Match of the Millennium

Description: "There is someone here who is not on the manifest. Very interesting. An unknown from Thailand, was it? I trust you've found my gift of shard well. KAMON, you'll fight someone who has been waiting a long time to arrive at my island. NIGHTWOLF. You'll fight in the palace kombat chamber."

[VEGA]
Drawing from two Realms worth of fighters and warriors, the Mortal Kombat tournament was beginning to shape up into something that felt unprecedented in Earth's history. The fact that this was at least the 10th such tournament to have occurred, and that the very fate of Earthrealm was hanging in the balance over the results of these battles, meant that this was no simple affair.

And under circumstances such as these, the strangest of alliances can be formed.

Over the past few years, Lord Vega had been preparing for the on-coming threat. The discovery of other Realms had given a new purpose to the warlord, and the presence of an Empire that stood over more than he had ever believed possible before was a concern. Envoys of this Emperor Shao Khan had dared to step forth into this world without his permission. The Emperor himself had offered the great insult of refusing to even parlay with him.

This Earth was Vega's by right. He would allow no pretenders to the throne, regardless of whatever rules might have been imposed by so-called Gods. Almost the entirety of the underworld was being manipulated by the Shadow Council he had formed to create a resistance to this threat, and then ultimately find a way to push back.

Shao Kahn had dared to think he could take what belonged to Vega, and Vega would strip everything from him and laugh over his humiliation.

But first there was the tournament, and with no proper invitation forwarded to the Dictator of Shadaloo, the revival of his alter-ego, Kamon had been required. Slipping free of fancy dress and into the simple appearance of an ascetic martial artist had been enough to let the warlord slip aboard one of the vessels bound for Shang Tsung's island, and once there, who would refuse him the right to compete?

A simple, successful plan that now saw Kamon standing in the great Kombat Chamber, bare feet resting on black marble as he stands in a simple black gi, hemmed with red fabric and it's sleeves removed. Even in this simple dress, however, it's impossible to ignore that there is clearly more to this man than he would first let on. Those blank, white eyes seem to stare directly through to the soul, and the moment he prepares to fight, it is as if the air grows heavy.

To stand in Kamon's presence is to feel the weight of purified evil at it's most potent.

[NIGHTWOLF]
No one has the 'right' to own anything. That much Nightwolf has learned from Lord Raiden's teachings. The people of all the realms are free to believe what they will, and it is only when those beliefs cause harm to others that they lose such right.

Though Nightwolf has been pleased with the turn out for the defenders of Earthrealm, he might not be so keen on discovering that many of his allies of circumstance are just tyrants by another name. It wouldn't take much for the shaman to discover that there is more to the man known as Kamon, not when one is as in touch with the spiritual realm as the Apache Brave is.

The warrior comes in the guise of a wolf first. A black wolf emerges from the sidelines and lands into the open arena, only for green smoke to envelop its form. When it dissipates, it reveals the form of a statuesque Native American warrior. His eyes of a similar dead blank color as that of the disguised Shadaloo Dictator.

Nightwolf might have never met Vega personally, and thus not know of the true identity of the man he faces right now.

But that evil..

It's almost on par with Outworld.

The Apache flinches and arches his head back whilst making a face. It gives him a headache just standing nearby. The oppressive evil was unexpected as Nightwolf was under the impression he was going to fight an Earthrealmer. To say that he is disappointed to find that one who is supposed to be on his side carries this much sin within him is an understatement.

Nevertheless, the warrior shakes his head so as to ignore evil aura that radiates from Kamon like an unbearable flame. His glowing green tomahawks are summoned to his hands and he adopts an Okichitaw fighting stance.

From the moment he was born he's been preparing himself for this tournament.

He will not falter now.

COMBATSYS: Nightwolf has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Nightwolf        0/-------/-------|

[VEGA]
"Finally, I was growing tired of waiting for this pointless endeavor to begin," Kamon shouts, his voice carrying an overbearing sense of self-imposed authority behind it. This is not a man who is used to being ignored by any means.

"It's clear enough that this whole fight is a waste of my effort; Shang Tsung may wish to ply his foolish tricks to prevent me from destorying Shao Kahn's champions however he pleases, but soon enough he will see what a mistake they have made."

Slowly an unpleasant smile twists into existance on Kamon's face as he starts to walk forward, "On the other hand, you should consider yourself blessed to be standing on the same side of this whole tournament as me. When I beat you, I'll make certain you are still able to continue fighting in the next round." As he positions himself in front of Nightwolf, the warlord shifts back into a proper fighting stance.

