Match of the Millennium

Description: Deep in the bowels of Shang Tsung's palace, one hopeful spy is set upon by an agent of Outworld. Will life triumph over death in this most important of tournaments?

[MUNIN]
Shang Tsungs palace.

It's a huuuuuge place. One could easily get lost in it. Which, sadly, is almost exactly what Munin has done. After being teleported to the isle seemingly at random, then hearing about the tournament and the stakes, she has taken to trying to get to the bottom of Shang Tsung himself first in her exploring, sneaking about in an attempt to be slick.

Unknown to her, someone is already looking for her as we speak.

Calmly, stealthily, Munin eases from the shadows into a larger room of the palace, full of human-like statues on either side of a pathway. It suddenly dawns on her that she isn't IN a room, she's in a mere corridor. The expense of all this in money and resources is VERY impressive in her mind..... not to mention the logistics of getting so many here. Still worse is the evidence that this place has been here for quite some time......

All this and more passes through her mind as she makes her way further onward.

[ERRON BLACK]
Though the palace is huge, overwhelmingly so for those who haven't had time to adjust, it has a few interesting attributes. Firstly, there are only two safe exits out of the mighty structure. One over the pit, and another through the front gates. Any other exit one takes is likely to be, unpleasant.

The second useful feature to know is that the entire place winds about on itself. If you want to catch someone running amuck, pick a hallway and weight. They're bound to loop back eventually. And, when you're over 150 years old, you learn to be patient.

Half way down the hall Munin finds herself traversing, a muscular man in worn black and brown clothing is seated on the floor. His back is propped against the base of a mighty statue of prince Goro, hat pulled down over his face.

The girl isn't half bad at sneaking. Not nearly a Reptile, but who can blame her for that? Something about her arrival causes the seated man to stir, then reach up with a scarred hand to lift the brim of his hat. Revealed are a pair of cold dark blue eyes rimmed in coal, and a rugged leather mask covering his lower features.

"Figured you were bound to show up sooner or later. Lot of roads lead this way." Erron Black states, not quite looking toward Munin's hiding spot as he levers himself to his feet. The words are deep and dry as the wasteland, full of a frank sort of disinterest. Beneath them is the rattle and click of his many weapons as he gains his feet, dirty poncho hanging down the center of his back.

"Munin Arshe," The mercenary proclaims with dusty finality, "Shang Tsung's tired of you poking around. Get ready to draw."

The outland cowboy continues to stand with his right shoulder toward where Munin is hiding, statue rising tall and brutish behind him. His battered hands hover at waist height, posture tense. She likely has only a moment to react before he does as suggested.

Time to choose her destiny.

[MUNIN]
Glowing violet eyes peer anxiously at the man as he stands and speaks, though Munin can only smirk at his words "Am i THAT much of a concern to him already? Wow..... didn't take long". Slowly walking around Erron, black misty chi begins to drift off her form and she eases into a fighting stance. An old movie come to mind, and she can't help but play it out "Guess i'm your huckleberry. Say when". She positions her hand down near her side, as if she had a gun to draw, just to keep up the look.

COMBATSYS: Erron Black has started a fight here.

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Erron Black      0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Munin has joined the fight here.

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Munin            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0      Erron Black

COMBATSYS: Erron Black equips a warm Canary Yellow Soul Shard.

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Munin            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

COMBATSYS: Munin equips a glimmering Mustard Yellow Soul Shard.

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Munin [E]        0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

[ERRON BLACK]
"Huh." Erron half grunts, dark eyes tracking Munin as she circles about him and readies her little finger gun. "Cute."

There are no words of rebuke from the ancient cowboy. No corrections as to Munin's importance, or arrogant tirades about how he is the extension of so and so's whatever here to do etc and etc. He is an Earth Realmer, after all. No telling what is going on in his head now that he finds himself fighting for the other side.

In one moment the cowboy is standing still, muscles a touch tensed. His cold eyes begin gliding impassively up the length of Munin's body. Though the meaning of that look is not entirely clear, there are very few options that aren't skin crawling. Unless Munin is in to gruff, maybe evil cowboy types.

The next moment, Erron has lunged forward, hands still at his sides. Rather than drawing, he attempts to straight up headbutt Munin in the face, his hatted forehead descending in a short but brutal arc for the bridge of her nose.

FIGHT!

COMBATSYS: Munin blocks Erron Black's Front Punch.

