Green moss clung desperately to the trunks of tall, swaying trees. Rain hammered down, slamming into the stagnant, pungent water as thunderclouds soared overhead, illuminated by the dim pale glow of the moon. Streaks of lightning carving their way through the sky periodically lit the desolate swamp and its surrounding features, revealing hollowed-out carcasses of obscure creatures every so often that hung from the limbs of trees like ominous ornaments. The chirps and screeches of numberless insects echoed around in a never-ceasing cacophony that mixed with the crescendoing storm overhead.
Through the noise that blocked out all other sounds, and under the cover of the gaps between the lightning that lit the night, thirty men stalked through the thigh-high water. They moved cohesively, coordinating their movements in time with the nature around them. To an untrained, unfamiliar eye, they would be almost impossible to detect. They traversed the swamp with a singular focus, little communication required to guide the group toward their goal.
The leader of the group came to the base of a large tree, waiting patiently for the next clash of lightning and thunder. As a flash encompassed the swamp the man raised a fist. With professional, practiced coordination, the group halted their advance. He was proud of their progress, and impressed with the mental fortitude of his team, though he expected nothing less. The trek through the swamp had been long and hard, and the constant exposure to less than clean water had all but certainly given each of them a rash that was aggravated by the ever-calculated movements the men continued to make, progressing painstakingly closer to their target. His own rash bothered him so.
Wiping the sweat from his brow Kuai Liang studied the terrain in front of him. They were close now, of that he was sure. Twenty-nine of his most trusted Shirai Ryu accompanied him, all members who had shown mastery of their arcana, all senior members of his clan. Every one of them knew that the past seven years of training had cumulated to this mission. All of them were prepared to give their lives for its completion. But first, Kuai Liang had to guide them to their objective. Stealth was paramount, but the miserable conditions were steadily increasing his ire and urging him to push forward faster and more aggressively.
Ahead of him, the water maintained its stagnant and still appearance. Dark brown algae lifelessly drifted atop the surface of the water as various insects skimmed between trunks of damp wood. The constant downpour, droplets of water slamming into the swamp like rounds of artillery, was the only visible disturbance. But Liang knew looks alone were not to be trusted. And his senses were telling him something was amiss. Further ahead, the swamp looked almost…lifeless.
"What is it, brother?" whispered Tomas Vrbada, the ninja soundlessly appearing by his side. He turned from the expanse in front of him to see the grey-clad ninja, the only one not in the colors of the clan. His head was covered in a black wrap, hiding his snow-white hair from reflecting the beams of the moon. A fashioned handle from an expertly smithed karambit sat securely fastened to his left forearm, and three smoke grenades, strapped to a leather sash, shifted silently against his chest. In the shadows, the ninja was a terrifying sight. Liang knew he was just as lethal as his looks might suggest.
"We are close" he hissed back, returning his gaze to his front. Tomas laid a hand on his shoulder and peered deeper into the swamp with his brother. At this distance Liang could just barely make out the smell of sweat that the ninja produced. It was only mildly better than the aroma that wafted up from the swamp surface, and the smell of decay and death that emanated from a corpse of a barely humanoid form impaled upon a branch above him. He refitted his mask over his nose, hoping to block out more of the smell, but it was a hopeless endeavor that further fueled his fire.
"How can you be so sure?"
"The algae. And the bugs." Tomas followed his brother's stare further ahead into the swamp. At first, he didn't understand, but then he noticed what Liang was referring to. Twenty meters ahead the signs of life all but ceased. In flashes of lightning that streaked the sky in a steady rhythm, Tomas was able to see the abrupt shift in the fauna. The algae was all but gone, and the insects that had hounded the Shirai Ryu for the past several hours were vacant. It was as if an invisible wall had been erected, blocking nature from continuing deeper into the swamp save the trees that continued to creak and groan overhead from storm-charged jet streams that battered their dying limbs.
"We've waited a long time for this moment, we cannot linger longer. We must push through, no matter the consequences" Kuai Liang decided, moving to give the signal to continue pushing ahead.
"Those consequences could be dire" responded Tomas, slipping his karambit from its forearm-mounted sheath and spinning the blade around his index finger aimlessly. "We've done well to make it this far without being detected, but until we are at our target, the Lin Kuei cannot be our primary concern. The Zaterrans must not discover us. Remember last time Earthrealm mettled with Outworld."
