Description: With this you have found your way into the catacombs deep beneath Shang Tsung's Palace, with the promise of finding your next opponent there. Your opponent is said to be the strongest of Shang Tsung's enforcers on the island, and the reigning champion of Mortal Kombat. It's hard to imagine a creature more barbaric than the ones you have already met here, but the crushed and hanging bones of people who have fought long before tell the tale all too clearly. The moment you see light in the catacombs, is when you see... him. A fearsome growl shakes the cold, clammy stone beneath your feet, and a dark shadow eclipses the light...
Nameless was granted one of the greatest honors in his dubious lifetime this day; a personal meeting with Igniz himself. Like a grand sun, gazing directly upon him is almost impossible, sitting regal as any king who ever lived upon a grandiose throne in the heart of NESTS. He beckoned the boy forward, to place a soft, caring hand atop his head.
"You need only to do your best." he states, voice full of inspiring confidence. A number of men in almost religious garb line the walls, and within the only sliver of shadows beside a porcelein column looms Zero himself. "Fight until you can fight no longer, my son. And I will gift you... with a name. A life. A soul. I will grant you everything..."
His smile seems to glow golden, as a strange surge of chi whirls within J'. "All will be forgiven. Your failures were not your own, but that of others. Worry not. For I... am a benevolent God."
***
The small island the pair are heading to is peculiar. It merely seemed to appear, a looming thrust of dark stone distant from the shores. A wooden boat pushes Munin and Nameless across the deep, unusually calm waters, the man at the helm using an extremely long stick with a shallow paddle. He says nothing, only bringing the vessel to a stop on the craggy stones.
There is a pathway of rough stone, a different sort than makes up the beach. It leads to a cavernous maw. Within it is lined by flickering torches. But the scent of old blood and decay waft out now and then, mixing with the brine of the nearby sea in a terrible amalgamation.
Each step seems to force one into a greater pressure, one that would test even a determined will. Only for it to suddenly open to a large room. It is like a peculiar dungeon, and has a strange air; as if it does not belong, something foreign. Shackled to the walls are many dead men, wearing garb better suited to the middle ages, although some are only hours or days old. Grotesque, rusted spikes jutt out here and there, and the only light comes from a massive spiked ceiling overhead. Two massive pillars spout smilar flames, which flank a throne built for a figure far larger than either might expect.
Prince Goro of the Shokan. He is well past eight feet tall, and broader than any fighter the pair have laid eyes upon. He makes Krauser seem a small man, Haggar a child, Grant himself a mere mortal. Skin seems to be a deep tan, but he wears a large cloaked robe of sorts. It is beyond ancient, perhaps centuries, embroidered in old sigils and pictures of dragons. The hood is pulled up over a hard-built face, lacking a single hair even upon the brows. A set of arms that seem thick as an average man rest upon the sides of the throne, curving upwards like spiked wings towards the shadowed room.
"...What is this?" booms a deep, gutteral voice. "... ...Who are you? I was told to expect challengers." What might make this bite deep is the utter lack of condescension. There's a literal aggravation, as if the pair were not even worth noting.
It is immediately apparent the ungodly power present within the man. For now, his second pair of arms is completely concealed, but his chi is that of an ancient master. Endless, rough, honed like a bloody mace. Goro? There is no master named Goro in this world. How is it possible someone of such power has existed unknown for so long a time...?
A life.
The moment was there. The moment was clear. The moment was real. The moment ran through his mind, consuming his senses. From the moment he was brought before the presence of the great and glorious Igniz, everything was pure bliss. He had finally gotten the blessing he had always desired from the god-king himself. Nothing mattered now. Nothing could stop him.
He just had to fight.
The teenager was silent on the boat trip. He did not speak with Munin; he only sat there, dark cloak concealing his features. In his mind, there were more pressing matters. He was in a haze of fantasy, dreaming of what that life would be. Idly, he would look at his quicksilver glove, wriggling his fingers briefly, before returning to his stoic inner world. Even when he left the boat, he walked as if he was in a trance. He could feel the pressure, he could feel the dread, he could feel the death.
