Sektor walked alone to his clan's temple. He trekked the mountains which on top stood the incredible structure that his father owned. The damaged cyborg was left only with his thoughts.
Why am I surprised? Father… Oniro… He brainwashed us all. Even those willing to become cyborgs! He leads an army of metal plated zombies. He will die. I will kill him. I will become Grandmaster and fix his mess. I'm coming to end you, old man.
Sektor could see the temple up ahead. Fortunately he didn't feel tired from his journey, one of many perks of cyberization. Finally it was time for Sektor to have his revenge. The cyborg walked up to the entrance. Two cyberized guards recognized the Grandmaster's son as well as his many injuries. Sektor intentionally collapsed to the floor to make his injuries appear more severe than they actually were. The two guards picked up the cyborg and began carrying him to Oniro's throne room.
Though unintentional, Sektor had cleared way for Tundra, Smoke, Cyrax and the just short of a hundred cyborgs who Cyrax had changed their orders to make them follow Tundra and Smoke's command. The cyborgs besides Cyrax remained hidden using a cloaking device as so many of them would've been easily detected by any guards. They all followed Tundra, Smoke and Cyrax who were in plain sight so they had to rely on stealth.
"What is Sektor planning?" Cyrax wondered aloud. "His slaving protocols are no more. Why does he feel the need to stay with the Lin Kuei?"
"I'm unsure." Smoke replied. "What's the plan anyway?"
"We sneak our way towards the throne room," explained Tundra. "The problem is that said throne room is well guarded."
"Meaning we'll have to use brute force to actually get inside?" Smoke assumed.
"Exactly." Confirmed Tundra. "As for the cyborgs, they should only uncloak themselves once we're inevitably spotted by one of the many guards."
"And make sure not to kill our former allies, my friends." Cyrax spoke to the invisible cyborgs. "Try to extract the cartridges on their backs instead."
"Shall we begin?" Tundra asked which Smoke and Cyrax both nodded in response. "Then follow me."
"I will activate my cloaking device as I'm not as nimble as I used to be." Cyrax explained. "An unfortunate con of cyberization."
The assassins climbed the temple's surrounding wall with Smoke and Tundra taking the lead of the invisible line of cyborgs that ran behind them. They were swift but light footed as they leapt from one structure to another. Taking the high ground was an easy way of avoiding any attention of the guards far beneath them on the surface. They then made it to the building that stood in the back of the temple grounds, Oniro's throne room. The assassins spotted Sektor being escorted through the front doors before they made their own move. Smoke and Tundra landed in front of the row of cyborg guards that stood alert at the front of the building, they immediately prepared for combat. Then Smoke and Tundra's cyborg allies uncloaked themselves, creating an evenly numbered fight.
Meanwhile inside Oniro's throne room Sektor lay on all fours before his father.
"Well if it isn't unit LK-9T9." Oniro spoke with his words alone beginning to anger Sektor. "Apologies, I meant to say unit LK-FAILURE!"
Loud noises being created from the violence outside the throne had now become audible. Sektor was unsure of what was occurring but tried to ignore it and follow his plan.
"What was that?" Oniro asked the guards in his room with audible concern. "Deal with it, guards!"
All the guards hurried out the room, soon to join the ongoing battle. This left Sektor and Oniro alone in the same room.
"Look at you…" Oniro scolded. "You can't even stand!"
"My design is flawed." Sektor took a small jab at Oniro but kept the act of still being subservient up. "Upgrades are required."
"You aren't worth repairing." Oniro stated. "Not only did you disappoint me as a son but now also as-"
"A slave." Sektor finished.
"Wh-what?!" Oniro was taken aback. He then took a closer look at Sektor's damaged back. "Your cartridge… It's gone!"
"I'm impressed that you still have working eyes, you old bastard." Sektor insulted as he stood up. "How dare you dishonour your own clan?"
"I'm in the process of perfecting the Lin Kuei." Oniro argued.
"I didn't ask about your delusions." Sektor retorted. "Explain to me why even your supporters are locked under your slaving protocols?!"
"It is far more superior than letting half of you ignorant assassins keep your own opinions… opposing viewpoints… things like those lead to miscommunication or even conflict." Oniro educated his failed son.
"But we didn't agree to that!" Sektor yelled. "I vividly recall agreeing on using slaving protocols as a temporary measurement for those opposing cyberization so that we may enlighten them on why it's such a great thing!"
"But that would be an inferior method." Oniro explained. "And frankly boy, I don't care about what you wanted. I just wanted you to shut up and remain a loyal truckle."
"It makes so much sense to me now." Sektor finally realized. "Whatever I did could've never pleased you. It was all about machines that lacked identity."
"Your mother made me realize that." Oniro remarked.
"And where is she now?!" Sektor asked.
"Why does it matter to you?" Oniro questioned. "She was obviously not a fan of you either considering she burdened me with having to tolerate you."
"And yet somehow a woman who abandoned me cares about me more than you ever have." Sektor remarked.
"How so?" Oniro queried.
"Because at the very least she gave birth to me." Sektor responded. "'Just get back to the point."