"It is not the same" seethed Kuai Liang, his tone betraying the calm and steady presence he displayed outwardly. "The Empress wants Bi Han's head for his betrayal. She blames him for her mother's death. She would condone our actions."
"But not when it's happening under her nose, without her knowledge, and in the territory of her vassal, no less. Besides, if Outworld learned we knew of the Lin Kuei's location, that they had sheltered here, and we hadn't told them? It could shatter the relationship between the realms. I doubt the Zaterrans would respond friendly to our presence either. We don't want to get into a fight before we even encounter our foe."
"We both know of the rising discontent with the Zaterrans, Tomas." Liang shifted in the water, attempting to ease his aching feet. He pulled his hand from the trunk of the tree he was at, wiping the moss that came with onto his black and yellow vest as he turned to face his brother. "Even with Syzoth as equerry, the match for revolution had sparked long before Mileena had taken the throne. It is only a matter of time before the flames turn into a raging inferno. Maybe eliminating a few Zaterrans along the way wouldn't be such a bad thing."
Tomas gave his brother an incredulous look. "If we gassed the flame, the alliance between the realms would be lost forever, Kuai Liang. Mileena is not her mother. She showed those inflicted with Tarkat compassion, acceptance. Allowed a Zaterran into her court. She will exhaust every possible option before violence, before declaring war on her own people to reign in their submission to her rule. If we start that war, another between Earthrealm and Outworld will surely follow." The yellow ninja sighed, doing his best to dampen the fire that had raged within him for the past hours.
"I know. I'm frustrated and tired, is all. This damned swamp." The two looked around at that, getting true glimpses from the flashes of lightning overhead. Behind them, the rest of the Shirai Ryu continued to wait soundlessly, expertly adept in their patience. Their discipline wouldn't break, no matter the physical suffering they as well were most undoubtedly feeling.
"We are close, brother" whispered Smoke, laying a palm on his shoulder while reiterating Liang's words back to him. "Just a little further. We have to be extra careful now, that we are fully entering Zaterrans territory." Scorpion nodded, returning the gesture before pulling away. Tomas drifted back silently, returning to the proper spacing the formation the clan had been using while traversing the swamp required. With the glow of lightning illuminating his frame, Liang gave the signal to proceed.
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The carriage shook violently. The road to Zaterra from Sun Do was paved long ago, and the route wore its age on its sleeve. The curtains that adorned the royal transport swayed gently, bathed by a slow, exhaustingly humid draft. A sheen of moisture danced along the purple and red fabrics that created a kaleidoscopic pattern within the interior of the carriage. Outside the sun relentlessly battered the already moist environment, cooking the pungent smells of the surrounding swamps into an almost nauseating odor.
Syzoth smiled ear to ear in his seat. It had been seven years since Titan Shang Tsung had been defeated. He had spent those seven years as Empress Mileena's equerry, her bridge line between the empire and Zaterra. They hadn't been the smoothest years, and the revelations he had discovered about his people shook him to the core, but he always loved coming home. Curling a finger around a curtain that had begun to sway too close for his liking, he peeled the moist fabric back to reveal the outside world. Sunlight forced its way into the carriage as he peered through his recently made portal.
A swath of healthy trees stood vigilance just off the bank of the road. Vastly different from the 'dead swamps' further south, which stretched out of Zaterra proper, the heart of their land was a gorgeous and lush region. A pearlescent brown sheen from healthy algae blanketed the surface of the water that swayed between the trunks of the trees, and insects of all species flew or skimmed just above its surface. It wouldn't be much longer until their convoy would arrive in the capital, Sauraria, for the annual royal diet that the Empress attended of all her vassals. To call it a capital was slightly misleading, the Zaterrans didn't make what one would call 'cities.' But it was the largest gathering of Zaterrans within the realm and was designated as a capital for such reasons.
"I will never get used to this humidity" Mileena droned, running her hand through her hair. Sweat gleamed freely along her tan form, and if not for the veil on her face it would surely be dripping from the point of her nose. Forgoing her normal royal appearance in favor of attire more acclimated to Zaterran humidity, the empress was dressed in a pink and silver body suit made of pours, silk-like fabric designed to battle against sweat. The suit ended just above her chest, leaving her shoulders and forearms bare to the elements. Finding it difficult to style due to the overwhelming humidity she wore her hair down, appreciating the shade it provided as the sun worked its way into the carriage.
