Pyro's chapter! Fun fact SwifteForeverAndAlways loves Pyro. Who doesn't? He's hot, has good character arc, he's hot, and he's hot. Fire related pun not intended.
At the island's arena, Fitz, his bodyguards, and the monks had taken back up their places. Strucker stood before Fitz's throne. The kombatants from the previous match were there too, waiting and watching.
One of the masked guards caught Storm's eye and she gasped. Storm realized the true identity of the guard and left her place. "Kombatants! The next match, will begin!" Fitz yelled out. In a burst of hellfire, Pyro teleported into the arena. Steve gaped in awe and even Piotr looked impressed.
"Pyro. Specter of the Netherrealm. Resurrected by the sorcerer Strucker. Who among you are brave enough to challenge him." Fitz said. "Where is the Lin Kuei-Simmons. She killed my family and clan. I will have her head." Pyro said. While Pyro was speaking, Storm approached the masked guard.
"I know it is you, Phil Coulson. The Shaolin monks chose Piotr Rapsutin to represent your order." Storm said quietly. "I am his equal." The guard angrily retorted. "That remains to be seen." Storm replied calmly.
"Watch and see." Coulson said and walked into the arena floor, discarding his disguise. "I accept the challenge." Coulson announced. "Coulson." Piotr breathed in shock.
Fitz looked disturbed at the turn of events as Coulson faced Pyro. "Nevermind the Lin Kuei. Now you face a Shaolin!" Coulson said. He punctuated his words by running two fingers over his sharp hat and taking up a fighting stance. "You will regret your impulsiveness." Pyro said.
They fought. As impressive as the Shaolin arts were, they were nothing compared to the intense power of the Netherrealm and Pyro soon beat Coulson unconcious. "You are not yet a warrior." Pyro sneered.
"Coulson!" Piotr cried and rushed to the aid of his Shaolin brother. Storm walked over and began to admonish Coulson. "Listen when your elders speak! You could not win this fight!" Storm then assisted Piotr in helping Coulson up.
Pyro watched the exchange with no emotions on his face before turning to Fitz. "I have defeated the challenger, Fitz. I demand Simmons!" Pyro all but yelled. At that moment, Storm got another vision.
First of Pyro, holding Simmons' removed head and spinal cord. Before Storm's eyes, the head morphed. Storm shook her head as Fitz spoke. "You will demand nothing. Wolverine!" He barked.
The man walked up to Pyro and spoke to him. "Your aggression is misplaced." Wolverine said. "What do you know of my pa-" Pyro began to say before getting cut off. "You are not the only one who's people have been victimized. But I have found new purpose in serving the Spirits. I do not cling to the past." Wolverine said.
"You no longer seek retribution? You dishonor your kind. I will honor the memory of my fallen." Pyro said. Although Wolverine has skills that are more than Coulson's, he still falls to Pyro. "The spirits have forsaken you, shaman." Pyro said.
"An impressive start." Fitz mused. Pyro scowled at Fitz and clenched a fist that burst into flames. "You waste my time, sorcerer." He growled. Strucker held up his hand, "Restraint, Pyro."
Although he didn't look happy about it, Pyro nodded and backed off, his hand returning to normal. "You will fight Simmons soon enough." Fitz said. Fitz stood and left with Strucker following him.
Pyro lowered his head in thought as Storm caught his attention. "Pyro. I understand your desire for revenge. But Wolverine is right. There are other ways to find peace." Storm said gently.
"She deserves death." Pyro said angrily. "Defeat her if you must, but do not kill her. I fear killing her will give rise to a more treacherous foe." Storm said. "I will have my revenge!" Pyro said.
"Spare Simmons and I will request to the Elder Gods that the Shirai Ryu return to the land of the living." Storm bargained. Pyro thought about that for a few moments before turning to Storm and nodding his consent.
Storm also nodded before walking off with Piotr and Coulson, leaving Pyro all alone. Some time later, Fitz was in his throne room when Pyro walked in. Several kontestants were hanging around, chatting. Two of these were Vision and Cyborg of the Lin Kuei.