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Munin [E]        0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

[MUNIN]
Well, she WAS expecting an attack luckily. As Black goes for the headbutt, Munin moves her head aside allowing her shoulder to take the brunt of it, and spins with the blow to further reduce the force of impact! Not that it doesn't hurt regardless, but far worse than it would have.....

Already moving in a circle, a blade of dark violet energy forms from her hands, and with a quick leap, Munin does a jumping spin! She allows her arms to extend with the momentum, acting as a spinning top of sorts..... just much sharper and deadlier!

COMBATSYS: Erron Black blocks Munin's Spin Slash.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Munin [E]        0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

[ERRON BLACK]
A quick side step disengages black from his smaller opponent as she begins to spin, allowing him enough space to twist about and face her oncoming leap rather than taking it to the side. His hands, having remained idly at his sides, blur into sudden motion.

In less than an eye blink, the mercenary's right hand has lifted to the leather-wrapped grip jutting over his right shoulder. Lifting up, then down, he jerks the long, curved sword free from his back harness and brings it humming across his body in a hard parry. Bone blade meats shadowy chi, dark sparks scattering to the air as the sharp end of the attack is knocked away.

of course, that still leaves him with a young girl flying through the air toward his chest.

Her impact against him rocks him only slightly, a soft breath smelling of beans being puffed through his slit mask and directly into Munin's face. That breath is followed by his empty left fist, driving hard toward her gut. The blow is a simple attempt to drive her back, giving him space to sweep his blade in from first the right, then the left. Broad hacking cuts meant to push her onto her back foot and allow him to advance, rather than to cause an undo amount of damage.

COMBATSYS: Erron Black successfully hits Munin with Ash Hopper.

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Munin [E]        0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

[MUNIN]
When the punch to the face comes, Munin moves her head aside, the blow instead striking a shadowy illusion of her head that disperses on contact. She tries to move into the punch to the stomach as he winds up his fist, but is off on the timing, and it lands hard, doubling her over a moment.

When the sword attacks come, it is all she can do to try to negate what damage she can, as slices and dices accumulate quickly on her body, and blood begins to fleck to the floor.

Ducking beneath a swing, she comes up fast with another blade of chi forming from her hand, and leaps forwards up and over as she swings it at Erron! Landing behind him, she spins and swings with a blade formed at her OTHER hand as she then leaps backwards to give space between them.

Already, this is not going well.....

COMBATSYS: Munin blitzes into action and acts again!

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Munin [E]        0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

COMBATSYS: Erron Black blocks Munin's Shadow Spike.

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Munin [E]        0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

COMBATSYS: Erron Black dodges Munin's Shadow Spike.

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Munin [E]        0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

[ERRON BLACK]
Too often people notice Erron's guns, and they assume that he must rely on them to see him through a fight. That mistaken assumption has left many an Outworld warlord dead on the ground. After all, weapons are merely an extension of the man who wields them. Erron Black himself is the deadliest thing about Erron Black, not his guns.

Sensing the fight building within his opponent with every step she is forced backward, the cowboy continues to hack at her, fanning the flames and preparing himself for the inevitable counter attack. Planting one boot against the ground he leans his weight into a particularly vicious overhead chop, then suddenly back steps, blade flashing out to his right to splatter blood across the statuesque face of a proud axe-wielding barbarian.

Munin's forward flip brings her over the top of his head, but her descending blade is caught by his, swept aside as it descends until only the barest edge of the sharpened chi scrapes across his left bicep.

Twisting with the parry, Black jerks his sword free and steps forward, neatly avoiding the follow up strike as his over-eager opponent lands behind him. He makes no move to follow as she retreats, choosing instead to slam his sword home into the harness on his back.

"Probly should have sat this fight out, kid." Erron offers dryly, seeming not at all winded from their brief exchange. Turning about to once more face her across the short distance, he reaches over his left shoulder and slips the long bolt-action rifle from its place on his back. Calmly he pulls the lever back and chambers the first round, the battered old rifle seeming to fit perfectly in his muscular arms. Though a bit of blood leaks down his left, he pays it no mind.

Lifting the rifle in one smooth motion, the mercenary sights, pauses just long enough for his heart to finish a beat, and squeezes the trigger.

'BOOM!'

Trapped within the stone halls of the palace, the crack of the rifle shot is deafening, the bullet speeding across the distance toward Munin's center mass. Smoke billows from the weapon, a light grey haze clouding the air around the cowboy's shoulders.

COMBATSYS: Munin blocks Erron Black's Widow Maker EX.