"I find it wonderful" Syzoth replied cheerily as he closed his dark green eyes to allow his face to bask in the warmth. The equerry's black hair was free flowing, his green robes recently pressed and of a professional appearance. Not that his attire mattered, in royal proceedings such as this where he would represent his people and their position within the royal court he preferred to shift back to his natural form. Still, it felt good to be dressed sharp.
"I couldn't disagree with you more" voiced the empress as she shifted further into the recesses of their transport to escape back into the cool of the shade. "How much further? I can never tell how much ground we've made once we've entered Zaterra. It all looks the same to me" she expressed while peering at the outside world through the curtain that was held ajar.
"A few more hours, five at the most, empress. We will hit the border settlements soon." Mileena nodded in response, removing a sai from her hip that she began to spin in her palm purely out of boredom.
"Any updates from Raptor Rylan?" she questioned, turning her attention to the shapeshifter. "The animosity from the Shokan's and Naknadan's were more than enough for me. I'm hoping this will be 'smoother,' especially because of your presence." Syzoth allowed the curtain to return to its original position as he turned to face the empress, shifting in his seat as the carriage struck another rough patch in the road that caused it to shake.
"The murmurs of discontent haven't ceased, empress" answered the equerry hesitantly. "But that is all they are. Raptor Rylan is the defacto ruler of our people, as long as he remains loyal Zaterra will continue to be a committed partner to the throne." The empress stared Syzoth down from above her veil. "We may not be advanced, or have a culture like that of the rest of Outworld. But we are smart enough not to enter into a war with you, my empress. Rylan wouldn't subject our people to certain defeat."
"I've wanted results, Syzoth. I've been more than patient with you, but your words have proven empty thus far. Mother and father have already attempted to persuade me to crack down on your people. I'm sure Kitana and the Royal Military wouldn't mind a bit of fun." Mileena's eyes never left the shapeshifters, a murderous gleam within them. While her rule has been much more lenient than that of her parents she had no intentions of losing the throne or showing weakness by having a vassal revolt. Her patience was wearing thin with the Zaterrans, and she wasn't afraid to show it.
"And you will have them Empress, I promise you. We just-" his words caught in his throat as he snapped his attention to the side of the carriage, intently looking at the fabric. She could immediately tell that while he was looking plainly at the curtain, he was attempting to see through it. Syzoth stood, slamming a fist against the frame of the transport, a signal for the driver to halt.
"What is it?" Mileena stood as well, pulling her other sai from the loop upon her hip as she did so. Her senses immediately went on high alert, trying to detect the reason for her equerry's rapid change in demeanor.
"We are not alone." Peeling the fabric away the shapeshifter leapt from the carriage. The empress quickly followed suit. The rest of the convoy had come to a stop as well, four carriages in total ceasing upon the road. Three of a black and yellow coloration signaled the Umgadi, the warrior priestess who served the royal family as their personal security. The lead carriage harbored Tanya, the leader of the Umgadi and a personal friend to Mileena and her princess sister, Kitana. The two behind each held a compliment of four more priestesses, brining the total to twelve royal guards. The dozen women, armed to the teeth, exited their transports as well and immediately formed a protective circle around their queen and by extension, the equerry.
"Why have we stopped empress?" questioned Tanya, retrieving her sanjiegun from its holster wrapped snuggly around her yellow priestess attire. The rest of the Umgadi, armed with a spear and shield, assumed a ready position. Any potential assailant would have to pierce a wall of pointed weapons and raised shields to harm their charge. All around them, the swamp continued its lively activity, the chirping of insects and the swish of moving water reaching deafening decibels beyond the blanket of trees. Visibility into the swamp went only a few meters before the dense vegetation began to overlap and disrupt any sense of detail.
"We have visitors" the shapeshifter responded, drawing Tanya's attention to him. She narrowed her eyes as she readied her weapon.
"Shao's men?" The empress responded to the lead Umgadi's question with a growl. The imprisoned general had escaped many moons ago, aided by his lapdog Reiko and those still loyal to his cause. The Imperial Police, headed by Li Mei, had thus far been empty in their searches for any of the traitors. Mileena had hid his escape from the populace, by her parent's council. She had to maintain order, and the general's escape was sure to cause unrest.