But that is what he owed his master.
Bones crack under his feet as he forces into the depths. Where terror forced upon him, he turned it into courage. Where dread sunk its teeth into his bones, he would choke it with his bare hands. And before him, now, was death, slumped in his throne.
He knew what he must do with death.
The low growl of the Great Prince of the Shokan rouses him from his dream. The teenager doesn't look around him as he wakes, he only focuses on the creature, and... tries to understand what is before him. It was a giant creature, humanoid in appearance, but also apelike in face. And the fingers... There were abominations within NESTS. But that was the troubling thing about this creature. It did not feel unnatural. It felt inevitable. It felt unbelievably powerful.
And it felt contemptuous.
"Get behind me, Mu." He commands to his partner, throwing aside his tattered cloak. And he stares into the fierce red eyes of the Prince, stepping forward to place himself between the creature and his partner. Throwing his icy-gloved hand to the side, he wastes no words with the giant. "We are your challengers."
"Fight me."
Like Nameless, Munin says nothing along the boat ride. Her mind drifts between conscious tactical thought, and blank thoughtlessness, as she stares out over the water at the horizons around them.
As the boat reaches shore, her more tactical mind forces itself to take over, and she cautiously steps out alongside her partner. On entering the cave, her eyes quickly adjust to the darkness, their purple glow increasing slightly in the gloom. The 'decorations' of the place are the first thing that jump out at her upon reaching the throne room: spikes, corpses, and a large throne. The second is Goro himself. His height and muscle configuration at first glance seem completely unnatural in evolution. The disregard in the monsterous fighters words are not lost on her however, the response merely a somewhat forced scoff. As near as she can tell looking at him, he or it could be every bit as dangerous as the ego indicates it may be.....
When Nameless says to get behind him, she quickly gives a nod and moves into position, allowing him to make his challenge, and to await her moment to try to do some damage....
Provided, of course, that this thing before them CAN be damaged!
"...?" Goro shifts up a huge hand, mismatched fingers resting a cheek within it. Eyes narrow, seeming almost curious. "Fight you?" he states, more incredulous than anything else. Before suddenly he laughs. It's like the roar of a dragon, echoing on the walls with a ferocity that sends stones skipping away, and one broken mess of skeletal remains to collapse and clatter upon the ground. The skull... it's not human. It's hard to say what it is, but it's nearly reptilian.
"SHANG TSUNG!" he roars out, suddenly pushing upwards in a billow of his great robed cloak. The attire of a royal Shokan. Not vestments for combat; but he has yet to even acknowledge this to be a fight. "WHAT IS THIS?"
His head tilts to the side, and after a few long moments, a somewhat careless voice rings out. It's impossible to tell where it's from, but it's absolutely certain that no other presence can be felt.
"Sacrifices."
Slowly, Goro grins. Many of his teeth are sharp canines, and a mild light seems to burn within. Even the ember of his battle hunger is like a great bonfire to the pair present. Two steps take him away from the throne.
"You said you wished to fight." he declares. "But what is a fight to you? Hrrm? Does the waggling of an insect's antenna at the descending foot count as a fight to you? Pathetic."
His stance spreads, and his toed feet curl. Stone cracks as they clutch into place, and his uppermost arms cross, others still unseen.
"I will not fight with those I do not acknowledge as warriors. The two of you... could not even make me move an inch." Not fight...? To Munin, turning around and going home might seem a godsend and a blessing...
But Nameless might have no such Plan B option, hopeless or not as facing this monster might be.
"Leave. There is no glory or pride in crushing you. Motaru is better served to slaughter for sport. Death by my fists is too great an honor for you...!!"
COMBATSYS: Goro has started a fight here as a boss!
GORO
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
COMBATSYS: Goro takes no action.
GORO
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
J Prime does not back down.
Standing before the titan, he waits. His partner was meanwhile obedient. This was good. Some traits still remained it seemed. As he keeps himself between the two, the beast finally answers his question with another question. He braces himself, ready for the oncoming strike.
But instead,the roar comes.