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Munin [E]        0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

[MUNIN]
A worried glance is aimed at Erron. Munin is on the ropes, and she knows it. If she gets through this it may be a miracle. "Well, somehow i don't think i had much choice" comes her reply. When he pulls out the rifle, she brings up her arms, trying to calculate where the shot will land!

She manages to do so JUST in the nick of time, shadowy chi forming into an orb in her hands for the round to impact on rather than her physical body! The force of the impact still sends her flying back a few steps, sending a huge shock through her arms.

With a grunt of exertion, she focuses more on the orb in her hands before flinging it forwards at Erron as a projectile of her own!

COMBATSYS: Munin successfully hits Erron Black with Shadow Wave.

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Munin [E]        1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

[ERRON BLACK]
A soft sound escapes from beneath Black's mask as Munin catches his bullet on her improvised chi shield, though what the noise means is anyone's guess. And, in fact, there is little time to ponder it. For as soon as the girl is staggering back from the force of the bullet, Erron is charging forward in an attempt to close the distance.

He has crossed perhaps half of the space between himself and Munin when she recovers and lobs a swirling mass of shadow energy directly at his chest. He attempts to dodge, right shoulder ducking forward and weight shifting to swerve around it without breaking stride. However, it seems his misjudges the speed of the attack, for it slams into him hard, impacting his armored vest just above the right pectoral.

There is enough force packed into the shadow ball to knock the mercenary clean off of his feet, boots continuing forward as his upper body falls backward toward the ground. But, unfortunately for his young opponent, this is nowhere near this cowboy's first rodeo.

The butt of Erron's rifle strikes the ground a moment before his back does, arms flexing as he uses it to shove himself forward and up. it is a strange way to kipup, but it gets him back to his feet and running with only a moment's delay.

The last of the black energy that had sprayed across his right shoulder fades as he closes the distance with Munin. However, a new strangeness seems to have taken its place. This close, with the mercenary looming above her, it is impossible to miss the odd golden cast to his once dark eyes. They gleam like those of a beast, sharp and predatory.

No time for that though.

Lunging forward, Erron reverses the grip on his rifle and swings the butt up from below, attempting to smash it violently into Munin's jaw and send her staggering backward off balance. If he can get her that way, he will twirl the weapon through his hands, snagging the bolt and chambering the next round. As the weapon falls neatly back into place he will point it near point blank at the unfortunate girl, and fire.

'BOOM!'

Is it just her imagination, or is the dark-clad mercenary suddenly haloed in golden light?

COMBATSYS: Erron Black channels the glare of the vicious eye.

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Munin [E]        1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

COMBATSYS: Munin endures Erron Black's Ace High.

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Munin [E]        1/---====/=======|======-\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

COMBATSYS: Munin channels the veins of the burning blood.

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Munin [E]        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|======-\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

COMBATSYS: Munin channels the strength of the killing fist.

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Munin [E]        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|======-\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

[MUNIN]
The blood loss and damage is starting to wear Munin down.... faster than she planned. When she sees his gun come up from the floor, she knows she doesn't have enough juice so fast as to deflect it again, so she makes a different choice....

She races into it, taking the shot clean in the shoulder

Her eyes suddenly blaze with violet fire, as shadow envelops her body, before suddenly exploding, filling the room with thick darkness..

All around him, violet eyes open in the darkness, surrounding him on all sides! Over a dozen pairs of identical gazes peer at him as the forms come into the light. At least a dozen identical copies of Munin surround Erron, and one by one rush at him, a chiblade forming from their hands as they all take a swing as they pass, vanishing again into the darkness!

Finally, as they all finish, the last comes at him head-on, attempting to impale him in the midsection with her own strike, while the real and final Munin does the same from behind for the finish!

The attack complete, Munin is shaking from the exertion, and the darkness filling the room fades, returning it to it's usual level of ambience.

COMBATSYS: Erron Black channels the fortress of the steel will.

[                         \\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Munin [E]        0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0  [E] Erron Black

COMBATSYS: Munin successfully hits Erron Black with #Night Terrors#.
-+- CALCULATED HIT -+-

[                         \\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Munin [E]        0/-------/-------|=======\======-\1  [E] Erron Black

[ERRON BLACK]
It takes quite a lot to surprise a man like Erron Black. But when the violet-eyed girl before him runs forward directly into a bullet, his coal-rimmed eyes do widen just a fraction. It isn't enough to throw him off of his game, but it seems she has finally managed to do something that the old cowboy didn't expect.