"We could only be so lucky, dearest Tanya. I would love nothing more than to rip their throats out with my teeth" Mileena exclaimed, feeling the bloodlust rise within her. She could do with something to distract her from the sweltering heat that made her vision haze, and nothing would please her more than to kill those that had betrayed her family. Her Tarkat affliction began to nibble at her mind, accompanied by an itch at her jaw. The potential of a fight promising to bring her disease to the forefront.
"Careful, empress" Tanya cautioned, knowing how dangerous it could be to bring Mileena back under control after the Tarkat took her. Syzoth shifted into his Zaterran from, the Umgadi around him giving him space as his frame grew substantially. The reptilian creature lifted his snout to the sky and breathed deeply, his nostrils flaring as he did so. The hulking mass of green scales tilted his head to the side, a look of confusion spreading across his face.
From the embankment marking where the road ended and swamp began another Zaterran, more massive than Syzoth, and covered in gleaming reddish-brown scales, emerged. A brown loincloth was wrapped haphazardly around his waist. The creature's tail, as wide and large as a man, swung side to side, and long talons stretched eagerly from its hands. Mileena had seen the Zaterran before. Raptor Rylan.
Multiple Zaterrans emerged by their leader's side, surrounding the Umgadi and their carriages. The hulking reptiles varied in size and coloration, but each one was twice as large as a man at the smallest, head and shoulders over Syzoth at the largest. Their scales refracted the sunlight in such a way that shades of green and brown mixed with the light, giving the sky and what could be seen of the horizon a shimmering appearance. The horses tied to the transports began to whine in unease. The animals could sense the threat posed by the Zaterrans.
"To what do we owe the pleasure, raptor?" Mileena growled in challenge. The reptile snapped his jaws shut violently in response. He proceeded to click and growl. What passed for language among their species, a collection of clacks and chattering, began between Syzoth and the Zaterran ruler while the Umgadi continued to stay within their formation. Subconsciously the circle grew a bit tighter.
"I don't like this, empress. I shall cut one of the horses loose, if this goes bad you can escape on-" Mileena hissed, cutting off the priestess. She could feel the air humming with anticipation, even the natural ambiance of the swamp seemed to grow quiet. The Tarkat was screaming at her within her veins. A fight was what she wanted, and she wouldn't let Tanya talk her out of it. An empress of Outworld always had to be ready to fight. Syzoth transformed back into his human form and turned to Mileena and Tanya, though he cast his eyes away from theirs.
"He…he demands your surrender, empress," he said, keeping his gaze averted. "He promises that no harm will come to us if we go peacefully" the shapeshifter added. The empress laughed.
"Surrender? I would sooner feast on your entrails than be bullied into submission by my underlings. All of Zaterra will feel my bite!"
"Be reasonable, empress" came a voice from behind. The three within the circle whipped about to the opposite embankment as two humans walked between the Zaterrans, standing a respectful distance away from the spears still held at the ready by the Umgadi. A male and a female, both with an ice blue mask over their faces and dressed in the black and blue colors of the Lin Kuei. Bi Han and Xiuying. Even in the excessive warmth and humidity, a plume rose from the grandmaster's breath as he spoke, as if the temperature was below freezing.
"You are smarter than this. An empress would have to be. You have no hope of winning this fight. Lay down your weapons, come peacefully. I might yet still even offer you the alliance I requested before, if you can be reasonable."
"Sub-zero! Frost! I will kill you both!" Mileena roared, refusing to give either of them the respect of their true names. As she stared down the new arrivals her eyes started to morph. Gone was the brown that was her normal color, instead replaced by a deep amber. Her pupils became cat-like, and her voice started to take on a rasp. She could feel her jaw start to tingle and pop as her bone structure began to change, replacing her normal mouth with a maw of razor-sharp teeth, all hidden behind her veil. She could smell their blood from where she stood. And she was hungry. Beside her, Syzoth returned to his Zaterran form while Tanya prepared herself for the inevitable.
"Kill them," said the grandmaster, placing his hands on his hips smugly. In an instant, the silence that had taken over the swamp erupted into chaos. A Zaterran closer to Rylan dove forward, its maw ripping through an Umgadi's shield like paper. The woman screamed as the reptile clamped its massive jaws around the priestess's legs and began to spin in a death roll, tearing her legs in a fountain of blood. Her fellow Umgadi on either side thrust their spears into the creature's head, burrowing the points of their weapons through its tough hide and into its brain, killing it instantly.