The sheer volume of the shout causes the teenager the stumble, forcing him to take several steps back to balance himself. As the giant rises, the sheer size of the creature sink in. The teenager gives a harsh, fast whisper to his partner behind him, not casting a glance towards her.
"Mu. Flanking."
Stepping forward, the boy sweeps his quicksilvered hand violently ahead of him, drawing it back. He pushes ahead, even as the creature's feet crushes the stone beneath him. His mission was made clear to him. Looking straight into those burning coals, he stares up at the Prince. There, gripping the quicksilver glove in with his other hand, he responds.
"Then don't fight back."
And with that, he pulls off the glove.
Red flames erupt forward, erupting forth with a roar. Kusanagi flame, the unquenchable fire. The scarlet energy lashes out towards the Prince's chest and abdomen, the fire boiling out in rolls from the clone's exposed hand. The stoic visage of the teenager was gone for a moment, now. In its place was agony. J Prime's hand contorts in pain, energy ripping through his very skin. And already, it was crawling down his wrist, the fire threatening to consume his body. He had to smother it, and already he was moving to return the glove in place.
Hopefully, that was enough of a taste for the Prince to appreciate.
COMBATSYS: Nameless has joined the fight here.
GORO
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Nameless 0/-------/-------|
When the giant stands up, and his full size is seen, Munin can't help but gives a shocked look. Bigger on his feet than on his throne.... Still, he can't be worse than Vega!
Can he.... ? She sincerely hopes not!
She puts on her best wiley smirk at Goros goading, letting Nameless do the talking. Her glowing eyes stare into Goros, measured amusement in them attempting to contrast his ego and pride. Hopefully, it'll make him a bit mad, and with anger make a mistake they can capitalize on. Unless it gets them killed. It is, however, a risk she is willing to take.
At the mention of flanking, she only nods, having had the same idea in mind, and her eyes glow brighter as she stares at Goro, dark chi steaming off her form like black mist, and the runes on her gaultlets glowing with the same eerie purple as her eyes.
With a blink, she vanishes, the chi-illusion standing behind Nameless fading from existence, as the real Munin steps from behind a pillar and launches a wave of shadowy chi at Goro from what she calculates to be one of his blindspots!
COMBATSYS: Munin has joined the fight here.
GORO
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Nameless 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Munin
COMBATSYS: Goro endures Nameless' Sawarabe.
GORO
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-------========
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Nameless 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Munin
COMBATSYS: Goro overcomes Shadow Wave from Munin with Fireball.
- Power hit! -
GORO
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|----------=====
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Nameless 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Munin
"What? Hmm? What's this?" Goro states, as the pair continue to stand before him. Of course, people do. He has won countless tournaments over centuries, and there had never truly been someone who stood before him that did not earn the right to die. That they do not cower, flee, and collapse... interesting. They do not have power anywhere near even the weakest tournament 'runner up' he has faced, but in Outworld, those who cannot win are nothing. Meek, feeble, simpering worms.
Courage. Will. Those do not exist in the shadow of Shao Kahn. He had forgotten now intriguing such fresh, supple worlds can be.
"You cannot break me." Goro growls, opening both of his upper arms to Nameless. "Come. Show me the bite of a cornered rat...!!"
Yet when the glove comes off, the surge of energy makes him tense. What...? What is this? He's never felt chi like this before. The demon-killing energy of Kyo's bloodline, diluted and transferred, is still something new. And how often does the immortal find something new?
The blast erupts out, striking Goro dead in the chest. True to his word he did nothing to defend himself, but one foot rips out the concrete... and slips back, slamming down.
He just moved an inch.
Burnt clothing whirls around his muscled torso, and he reels in discomfort. Utterly vulnerable to Munin. Both arms are askew, his stance broken. Her teleport makes him jump, glancing towards her. The fireball hurtles towards him, but... he grins.
A third arm suddenly whirls up beneath the ashen clothing, and there's a great roar of fire. An infernal blast shoots forth, overcoming the wisps of shadow and sending the hurtling projectile straight towards the girl... turning what should have been a guaranteed hit into a massive liability!!