"They're so much easier to command, these tinmen." Oniro stated. "It's as simple as that."
"Which is why I simply must kill you." Sektor threatened.
"In your condition? Hah!" Oniro laughed. "I'll tell you what, I will spare you if you let me re-enable your slaving protocols."
"No." Sektor simply refused. "I will slaughter you and remove the slaving protocols of your former supporters, yes I remembered each of them."
"Such a noble dream you have." Commented Oniro. "It's a shame that it shall never become a reality."
"You overstate your worth." Sektor claimed. "All I have to do is beat an old man senseless."
"And I, a broken toy." Oniro mocked. "Prove your worth to me."
Sektor clenched his steel fists. "With pleasure."
Sektor charged up the short stone steps that led to Oniro's throne. The Grandmaster, surprisingly swiftly, backflipped over his throne which caused Sektor's oncoming punch to smash a hole through the throne.
"I'll patch that up with your scrapped body." Oniro promised. "Catch me boy, I dare you."
Sektor used his might to pick up the stone throne and launched it across the room at Oniro's direction. The Grandmaster ducked the throne and began lauching to taunt the cyborg. Sektor jumped from the throne's platform and landed on top of Oniro who rolled through and kicked Sektor off him. Sektor quickly grabbed Oniro and dragged him to a circular stone table. Sektor went to slam his father's head off the table but it was reversed and Oniro did the same thing, he repeatedly bashed Sektor's head off the stone.
"You underestimated me!" Oniro yelled as he continued his assault. "Now you will die!"
Oniro slammed Sektor's skull off the table so hard that he broke through the stone. With Sektor's head trapped in the newly made hole in the centre of the table, Oniro used his strength to flip over the top circle piece of the table. Sektor stumbled back and smashed against the ground along with the stone circle that was previously trapped around his neck but had now shattered upon the fall. There was still the base of the table that remained intact which Oniro put his hand into before grabbing a pair of pulse blades. The pulse blade was a high-tech cybernetic weapon, its blade was a sort of laser or energy beam. In case of emergencies, Oniro had hidden a pair of pulse blades in his throne room to protect himself.
"Pulse blades?!" Sektor was surprised to see two blades that were glowing white in the hands of Oniro.
"Where are yours?" Oniro asked. "Let me guess, you lost them?"
"You never equipped me with any, fool." Sektor informed.
Oniro threw one of his pulse blades to Sektor's feet. "Go on then, take it."
As Sektor was about to pick up the pulse blade, the weapon flew up on it's own and sliced through Sektor's helmet before returning back to Oniro like a magical boomerang.
"Who's the fool?" Oniro mocked.
"Die!" Yelled an infuriated Sektor.
The cyborg ran at Oniro and swung a punch. Oniro ducked the attack and stabbed one of his pulse blades into Sektor's right leg, dragging the blade upwards to enlarge the wound. Sektor slammed his left knee into Oniro's gut to cease his offense. Sektor was now left with a cut going all the way through his right leg as well as his helmet having been slashed open with one of his eyes being visible through the cracked mask. Oniro poked the edge of one of his pulse blades directly into the exposed eye which once pulled out, a hideous hole had been created where his eye had previously been. Sektor stumbled back into the nearest wall, crying in pain. Oniro meanwhile, laughed maniacally at his own son's misfortune.
"What fun! What great fun!" Oniro was relishing the violence.
Oniro went to continue his attack but was interrupted by the sound of the throne room double doors opening and heavy metal footsteps getting louder as a pair of guards entered the room.
"We're under attack, Grandmaster." Informed one guard.
"What?!" Oniro yelled in shock. "Who dares?"
"An army of units who have defied your will." The other guard added.
"Send as many units as needed!" Oniro yelled. "I'm in the middle of something here!"
"Yes, Grandmaster." They said in unison.
Suddenly, a set of three lock on missiles had been unleashed by Sektor. Two of the rockets exploded the cybernetic guards and the third was avoided as Oniro dove for cover. Sektor approached the grounded Oniro who was trying to stand up after diving behind the remains of his fallen throne but Sektor stomped on his right leg which knocked him to the floor again. Oniro remained resilient and continued his efforts to stand up but was clocked in the face by Sektor's fist.
"You should've augmented yourself." Sektor stated. "Now your own design has led to your demise."
"Why augment myself when I'm not the one fighting?" Oniro questioned.
"And who is?" Sektor rhetorically asked. "Show me where your allies are?"
"I…" For once Oniro was speechless.
Sektor punched Oniro in the face again. "These are your final moments." Sektor warned.
"Not… yet…" Oniro replied weakly. He grabbed his two pulse blades and went to stab Sektor but the red cyborg grabbed both by the blade. It burned but Sektor managed to use his enhanced strength to snatch the blades from Oniro. Sektor then stood up, keeping a foot firmly placed over Oniro's battered body to hold him down.
"Goodbye." Sektor said as he prepared the final blow.