Syzoth leaped from the protective confines of the defensive formation, sprinting straight for Rylan. A Zaterran attempted to block his path but was swept aside by a massive backhand that landed between the creature's armpit and stomach that broke the reptile's spine and sent it careening into a nearby carriage, forcing the horses tethered to it to the ground. Rylan roared and spit a glob of acid that the shapeshifter easily dodged before tackling the larger creature backward and into the swamp in a massive splash of flying algae and water.
Mileena tossed her sais towards Bi Han, but the blades struck home instead into a wall of ice conjured by the ninja at his side. The empress teleported to her blades, using the handles as leverage and ripping them free from the wall with her as she flipped over the top. As she landed she immediately thrust a sai towards the grandmaster's face, attempting to skewer the man. But again her attempt was foiled by Xiuying, who parried the blow with a swing that knocked the blade down. Roaring, the Tarkat-consumed empress pushed her attack, slashing and thrusting at Frost who was pushed back, dodging and parrying as best she could.
"For the throne!" bellowed Tanya as she led four of her Umgadi around the ice wall. Multiple Zaterrans charged them, throwing themselves at their spears with little regard for their own safety. Tanya cracked a lizard over the head, shattering its teeth before cartwheeling over its body and sprinting to support her queen. Another priestess was thrown through the air by a devastating tail whip from another Zaterran, breaking the woman's neck as she smashed into a tree. As her body crashed into the water she was instantly ripped apart by multiple reptilians that thrashed her body into pieces, tossing bloody water into the sky that caught the sunlight, diffusing its yellow glow into ruby red that bathed the battlefield.
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"We should intervene" whispered Tomas, crouched onto a thick limb of a tree next to his brother. Below them, the empress's royal convoy was surrounded by a group of Zaterrans, the warrior priestess of the Umgadi in a protective formation around Mileena, Syzoth, and Tanya. Behind them, elevated on trees of their own, was the rest of their group. The Shirai Ryu held their positions patiently, their discipline as strong as it was the night prior as they awaited orders.
"Wasn't it you that convinced me to keep my patience the night before? We don't know what is about to occur. We should stay within the shadows, our priority is the Lin Kuei. Besides, we don't have an army with us. Our plan was to kill Bi Han, a surgical strike to remove the head of the snake and let the body die. We can't fight that many Zaterrans."
"Saving the empress should take precedence over the Lin Kuei" responded Tomas, a matter of factly. "Outworld would be thrown into disarray if she were to die, slayed in a vassal revolt. There is no telling who would take charge in her stead."
"Kitana" answered Kuai Liang, raising an eyebrow at his brother. In his personal opinion, she would make a better ruler anyway. She wasn't afflicted with Tarkat like her sister, and her head was more level. She understood the balance between her thirst for revenge against those who wronged her family and the necessity of organizing her empire. He was more than confident she was up to the task.
"If we were so lucky. The ensuing power vacuum could see anyone placed on the throne. Our spies reported that even the general escaped from his imprisonment not long ago, imagine if he took power? And that's not even to mention the unrest that would surely follow immediately after the empress was gone. Earthrealm and Outworld have a secure, steady alliance, even if it is somewhat strained. Our focus is the defense of Earthrealm, first and foremost, even more so than defeating Bi Han and the Lin Kuei. Defending Mileena protects that interest."
Kuai Liang held up a hand, silencing his brother. He pointed across the road and to the far side of the other embankment. Emerging from the horde of reptilians came two ninjas, dressed in the colors of their former clan. Even from this distance, he could make out his brother's face. His lips curled into a sneer from behind his mask.
"Bi Han" Kuai Liang seethed, a fire rising deep within his soul. The urge to leap from his perch and to slay his former grandmaster coursed through him. He gripped the center of the tree even tighter to dissuade his body from acting on its own accord, splintering the bark between his fingers.
"Is he working with the Zaterrans?" Tomas exclaimed in shock. On the road, the attention had turned to Bi Han, but the two were far enough away that the words didn't carry. Mileena's voice carried more than enough, however.
"Sub-zero! Frost! I will kill you both!" The road erupted into carnage as the two opposing parties began to clash in combat. It was clear almost immediately that the Umgadi were grossly outmatched. The Zaterrans were ripping through their ranks like a hot knife to butter, while the equerry had busied himself with the biggest of the Zaterran and threw him into the water just below them. The empress was already engaged with Bi Han and Xiuying.