COMBATSYS: Vega has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Vega             0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0        Nightwolf

[NIGHTWOLF]
Nightwolf's expression doesn't change.

Although he does exhale in annoyance.

He should have suspected that a man radiating this much evil was going to be absolutely full of himself. Just as Jedah showed and Mileena before him, it is always very tiresome to deal with Kombatants of this nature. It's bad enough that he must fight them everywhere, but he's got to hear to them too.

"Your arrogance will be your undoing." Is the shaman's response to the disguised Vega. Perhaps not by him though - Nightwolf is no fool, this amount of evil is alarmingly powerful on par with maybe even Jedah - the Apache suspects that he has not yet the power to stand up against this kind of foe.

But if not him, someone else. Posturing of this nature always comes around. That much he knows.

Rolling his neck on his shoulders, Nightwolf takes Kamon's dismissal as a gesture to start fight. He twirls his axes on his hands and clears the distance between him and his opponent in one step. Once within range, the Apache swings both of his chi axes at the side of the disguised Dictator's head and his ribs as well for good measure.

COMBATSYS: Nightwolf successfully hits Vega with Tomahawk Smash.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Vega             0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0        Nightwolf

[VEGA]
It had taken a great deal of effort for Vega to remain as unknown as he was. Until he'd brought together the Shadow Council, most who had been graced by the warlord's presence in the past either ended up working for him or ended up dead. Even the name of Shadaloo was little more than a rumor among the law enforcement circles.

Which made it all the more difficult to tell just how long he'd been working to build up his empire of crime.

In the deepest depths of the underworld, where some had gained a bit more knowledge, there were even rumors that this body was not the dictator's first.

And yet in this moment, the leader of Shadaloo stands quite clearly as one of the most potent forces working to protect Earthrealm in the tournament.

If overconfidence does not prove to be his undoing.

As Nightwolf comes charging forward at Kamon, there is a sudden surge of power around the Kombatant, but before it can reach its peak, the axes swing in hard, catching him clean as they draw a sharp cry from the warlord.

Blood begins to pour through two new gashes in his body, but more than that, the weight of anger begins to rise relentlessly.

"Perhaps I made the mistake of announcing my mercy too soon and allowed a worm like you to forget it's place!" Kamon bellows as he leg lashes up with a violent knee aimed forward Nightwolf's midsection. As it rises from the ground, flames of purple energy begin burst into existance around the entire limb, carrying with it all the hate and rage that's buried beneath the mask of humanity.

COMBATSYS: Vega knocks away Nightwolf with Medium Kick.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Vega             0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0        Nightwolf

[NIGHTWOLF]
Aha! First blood! Perhaps a small amount of comfort given to the Apache as he senses that though his chi axes broke the man's skin, the blow which has fallen even those minions from Jedah did little more than annoy the wholly evil man.

Nighwolf moves to the defensive feeling that surge of power and he brings his axes into a X block to stop the incoming fiery kick.

It does not work.

The handles of said axes are buried into his own chest as he goes flying to the other side of the arena and slams into a wall back first. For a moment, it looks like he's even stuck there, until he begins to pry himself free from the impact, dust and cobblestones pouring from the arena's wall as the Apache emerges.

He spits bloodied dust from his mouth and pushes through the pain, white eyes beginning to turn green in indignant fury.

He steps forward raising both axes and hurls them from across the arena towards Kamon's shoulders.

COMBATSYS: Vega overcomes New Earth from Nightwolf with Psycho Field EX.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Vega             0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0        Nightwolf

[VEGA]
Already those axes had managed to draw blood from Kamon, an insult that would not be easily overlooked. Allowing himself to be treated with such disrespect twice is most certainly not an option for the warlord, he'd ensure that this shaman learned his place in the grand order.

And the Apache would hardly be the only native tribesman to have suffered at his hands for daring to stand against him. The only difference would be that this one might well be allowed to live through the encounter.

As the axes are thrown, Vega sweeps both hands forward in an almost casual motion, drawing forth more of his perfect Psycho Power until his hands clap together in front of him, combining all of the gathered energy into a potent seed that flies through the axes, sending them flying far off course as it continues on toward the native.

Upon reaching it's mark, the seed bursts outward, unleashing a massive surge of Psycho Power in all directions with enough force to cleave a hemisphere out of the marble floor of the arena.