"You'll drive this clan to it's doom!" Oniro cried out. "The dragon medallion grants great power… but at a cost…"
Sektor ignored the warning and darted a pulse blade into one of Oniro's eyes. Sektor then took the other pulse blade and drove it through his father's heart and pulled it out as it remained stabbed on the pulse blade. Sektor rose the impaled heart high above his head by the handle of the pulse blade in celebration, blood from the heart dripped onto the blade creating a crimson red glow around the dimly lit room. With his free hand, Sektor took the Dragon Medallion from his father's corpse. The Lin Kuei was now his to command.
It was now time for Sektor to figure out what the outside commotion was. The new Grandmaster stepped outside the throne room and it didn't take him a long analysis to figure out who the attackers were.
"Cyrax, Smoke, Tundra, other traitors." Sektor greeted. "What do you seek?"
"Your father's life." Smoke answered aggressively.
"Too late." Sektor informed.
"Wha?" Smoke said with understandable confusion. Sektor then revealed the Dragon Medallion.
"You killed him?" Tundra guessed.
Sektor nodded with pride. "Correct." He confirmed.
"So you're helping us?" Cyrax asked.
"I'm helping the future of the Lin Kuei." Sektor informed. "And that future will soon become clear to you all."
"What are you planning?" Cyrax further questioned with high suspicions.
"Those who approved of cyberization shall have their slaving protocols extracted as soon as possible." Sektor began explaining. "Those who still disapprove shall be under the protocols temporarily until they finally see that cyberization is a good thing."
"Then you must also be stopped." Cyrax regretfully informed him. "I'm sorry, old friend.
"Good luck with that." Sektor wished. "My units, eliminate the traitors!"
The still enslaved cyborgs followed Sektor's command as whoever possessed the Dragon Medallion was perceived as the Grandmaster. Cyrax, Smoke, Tundra and their allies were outnumbered as the enslaved cyborgs surrounded them.
"One of us needs to seize the medallion." Smoke realized.
"Allow me." Cyrax opted to do so. He burst into several pieces like a grenade, knocking down many cyborgs before the pieces teleported and reformed behind Sektor. The new Grandmaster spun his head around and was immediately met by Cyrax's sawblade which sliced at Sektor's hand and caused him to let go of the medallion which went flying in the air with it being caught by Tundra.
"Cease your attack!" Tundra ordered the cyborgs, those enslaved and those removed from their slaving protocols all complied as he held the Dragon Medallion.
"Sektor." Cyrax called out to his former friend who had fallen to his knees.
"What?" Sektor asked.
"Join us." Cyrax offered. "Help us end the cyber initiative."
Sektor let out a robotic laugh. "There is no viable future for the Lin Kuei without an ongoing cyber initiative!" He yelled. "Why can't any of you accept this?!"
"Because it's inhumane." Cyrax replied. "I see no issue in augmenting your own body, that's your choice. But others? Those who didn't consent? It's wrong."
"None of you will realize it's greatness until you experience cyberization!" Sektor argued.
"I've experienced it." Cyrax reminded him. "And my body has been permanently ruined because of it."
"I…" Sektor didn't know what to say. Just like his father was mere minutes ago, he was speechless.
"I will never be able to eat, to drink, to sleep ever again." Cyrax added. "And now there's also this uncomfortable metal shell that I am forced to wear permanently."
"I'm sorry." Sektor apologized. "I'm… going to go now."
"Please stay." Cyrax requested.
"No." Sektor declined the offer. "Just promise to fix this clan."
"Of course, my friend." Cyrax promised. "Goodbye."
Sektor and Cyrax went their separate ways. Cyrax returned to celebrate with his comrades and Sektor went to leave the temple.
"Where's Sektor?" Tundra asked.
"He's leaving." Cyrax informed.
"I see." Tundra replied. "We must get to freeing these cyborgs from enslavement."
"Begin removing the cartridges that enslave these poor men." Cyrax commanded those who had already been freed from the slaving protocols. They complied as they too understood the horrors of cyberization. "Thank you all."
"And thank you, Cyrax." Tundra said gratefully. "Now who leads our clan?"
"He who holds it, owns it." Smoke said as he pointed to the medallion in Tundra's hands. "Grandmaster Tundra."
"Are you sure?" Tundra asked.
"There's nobody better for the task." Smoke pointed out. "What do you think, Cy?"
"Smoke's right." Cyrax agreed. "You'd make a perfect Grandmaster, Kuai Liang."
"If you're willing to be Grandmaster of course." Smoke added. "No pressure."
"I'd be honoured." Tundra replied. "Call me Grandmaster Sub Zero."
"After your brother? How nice." Smoke commented.
"It was also the mantle of my grandfather's." Sub Zero added. "And Smoke, one last thing."
"Yes?" Smoke asked. Sub Zero suddenly pulled Smoke to him and removed his mask before taking off his own.
"May I offer you a kiss?" Sub Zero asked.
"I thought you'd never ask." Smoke replied as he moved in to kiss the new Grandmaster as Sub Zero did the same.
"Get a room you two." Cyrax jokingly instructed. "I will make sure that all slaving protocols are removed by tomorrow."
"Thank you, Cyrax." Sub Zero thanked his friend. "May we restore honour to the Lin Kuei."