"Two birds, one stone," said Kuai Liang dryly, meeting his brother's eyes. Tomas nodded, standing from his perch. The yellow-clad grandmaster raised his hand, formed a fist, and thrust it forward. The Shirai Ryu acted as one, leaping from branch to branch towards their target.
Kuai Liang and Tomas landed in synchronization, plunging their respective blades into the napes of two Zaterran. Kuai Liang removed his blade and flame teleported directly behind Bi Han, who had stepped back to let his protege deal with the empress. Tomas followed suit, but not before throwing one of the grenades attached to his sash into the main flow of the battle, aiming to disorient the reptilian horde enough to give the Umgadi a chance to regroup.
The rest of the Shirai Ryu landed in the opening created by their masters and wordlessly separated into kill teams, moving as units to engage and dispatch their foes in cooperative efficiency. The three groups made up of nine members each, were preordained before the mission and led by a singular ninja. Each took a different direction into combat. One led by senior member Hanashi spearheaded straight up the center of the road, aiming to relieve the beleaguered priestess. The others, led by senior member Tashan and junior member Jalul, each took an edge of the road, carving a bloody path between the Zaterran horde and the Umgadi. A final junior member, Takashi, remained in the tree line, spewing balls of fire at their enemy from above.
Bi Han was caught off guard by the two teleporting ninjas as he was dealt a jarring jab to the jaw, the blow spinning him around as he came to face his two former brothers, one by blood and one by relation. No words were spoken as the three instantly engaged in combat. Blocking a series of blows from Kuai Liang the grandmaster ducked a roundhouse kick from Tomas, rising to full height and sending a crushing backward elbow into his face. The grey-clad ninja stumbled back, disoriented from the blow, and was instantly swept off his feet by a Zaterran tail whip. Turning his full attention to Kuai Liang he delivered a standing kick to his brother's stomach, knocking the wind from his diaphragm.
Kuai Liang recovered quickly, dipping out of the way as Bi Han sent a flurry of follow-up kicks toward his face. He dropped to the ground and executed a leg sweep, kicking the Lin Kuei grandmaster's feet from under him. He followed up with a fireball that was deflected by an ice shield. The projectile was used as a diversion, however, and he took the opportunity to launch himself onto his still-prone opponent, delivering two solid punches to his foe's face. The blue ninja caught the third and fourth blow in the palms of his hands, then flung his knee forward into the back of the Shirai Ryu to send him flying off. The two regained their footing at the same time, engaging yet again in a flurry of blows and blocks.
Tomas jumped to his feet and spun around an outstretched paw of his opponent, slashing his karambit through the scales on its forearm. The reptilian roared, slamming a closed fist down towards his head. The ninja tossed a second grenade between its legs, teleporting to it just as the creatures fist crushed the empty dirt. He delivered a flying kick, ignited from the teleport, directly into the small of the Zaterrans back, sending it tumbling away. Another lunged at him, aiming to crush him with its weight.
The ninja sidestepped, responding with a rising knee that caught the reptile in the jaw. The blow shattered teeth and bone as it was lifted from the ground, collapsing in a heap. The first Zaterran recovered and sent another paw swipe his way. Not having time to dodge Tomas raised his arms in a block, but the blow still sent him sprawling onto his back. The creature lunged at his downed opponent, but the ninja kicked his feet and rolled over his own head, swiping his krambit in an upward arch as he came to the balls of his feet. The blade dug home under the lizard's jaw, Tomas using its leverage to stand the reptile to full height before delivering a kick to send it flying away, bleeding out on the road.
Tomas turned, surveying the rest of the battlefield as a moment of reprieve was granted. The sight wasn't good. Senior member Tashan's group had already succumbed to the overwhelming amount of Zaterrans, but a lot of scale-ridden, bloodied bodies lay in their wake. The kill team had punched massively above their weight and scored a plethora of kills for their efforts. Senior member Hanashi stood back to back with an Umgadi Priestess, three more ninjas, and two more of the female warriors adding to their numbers as they battled against surrounding opposing forces.
Junior member Jalul's group seemed to have the most success, with all but one of his warriors still standing. They had regrouped with Tanya, busy with a large crowd of Zaterrans. They were only a few feet away from the empress and Kuai Liang, who were both still engaged with their Lin Kuei opponents. Junior member Takashi's artillery support had fallen silent, his person or his assailant nowhere within sight. Green and red blood soaked the dirt road, seeping into the ground in spots while drying from the direct sunlight in others. The horses, still tethered to their respective transports, continued to whine and scream. They were however unable to move, as the lead carriage had been struck earlier by the flying corpse of a Zaterran that had left a crashed wreckage in their way.
