundreds of years ago with intentions of liberating my village. Because it is located in the midst of several trade routes, my village is consistently under occupation of Shao Kahn's forces. Curfews, sieges, racketeering and brutality are all commonplace during times of occupation. So I joined the Iga-Koga, hoping that this Society could one day overthrow Kahn and grant my people their freedom. In my quest, I have become a representative for the freedom of the Outworld common man. It ain't easy. I have to spend a lot of time away from my wife, but it's all worth it if we can win. But to win, we need more troops. And that's where you come in, kid."

I slowly put down my eating utensil and looked up at Ron. "How so?" I asked.

Ron continued "Be a hero to the people. This strike force of yours, don't just make it effective. Give it style. Don't just win, embarrass Kahn and his armies. Anger the Empire so much that they'll place wanted posters for your head on every corner of every town in Outworld. But those posters will do more than attract low level bounty hunters. They will serve as an attractive recruitment invitation for the Iga-Koga Society, with you, the outlaw hero of Outworld as the mascot. Rain, I'm a man of the people, and I know they need this."

Ron kept insisting that he was some type of populist, working class hero. But I still could not decipher whether he was trying to convince me or himself. But he was an asset. I needed his complete trust. "Of course, Ron. That is why I need your help. We need to let the people know that this society is fighting for them. We need soldiers if we are going to fight a war."

"Of course," responded Ron enthusiastically. "So when you carry out your missions, do it with some flash. I'll do all the paperwork. And of course, never mention this to the other council members. They would not approve, but they'll be too satisfied with the results you'll be getting to investigate how you're doing it." Ron signaled to his servants to take his plate away as he wiped his mouth with his velvet napkin. "We're going to win this one kid. And we're going to win it the only way that I know how: effective advertising."

I nodded. "Ok, I like it."

Ron smiled warmly. "Glad to hear it." Ron slid his chair back and stood up, gazing down upon me with wide eyes. "Ever have a cigar?" He asked with a smirk?

"Umm, no. What is that?" I asked, very confused.

"Oh, come out to the balcony, kid. You're in for a treat."

After bidding Ron farewell, I exited his elegant quarters as I coughed several times, re-experiencing the dark, thick taste of the cigar that I had just smoked. After drinking some water and overcoming my lightheadedness, I realized that it was just past midnight, and my team was likely waiting in the courtyard to be briefed. I planned on being late anyway so that the squad members could become acquainted with one another.

I entered the courtyard several minutes later. Just as I had hoped, all five team members were shaking hands, chatting and sharing jokes. When they noticed me approaching, all of them grew silent and bowed to waste level, except for Delion, who casually bowed his head with a half-smile.

"Rise," I said as I raised my left hand and turned to face my squad. "Welcome to the first official anti-Imperial strike force of the Iga-Koga Society. I put this team together for one reason: to hit the Empire where it hurts. I have selected all of you to serve as members of this team because I have done countless hours of research, and I believe that you are the most skilled in your specialties. You five are the best at what you do."

I paused briefly and began to pace back and forth in front of the line of five warriors. Crevall stood up stiffly every time I passed him by. "Tonight, we will execute our first mission. More of a trial run than anything. As I am sure you know; Kahn's forces have set up a small outpost near Fing village, which is just over 30 miles away. We will ride over in the night, seek out the outpost, and destroy it."

"No need to seek it out," Lynn chimed in as she reached in her blouse pocket to pull out a map. "The outpost is located 3 miles southeast of the village." She handed the map to me. "There are between 8 and 12 men stationed at the outpost. It is surrounded by several high vantage points that a sharpshooter as skilled as Crevall would have no problem utilizing."

I smiled at Lynn before quickly turning my attention to the rest of the team. "As I said, the best of the best. Lynn had intelligence prepared for a mission that she did not even know I had assigned yet. Preparation, determination and resilience. That is what will make this team work."

I placed my hands behind my back and smirked. "What do you say? Who's ready to kill some imperials?"

"Yes Sir!" Yelled all the team members.

Delion placed his hand on the back of his sword. "Bout time boss," he proclaimed. "Your speech was getting me randy."

'What a strange man,' I thought to myself.

We set out on horseback shortly after. We would have the cover of darkness for several more hours, so we moved at a medium pace. All was quiet, except for the occasional one line joke from Delion.

"One time my mom called me a son of a bitch. I laughed in her face."

Even the usually stone-faced Yun laughed at that one.

Still under the cover of the dark, cool blue sky, we arrived at the outpost. I sent Yun and Lynn to do some reconnaissance on the situation. Several minutes later, they both returned. "What's the situation?" I asked.

"One guard at the door, no back entrance. One small window," Lynn answered quickly.

Yun then gave me his report. "Two archers up top. Two tarkatans patrolling in standard formation in a 100 meter circumference."

I had all I needed for a battle plan. "Crevall, get high up and take out those archers. Make sure you can see that window clearly. If anyone tries to sneak out, put one clean through their head."

"Yes sir." Crevall then began to climb the cliffs to find his preferred vantage point.