COMBATSYS: Nightwolf fails to reflect Psycho Field EX from Vega with Shield of the Ancients.
*KNOCKED AWAY*

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Vega             0/-------/---====|=======\=====--\1        Nightwolf

[NIGHTWOLF]
There's a scowl from Nightwolf when his axes are ever so casually slapped out of the air by what at first may seem like nothing but air.

To the knowing like the Apache though, he can see that it's in reality the psycho energy being form around the spot where Kamon closed his palms. Not that such knowledge brings the shaman any comfort. For it is similar to knowing the exact weight of the freight train coming straight for you. When there is no other way out, sometimes forward is the only choice to be taken and thus the Apache decides to tackle the energy sphere head on, summoning an energy shield to his forearm to slamming himself against the projectile.

That too doesn't work.

It seems that both the Apache and the wall directly behind him are both having a bad night. The warrior goes flying backwards again and slams into that same spot where he collided earlier, further imprinting that Nightwolf shaped mark into the wall of the arena. Perhaps a reminder for eternity of what happened here today.

Unlike last time however, this time Nightwolf lacks the strength to pry himself off the wall as quickly as he did before. He begins pulling himself off at a slower rate, groggily taking a few steps away from the imprint in the arena.

[VEGA]
As Nightwolf's attempts to protect himself from the Psycho Power prove fruitless, Kamon's face twists back into that unpleasant smirk. It's hard to imagine the man finding joy in anything that doesn't bring misery to someone else.

"Perhaps now you've come to appreciate more about your position here. Just because you happen to be allied with my interests doesn't mean you're anywhere near my equal. You'll leave this arena alive because you're more valuable to me alive and fighting than you are to me dead," Kamon taunts condecendingly as his blank, white eyes glare at the shaman.

"But in case you have some misconception about your position, I will give you a better idea of just what sort of power you've chosen to insult in your ignorance!"

Throwing his arms out and thrusting his chest forward, Kamon's whole body begins to surge with Psycho Power, violent flames licking up into existance all around him. As the power grows, so too does the impression of darkness that laps at the very soul, coming in like a rising tide before a tidal wave.

COMBATSYS: Vega gathers his will.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Vega             1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1        Nightwolf

[NIGHTWOLF]
Nightwolf is not particularly surprised about the man's attitude. He's just one of the many tyrannical lords that think they have any right to push people around to do their bidding. As an eternal adversary of Outworld, Nightwolf is well acquainted with the type. He knows that if Earthrealm were to lose it'd be an eternity of serving people just like Vega.

Which begs the question, why fight for Earthrealm at all if there -are- people like Vega? Better to simply join Outworld and rule the weak. If you can't beat them, join them, right?

This is where most Champions of Earthrealm falter and either give up or do indeed join Outworld.

Not a veteran like Nightwolf though. He's been in this business for too long to have any doubts in his mind. Or fear in his heart. Long ago, he made the decision that no one deserves to be subjugated, and there is no length he would not tread to ensure this won't happen.

As the Apache is given a moment of respite to pull himself out of the wall, he coughs blood again and wobbles back to his feet. Dead eyes stare out to the so called Kamon as he begins to gather his infernal power. Such evil and fury, enough to make mortals like Nightwolf tremble.

The shaman only gives a blood smeared smirk.

"Still not impressed." He coughs out. "I've seen power far greater than yours, and with none of your petulant vulgarity."

The thought of a certain Elder God watching over him comes to mind and like any true disciple of Lord Raiden, the Apache begins to channel the power of the Thunder God through him.

"HOKA HEY!!" Calls the shaman as he launches himself forth and unleashes a bolt of pure holy chi upon the Disguised Dictator.

COMBATSYS: Nightwolf successfully hits Vega with Ascension.
- Power hit! -

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Vega             1/--=====/=======|=------\-------\0        Nightwolf

[VEGA]
Pathetic.

The world would be a simpler place if people understood their place in the grand scheme of things: Vega stands at the very pinnacle and everyone elese is beneath him.

This insect could have grovelled and simply laid down in surrender, and he would have been spared most of his suffering. He could have stood and tried to prove that he was a worthy opponent to a true master and he would have been corrected, but perhaps earned some small measure of respect. This fool, however, clearly viewed him with contempt.

It would be a simple matter to correct that.

Or at least, that's what Vega had believed. As Nightwolf begins to crawl back to his feet, Kamon slowly walks toward his opponent, the still lingering flames of Psycho Power flickering all across his body. Even as he senses the growing power in the shaman, it's little more than a chance consideration for the warlord. A momentary delay to be brushed aside. As it surges toward him, Kamon stops in his tracks, holding his arms up in front of him with a condescending smirk as he prepares to ward off this final insult.