Tomas released his last smoke grenade from his sash and tossed it toward Jalul and Tanya. He appeared from the explosion with a flying kick that slammed into a surprised Zaterrans jaw, sending the reptile flying from the edge of the road and splashing into the swamp. He turned and flung his karambit through the air, directly between the eyes of another, freeing Jalul and Tanya from the opponent they were fighting together. The two warriors turned, surprised that their foe was so easily dispatched.
"We have to get the empress out of here!" He shouted over the roar of combat. The remaining Shirai Ryu formed a defensive circle around the three, swords slashing against talons as they tried to maintain a secure cordon. "This fight is lost, we cannot hold!"
"Of course we can't! But how do you expect us to retreat? Even with your unexpected help we are completely outnumbered, we'd get hunted down. And the empress won't leave, her affliction has a hold of her, she won't stop until either she is dead or the enemy."
"Can you stop her?" He inquired, continuing to survey his surroundings for a gap in the Shirai Ryu's defenses. So far they were holding. Tanya removed a vial from a compartment within her attire. The syringe contained a viscous yellow fluid, with a thick needle protruding from its base.
"If I can get to her, yes. But the serum isn't easy on her body. She will be incapacitated."
"Jalul" Tomas yelled over the chaos of the ensuing battle. The ninja gave him his undivided attention, the discipline of their training evident as he ignored the ongoing clash around them.
"Assist the Umgadi. Get the empress to the horses, and retreat down the road as fast as you can!" The junior ninja balked from behind his mask.
"I will not leave you or the grandmaster! My honor will not allow it! I will see our mission through to completion!"
"To hell with your honor, Jalul! The mission parameters have changed." Tomas took a step towards the man, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Get the empress to safety. We are going to need her alive to defeat the Lin Kuei, they are more cemented here than previously anticipated. We will need her military."
The ninja averted his gaze. Tomas could sense the internal battle raging within him. He could understand, if the roles were reversed he too would be hard-pressed to leave. Dying among one's brothers, fighting his enemies, was considered as honorable as an end a Shirai Ryu could hope for. But this battle wouldn't be the end. A war was brewing, and the clan needed the support of Mileena if they were going to succeed. The man looked back into the grey ninja's eyes and nodded, sheathing his blade.
Tomas nodded back, then turned towards Mileena and Kuai Liang. "Shirai Ryu, with me!" He shouted, sprinting forward and dropping kicking a Zaterran that was pressuring two of his subordinates, breaking the encirclement. Jalul and Tanya rushed through the opening, followed by the rest of Jalul's squad. The grey-clad ninja took the lead, crashing into an unaware Xiuying, knocking the woman off her feet. The empress roared, breaking from her block and attempting to charge her flung opponent. Tanya appeared from behind her, grappling the woman down to the ground and plunging the syringe into her neck. Her amber eyes returned to their normal shade before they closed as the queen fell unconscious in a heap.
Jalul picked the woman up, holding her to his chest as the rest of the Shirai Ryu fought around them. His surviving squad mates created a path through the Zaterrans towards the carriages as Tomas began to deal with the Lin Kuei female. "With me, Shirai Ryu!" Exclaimed Tanya, running through the gap created by the yellow-clad ninjas. Jalul followed, arriving at the base of the convoy where senior member Hanashi and the lone surviving Umgadi continued to stave off the overwhelming reptilian assault.
Tanya lashed out with her sanjiegun and sliced the ropes tethering the two horses to their carriage. She flipped through the air, landing on the beast's back. For all their whining and screaming, the horses used in the royal family's transport were well-trained and did not flee as they were cut loose. Jalul placed the empress's body on the horse, before then positioning himself in such a way that her body lay across his lap. "Take the lead" ordered Tanya, steering her horse around. "I will keep the Zaterrans off you." The ninja nodded before turning his steed, galloping past Hanashi, who now stood alone. The lead priestess was directly on his tale, whipping her weapon through the air as they burst through the Zaterran ranks.