I then turned to Yun. "Yun, find those tarkatans. Kill them before they know their dead. Then take out the man on the front door."

Yun nodded and faded into the shadows. I turned to Li-Qin and Lynn. "You two are on backup. If you see any strays, take them down. If the alarm sounds, get in the action."

"Understood," replied Lynn as she and Li Qin looked for an adequate hiding place.

I then looked to Delion. Before I could speak, he did. "That means you and me are going through the front door, right boss?"

"Correct," I responded.

"It's like you've known me forever," Delion said as we both moved to the shadows to watch the other team members carry out their assignments.

"But we go in when the outside guards have been taken care of."

Seemingly immediately after I finished my sentence, a sharp whistle screeched through the air and one of the guards on the roof went down like a rock. Before I had realized that Crevall had taken his shot, another sharp whistle reverberated from the same direction and the second guard went down.

"Man can really shoot that thing," Delion commented.

"Sure he can. That's why he's on the team."

Moments later, the sudden sound of soft tissue being cut could be heard near the outpost. The sound was followed by the site of a river of red coming from the neck of the guard by the front door. He fell to his knees to reveal the site of Yun holding a small dagger dripping in blood. He had snuck up behind him in complete silence. Yun looked to Delion and I with a nod before again fading into the shadows.

"Now show me why you are here," I said to Delion as I shifted away from cover and swiftly began to move to the front entrance.

I ran through the door, able to hear Delion a few steps behind me. We did not bother trying to hide our presence.

"Draigo, is that you?" A guard inside the outpost called. "Your shift is still going for another hour, get back to work."

The guard stepped from out to the hallway. "Draigo, get back…"

Before the guard could finish his sentence, I grabbed him by the throat. "Draigo's dead," I calmly informed the man as I held his mouth open and shot over a gallon of water into his lungs. Two more guards heard the noise and came out from one of the rooms. They ordered us to halt but we kept walking toward them. Delion stepped in front of me and in one slash decapitated both men. One more guard came out from the same room. He threw an axe toward my torso, but I turned to the left and evaded it with ease. I jumped in the air and kicked the man down to the ground. Delion delivered the finishing blow with another decapitation. The alarm began to sound. But it was too late. We entered the room where the small bell was ringing. It was a younger man, panicked and confused. I launched a water orb which knocked the man into the bell, causing a loud and crashing ring. Delion slowly walked up to the man with a smile as he backed into the corner of the room. Delion glimpsed at his sword and steadily stuck it into the guards heart, embracing the unmistakable look that can be seen in a man's eyes as he dies.

"That's why I am here," Delion remarked as he used the man he had just killed's garbs to wipe the blood from his incredibly long blade.

"Indeed," I responded as I turned back to the hallway and made my way back outside.

When I stepped out of the fortress, the rest of the team had made their way to the front, as they had heard the sound of the bell. Li-Qin was holding a single guard by the shoulders. He was struggling and unarmed.

"This one tried to make a run for it," Li-Qin shouted.

"Oh good, one more for me," Delion hissed as he stepped outside of the entrance to the outpost behind me.

"No," I exclaimed as I put my arm over Delion's chest, stopping him in his blood-thirsty tracks. "This one lives." I walked over to the guard and leaned down to force him to make eye-contact with me. "Run back to your Emperor," I told him with a smirk. "Tell him the Iga-Koga will bring his Empire down. Tell him that Rain is coming for him."

The guard spit in my face and again tried to escape the crushing might of Li-Qin's grip. I blinked slowly and wiped my face off before again turning to my carnage-prone swordsman. "Delion, something tells me that our friend here has an issue with memory. Will you please help him keep his fond memories of us?" Delion crossed his arms and smiled, seeming very interested in my proposition. I continued, "Carve the symbol of our society into him fifteen times. In any location and as deep as you wish."

"And to think I was just going to slit his throat," Delion grunted as he stomped over to the guard and grabbed him away from Li Qin's grip. The volume and terror in his screams made it clear how much he regretted spitting on me.

"Lynn," I called as I looked toward the outpost.

"Yes sir," she responded.

"Find any documents you can that me serve of value to the Iga-Koga. Clear out all the gold and koins as well."

Lynn marched back into the fortress.

I then turned toward the rest of the team. "When she's done, burn this facility to the ground."

My strike forces first mission was a complete success. One of many. Over the coming years, we would garner a reputation in the realm of Outworld more notorious than I could have ever imagined. We sacked outposts, destroyed imperial trade routes, took possession of alchemistic artifacts and slayed Kahn's officers whenever we had the opportunity. A name for our strike force began to circulate at first by word of mouth in the Imperial ranks and among Outworld citizens and then onto the print of wanted posters in nearly every village: The Reaving Wolves. It was fitting. We were a vicious pack. We were brothers in arms, yet hunters of Imperial forces. And I was the leader. It gave me pleasure thinking that Shao Kahn lived in fear of me, the leader of a team of only six warriors. Undoubtedly, he wanted me dead more than any other criminal in Outworld. Never could I have imagined that one day I would be working for him.