And then it hits.

Even with his arms up before him, the block does nothing to prevent the holy chi from barreling through his guard and striking at his very core. A soul charged with perfect Psycho Power, purified to perfection by expunging every fraction of good that had once existed.

To a soul so wreathed in the darkest that humanity could conjure, this power hits like an inferno, tearing through his very core, burning away the veil of humanity as it attempts to cleanse the monster behind it all.

Kamon is brought to his knees, forces to use one of his hands to hold him up as he seems to be on the very brink of falling.

But the danger of touching so directly at the beast is that first you must break it's cage. With a scream of utterly primal anger, the faint flickers of Psycho Power covering Vega's body instantly become an inferno of hatred. The weight of he power is unleashed on the entire arena, but none suffer so greatly as the one closest to the source: Nightwolf.

It's a darkness that by its very nature corrupts the flow of reality. An evil perfect in it's violent existance. Faced between the choice of this or Shao Kahn taking the reigns of power, it would be difficult to tell which would be worse.

"YOU INSIGNIFICANT WORM!" All pretense of charisma has been cast aside as the need to exact suffering overwhelms, "YOU SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED YOURSELF BLESSED TO BE GRACED WITH MY POWER TO STAND ON YOUR SIDE, AND YET YOU DARE TO ACT AS IF YOU OFFER SOME GREATER MERIT THAN ME? I REFUSE TO OFFER YOU THE GRACE OF DEATH, I'LL ENJOY WATCHING YOU SUFFER FOR YOUR INSOLENCE FAR TOO MUCH!"

As the rage begins to reach its peak, a red glow begins to form at the warlord's waist, the power of the Elder God's themselves coalescing into a crimson, crystal skull, marked with a pair of lightning bolts behind it wrapping around his belt.

The violent flames of Psycho Power begin to take on a faint, crimson tinge as the dictator launches up into the air, then suddenly halts and the peak of his rise and come slaming down feet first into the ground next to Nightwolf with enough force to crack the marble floor beneath him, the force intending to send the Apache flying up into the air, only to have Kamon's hand launch forward to grab him by the face, locking him in place as an inferno of Psycho Power forms around his other hand.

"FEEL THE WRATH OF YOUR INSOLENCE!"

With that final shout, Kamon's fist slams forward into Nightwolf's gut with incredible force, ripping his head free of the warlord's other hand and holding him suspended in mid-air for a few moments before a torrent of Psycho Power is unleashed into Nightwolf's body, tearing at his very soul. The excess of power is so intense that it erupts out from the Apache's back in a massive plume.

And then, almost casually, he pulls his hand back, allowing Nightwolf to drop back to the floor as Kamon flexes his fist at his side.

COMBATSYS: Vega equips a warm Crimson Soul Shard.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Vega [E]         1/--=====/=======|=------\-------\0        Nightwolf

COMBATSYS: Vega channels the strength of the killing fist.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Vega [E]         1/--=====/=======|=------\-------\0        Nightwolf

COMBATSYS: Nightwolf equips a flickering Mint Green Soul Shard.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Vega [E]         0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0    [E] Nightwolf

COMBATSYS: Vega knocks away Nightwolf with Psycho Punisher.
- Power hit! -
! VENGEANCE !

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >                                ]
Vega [E]         0/-------/-------|=======\====---\1    [E] Nightwolf

[NIGHTWOLF]
Aaah, so much incredible power.

And yet, that looked like it hurt.

For even though Kamon's very essence is the bane of all that exists, wielding such power comes with a great toll. That being that the opposite holds true to the Dictator of evil as he finds such when he is hit by a Sin Eater whose very existence is anathema to creatures such as Vega.

Because that is what the Dictator is. A person that has expunged all goodness from their body has ceased to be a person in the eyes of the Elder Gods. And of course to their disciples as well.

Perhaps that is why where Nightwolf has definitely been in awe of such power before, here, even the extreme danger and pain and suffering he is enduring. He has nothing but contempt.

Even as the indignant Vega surges into an attack, there is a vicious grin from the shaman who braces himself for the attack. To be fair, he does attempt to block the blow even if all his attempts are futile and the entirety of his face is grappled by the Dictator. He struggles, oh does he struggle, grabbing hold of Kamon's wrists and trying to bring his knees up to at least cushion some of the blow, only to get a resounding punch almost through his stomach. Internal organs quite possibly rupturing due to the blow, and yet even more dangerously it seems as if his very soul gets punched right out of his back.