Tomas delivered a crushing heel kick to Xiuying's face, spinning the ninja through the air as she landed forcefully on the ground. He turned to see Tanya and Jalul galloping back down the road, reptilian forms hot on their heels, but the horses were gaining ground. His legs were suddenly swept from under him, his face smashing roughly against the dirt. He rolled to his feet, blocking a string of blows from the Lin Kuei before placing a well-timed counter jab directly into the nose of her mask.
He sidestepped a lunging Zaterran, kicking the creature back toward the dwindling squad of Shirai Ryu soldiers before turning. He lunged through the air, the Lin Kuei having recovered and giving chase. He landed behind Bi Han, who had just knocked Kuai Liang off balance and grabbed his former brother by the shoulders. He used the leverage to flip over the grandmaster and delivered a powerful kick into his midsection, sending him sprawling into his counterpart in a tumble of limbs on the floor. He spun and offered a hand to his brother, lifting him from the road by his forearm.
"Kuai Liang, you must leave!" A Shirai Ryu went flying overhead, raining down red fluid from three deep gashes in his midsection.
"Leave?" Roared the ninja in confusion. He had a long gash across his left eye, the wound certain to scar just like the old wound on the opposite side of his face. Multiple welts ordained his arms from blocked blows, and a deep yellow fire snaked around his palms. Tomas realized his brother was just as affixed by battle lust as the empress had been.
"Yes, leave! Look around you! This battle is lost. I sent Jalul with the Umgadi Tanya back to Sun Do, they have Mileena with them. You must join them." Kuai Liang shook his head, a ferocious snarl escaping from his throat.
"I will not depart until I have Bi Han's head!"
"Brother, we lost" stated Tomas roughly. "Jalul will need your help with the empress, and you will need to gather the rest of our clan. Bi Han has been busy, the death of the Lin Kuei will take more than just a kill team. You have to leave, if you die here today the Shirai Ryu will soon follow. This is now a war, and only you can lead our clan to victory over it."
Thankfully Kuai Liang didn't require a serum to placate him. His words were true, and realization dawned on the Shirai Ryu grandmaster's eyes as he surveyed the battlefield. Only three of his clan still stood, fighting losing battles. The Umgadi were all but annihilated, and the equerry was nowhere to be seen. Zaterrans horded around them in a sea of scales, talons, and teeth. Bi Han and Xiuyuing had untangled themselves from the floor and had begun advancing toward them.
"What about you?"
"I will clear you a path. Go, brother. I will be fine." Kuai Liang nodded, reason taking over. This was no longer a single mission. This was war. And his clan needed his guidance if they were going to win. There was no telling how strong the Lin Kuei had grown, not to mention the fortress they still held in Earthrealm. If they had already garnered an alliance with the Zaterrans, he would need allies, and that meant dealing with the empress.
"This isn't goodbye, brother."
"I know. Now go!" The grandmaster nodded, turning on his heel and sprinting towards the third carriage in the halted convoy. Two Zaterran appeared to block his path, but he flame teleported behind them, kicking one in the back before he hit the ground to propel him through the air and out of reach of his fellows behind the first two. He landed squarely onto a horse, striking out with his blade to slash the tether holding the beast in place. He dug his heels into the steed and steered it around, zipping between reaching reptiles as he raced down the road. He used his blade to cut down the ones that got close and narrowly escaped the battlefield, pushing toward the fleeing Tanya and Jalul.
Tomas turned towards the advancing Lin Kuei. Beside him a Shirai Ryu was caught by a death roll from a Zaterran, ripping the man's lower half from his torso. Another was wrapped up by a tail whip, the reptile slamming him twice against the ground before propelling him towards and through a carriage in an explosion of fabric and splinters. The third ninja used his blade to block a paw swipe, before being flung by a follow-up directly towards him. He caught the ninja against his body, standing the man upright. He realized it was senior member Hanashi, his uniform ripped and torn all over as fresh blood seeped from his many wounds to mingle with the vital fluid already drenching the road. The two ninjas positioned themselves back to back, preparing for a final bout of combat.
Before anyone could move a massive, hulking Zaterran, adorned with reddish brown scales and with a mangled loincloth around his waist came marching up the embankment. His body was covered in slashes, and a massive chunk had been taken from his left shoulder. In his right hand he carried an unconscious Syzoth, in his human form, drenched in a mixture of blood, algae, and water. The Zaterrans parted, allowing Rylan to stomp directly in line with the Lin Kuei, tossing the limp equerry to the feet of the two ninjas.
"Surrender, brother," said Bi Han, venom dripping from his voice.