Of course, he is then surrounded in a wave of darkness, and the bit of admiration is forgotten. Eyes upon eyes open, all looking toward him, and he brings his rifle up across his chest in a defensive guard.

There is no fear.

The first copy to charge receives a boot in the pelvis for her troubles, chi blade caught on the barrel of his rifle before the stock is swung around to shatter her face. But before that final blow can land, she is gone, and Black is being stabbed.

The idea, in theory, was a good one. Beat down one of the clones, create a path through which to escape, and avoid being surrounded. However, the problem is lack of time. Even as his boot meets the shadow clone's pelvis, at least 11 others are baring down on him.

Twisting away from the vanished clones he attempts a block, misses, and takes a chi blade to the chest. His armored vest deflects the majority of the blow, but a long tear is left in the material, blood leaking out behind it.

Before he can lash out, that clone is gone, and a piercing pain alerts him of a second blade being driven into the small of his back. He twists, preventing it from finding his spine, and is confronted by another swinging blade, which he blocks with his rifle.

As yet more blades slip past his guard, tearing across his exposed arms and scoring the armor over his ribs, a brilliant golden light begins to pour out of his wounds. Blood ceases to flow, and though the horrible tears in his skin still gape, preparing to gush forth blood, he does not fall.

Twirling on the spot, he brings his rifle around and just misses catching the Munin that charges him head on, she ducking beneath the swipe of his gun and driving her shadow blade into his right thigh. Simultaneously, the real Munin's blade punches through his back armor and into his body, her chi blade biting deep into flesh.

But even that, it seems, is not enough to stop him.

Black's rifle hits the ground with a metallic clatter, tumbling away as he spins to face the only remaining Munin. Metal-plated shin extended, he attempts to hammer a kick hard into the side of her right knee and sweep her off of her feet, leaping forward to slam his free knee against her chest and ride her to the ground.

Even as the knee strike is launched, Erron's now bloody hands drop to his revolvers, the weapons springing into his grip as if by magic. And unless Munin can stop him, as her back strikes the ground and he lands atop her, he will turn both guns down and show her the depths of their barrels. Only for a split second, before his thumbs and fingers begin to work and her vision is full of lead.

COMBATSYS: Munin fails to counter Goner from Erron Black with Blink Strike.

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Erron Black [E]  0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Munin can no longer fight.

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Erron Black [E]  0/-------/-======|

[MUNIN]
With the desperation of someone who knows death is close, Munin tries to move to leap the low kick while counter-attacking. Her body, unfortunately, is too drained, and with a dull CRACK, her knee is broken inwards, her leg bending at an unnatural angle as she screams in pain. A moment later she is on the floor as the sweep takes her down. She screams again as Erron brings his knee down, another dull crack as her spine is fractured.

Weakly, her hand snakes forwards, trying to fund something to pull herself away, but finds only flat ground. Not that it would matter, due to the weight of Errons kneeling on her. Munins head lifts slowly, the glow in her eyes dimming as the barrel is pointed at her face. After a beat, he unloads.....

[ERRON BLACK]
Seven cracks.

Seven gunshots.

Seven bullets are more than enough to end a life.

Fingers and thumbs working with more deftness than any show slinger left on Earth, Erron places each of the seven rounds dead center in Munin's face. Bits of pulverized bone and pulped brain matter spray across the smooth floor, accompanied by the dangerous zings and zips of bullets impacting the ground and bouncing off between the statues.

Smoke billows up around the outlaw as his fingers come to a halt. His equipment rattles softly as he stands, removing himself from atop the brutalized girl with a long, tired sigh. The wounds across his arms continue to glow with soft golden light, and so he ignores them.

A single step takes him clear of the blood floor, the now headless corpse lying sprawled out behind him. Turning to glance back at it, he twirls his revolvers once around his fingers and drops them into the holsters on his thighs, yellow eyes bright beneath the shadow of his hat.

"Shame I had to put you down." The cowboy states, his dusty voice holding a faint, wistful note. He never has liked having to kill children, and at his age, well,, near everyone is a child.

As Outworld's lone cowboy turns to begin walking down the hall, a swirl of vague, greenish figures rise up from Munin's body and chase after him,gathering around the golden energy striped across his body as they are pulled in to join the others he carries.

Erron Black wins.

Fatality!

Log created on 16:13:36 10/03/2016 by Erron Black, and last modified on 19:32:25 10/03/2016.