"I understand there are benefits to the Grandmaster's plan. But they go against the Lin Kuei's principles." Cyborg said. "We are Lin Kuei, Cyborg. We will listen to the Grandmaster's plans." Vision replied. "It will mean giving up our souls...our free will. It will turn us into..." Cyborg began to say before Vision cut him off as Pyro approached.
"Pyro." Vision greeted. "Your inferior clan is dead. Soon you will join them." Cyborg added. "My clan may walk the Earth once more." Pyro replied.
Cyborg pushed him as his response. Fitz saw this. "A challenge! Pyro versus Cyborg and Vision!" He declared. "Your obsession with Simmons ends here." Cyborg said and they began to fight.
Although Vision and Cyborg have formidable weapons and technology, they are nothing compared to the skill of Pyro. "I will have my revenge, but I will not kill Simmons." Pyro said. Storm nodded her approval as another voice spoke. "Won't or can't." Simmons said, walking into the room.
"You!" Pyro yelled. The two enemies sized each other up. "The Shirai Ryu are dead. You will suffer as they did." Pyro said dangerously. "To hell with your clan." Simmons spat.
"No. To Hell with you!" Pyro snarled and grabbed Simmons, teleporting them. They reappeared in a land of burning fire, burning flesh, and bad architecture.
"The Netherrealm." Simmons breathed. "This is where I was reborn! This is where you will pay!" Pyro yelled.
It was a truly epic battle, with both parties equal in strength and skill. Eventually, it was Pyro's fury that pulled away a win for him. "I have avenged my family and clan." Pyro said.
Strucker teleported into the realm at that moment. "This is your retribution? Pyro, kill him." Strucker commanded. "I...I will not. He has been beaten." Pyro said. "Have you forgotten?" Strucker asked, creating an image with his powers. The image was of Pyro's homeland.
"What is this?" Pyro demanded. The entire village was in flames, Shirai Ryu cut down. "No..." Pyro whispered as Lin Kuei beheaded a Shirai Ryu. "Your clan. Your family." Strucker said, forming another image.
Before their eyes, Strucker showed Pyro's wife and infant daughter huddling in a corner. Pyro watched as the door burst open and Simmons stormed in, her katana in her hand.
Simmons unsheathed the sword and brutally murdered the two, unmoved by the tears of the wife. "NO!" Pyro yelled, anger in his face.
The vision faded. Simmons, badly injured as she was, slowly stood up. "That is not me!" She said. Pyro didn't listen, he ripped off his mask to show his skull...
Pyro reappeared on the island, holding Simmons' skull and spinal cord. "Ouch" Steve commented. Pyro hung his head and dropped the skull, letting it shatter on the ground.
Pyro let out a loud scream and disappeared in a burst of flames. Storm looked at the skull, as did Cyborg. "Pyro will pay for this!" Cyborg yelled.
"Simmons' fate was her own doing." Storm said quietly. "Her own doing?!" Cyborg asked incredulously. "The Lin Kuei have a history of making ruinous choices." Storm replied.
Cyborg glared at Storm. He began to storm away when Storm spoke up, "Such as the Cyber Initiative" Cyborg turned back around to face her. "I am amongst those against the Grandmaster's plan. Surgically transform the Lin Kuei into robots. It destroys our intuition, our instincts." Cyborg said.
"Did you speak out against the Lin Kuei's participation in this tournament?" Storm asked. "We were invited by Fitz." Cyborg argued. "He pays you to kill Earthrealmers. Betraying your own realm? I expected better, even from an assassin." Storm said.
"My loyalty is to the Grandmaster." Cyborg said stiffly. Cyborg began to walk off again when Storm spoke, stopping him. "Victory for Fitz means the end of Earthrealm. And the end of the Lin Kuei." She said. Cyborg paused for a moment before walking off.
Quill, who had watched the whole exchange, snarled ominously and walked off.