When he's released, Nightwolf drops limply to the ground, unmoving, eyes wide open, but lifeless. Even if not lethal nothing would be able to move from that any time soon.

And yet, that energy that seemed to explode out of his body flies back into the shaman's chest. His eyes crackle with red energy and he simply jumps back to his feet. Bloodied, exhausted.. and enraged.

"Tsk!" That's all that Nightwolf deigns to say to the Dictator. A mere smack of his lips. Though not without following up such a thing with a double axe uppercut swing from his fiery green tomahawks, the energy blades swung directly at the Dictator's jaw.

COMBATSYS: Nightwolf prepares to take his last stand against Vega!

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////                          ]
Vega [E]         0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0    [E] Nightwolf

COMBATSYS: Vega interrupts Ancestor's Call from Nightwolf with Hell Attack.
~ Cruel hit! ~

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >                                ]
Vega [E]         0/-------/-----<<|=======\==-----\1    [E] Nightwolf

[VEGA]
That should be enough to show the fool just how much of a mistake he has made in refusing to bow down before his better.

Kamon stands still for a few moments, basking in the joy of inflicting suffering on the shaman for earning his wrath. Perhaps there will be a gurgle of bloody coughs or a few gasps for mercy, or the Apache may simply have suffered so greatly that he won't even be able to stand.

But the unexpected actually happens: Nightwolf's body surged with new strength, rising back up in a final attempt to strike back at the man responsible for his suffering.

His rage temporarily sated, the warlord now acts with more restraint, more control, focusing on putting the Apache back down with enough pain to remind him of his place rather than doing more damage to the arena. He leaps to the air as Nightwolf rises, managing to catch only a grazing slice to the side of his leg as he launches first a simple downward punch to the side of the shaman's head and then slamming his other fist, shrouded in Psycho Power, straight into his opponent's throat.

"Learn when to stay down, fool. Your place is grovelling at my feet!"

[NIGHTWOLF]
A snarl surges from the shaman's throat when his blades only manage to nick Kamon's foot. Though a philosopher foremost, at this point of the Sin Eater's career he is most definitely succumbing to the dark spirits within him. Fights such as this only speed the process of total corruption, and perhaps, if he manages to survive this tournament, he'll become the very things he fights against. Nightwolf's perseverance is equal parts heroic desire and bloodlust, and he's more than a little annoyed that he didn't manage to slice at Dictator as he hoped he would.

Caught in mid swing, the shaman receives a double stop on the head which dazes him enough to be open for a punch on the wind pipe. The strike causes him to gurgle and he skids backwards, desperately trying to stay upright via digging his heels on the ground. Though he manages to do just that; stay upright, it's clear that the same kind of energy to kept him on his two feet is unlikely to trigger twice.

Relentless as he is though, he still tries. It's all he can really do; try.

"Grrgg." He gurgles, holy chi crackling from within him again. "You sicken me." The shaman manages to say despite it all and summons a blinding white knife to his hand. With all the strength he has left, he dashes forth and thrusts the knife forward to channel all the energy he has lift into the very depths of Vega's dark soul.

COMBATSYS: Nightwolf can no longer fight.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Vega [E]         0/-------/-----<<|

COMBATSYS: Nightwolf successfully hits Vega with Banishment.
Glancing Blow

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Vega [E]         0/-------/---<<<<|

[VEGA]
"You shouldn't waste your breath," Kamon retorts as his arms fold over his chest, Psycho Power begining to form around him as he rips a hole in reality. As Nightwolf comes flying at him, he vanishes, leaving nothing but empty space before the the Apache warrior, with the warlord reappearing behind him with a cruel smirk on his face as the final assault proves utterly useless.

And then a look of surprise comes across his face, his body shifting as a hand moves down to his side, wincing at the fresh trail of blood drooling from the newly opening wound, his body looking burned from where the holy energy managed to strike him.

"Insolent curr... I should end you here and now!" Once more the fires of Vega's fury are stoked, but then whatever fight was left in the Apache is unable to overcome the injury his body has withstood. With the warlord the last one standing in the arena, the victor is declared.

There is a moment of vile contemplation before Kamon turns away from his opponent, storming out of the arena seething despite his victory.

COMBATSYS: Vega has ended the fight here.

Log created on 18:20:13 09/19/2016 by Nightwolf, and last modified on 22:35:12 09/20/2016.