It was just power to him.
The teenager knew nothing about the demon-slaying nature of the energy. For him, it was just a weapon. A tool. He himself was a weapon and tool. It was a hammer with which he could bludgeon his victims, again and again, tearing them apart with the pure power of his infused bloodline. As he unleashes the fire into Goro, that is all he thought. He was hammer.
And he was the nail.
Forcing the creature back, he snaps the glove back on his hand. The raging flames are smothered, and the wincing stops. The hand relaxes, the contortions fading. He was in control now. The glove clamped it down. But the teenager was in control. And in perfect timing, Munin was diving from above-
Into a fireball.
A third arm.
This complicated things. The giant had an extra limb. As the fireball surges to Munin, the clone recovers from the assault. Holding his hand tightly, he tightens his grip upon the icy glove, carefully balancing it. The flame rolls out from the mouth of the glove, seeping out of the cracks and corners. The energy had to keep in a keel. It was what could challenge this titan. He wasn't going to waste his time with punches and kicks. Those were for men.
This was a god he was facing.
COMBATSYS: Nameless gathers his will.
GORO
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|----------=====
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Nameless 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Munin
COMBATSYS: Munin blocks Goro's Fireball.
GORO
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-------========
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Nameless 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Munin
When she had manuevered herself into position, Munin had thought she had everything considered. Angle. Check! Distraction. Check! cover. Check! Then this being pulls whips out an extra arm, and negates her shot with one of his own!
Third arm. Unchecked!
She is too caught off guard by this, and almost takes it full on in the chest. Luckily, she has just enough awareness to bring her arms up, shrouded in her chi, to try to dull the blow at the last minute!
She is knocked back into the wall behind her, right between a pair of lethal spikes, arms charred by the impact, but otherwise intact despite the burns left.
With a grunt, she moves in, lances of chi sprouting from her palms. As she rushes in low at Goro, she suddenly splits! One Munin goes high and right into his guard from above, appearing to aim for his face, while the other goes low on it's original course, going for his legs!
COMBATSYS: Goro dodges Munin's Mirror Image.
GORO
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-------========
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Nameless 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Munin
The fact that Munin was not utterly annihilated is truly a surprise. Her own assault was devoured, more than anything. The huge figure glances over towards Nameless, as he surges with far more chi than initially thought. Perhaps Shang Tsung had not sent him boring prey. Or perhaps this is meant to show that even the sheep of Earth have the potential to grow fangs.
The twin Munins are dodged with remarkable agility. Muscle strength transfers to explosive movements, kicking backwards and skidding to a stop, a fourth arm grasping the remains of his clothing and then hurling it aside. He wears only an armored loincloth now, all four of his oversized arms flexing in tandem. Each forearm has segmented, metal armor, as does his mighty shins, and he seems to seethe with a primal sort of strength. Unrefined, raw, like a gem unpolished and uncut.
"INTERESTING!!" he roars, before bringing up all four of his arms at once. And then they roar with fire, and he begins to strike the ground.
Each impact sends the ground roaring and shaking, sending impaled corpses falling to the ground and violently shaking the shackled bodies. A huge blast of kinetic force and raw flame roars out, blackening the ground before splashing upon the walls in waves. Again and again he pounds, roaring as the stone shatters and splinters beneath him, every quarter second sending a destructive pulse before a last hammerblow sends the ground shifting downwards, damaging the integrity of the entire island.
He looms upwards amidst the smoke and debris, spiked grill sloughing downwards slightly as fists slam into open palms. "But like all good toys, I believe you will break too easy...!"
COMBATSYS: Nameless blocks Goro's Tremor Pound.
GORO
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-----==========
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Nameless 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Munin
Munin wouldn't be able to take him down.
As the teenager empowers the flame, he watches his partner lash out at the giant. She was fast, agile, and deceptive. But speed would not fare against this creature. Already, a fourth was unleashed, as he demonstrates the startling agility. This is why he was brought here. Something this powerful as this thing would not be ground down by nips. He would endure like a mountain. And when the time came, crush her. His role in the mission was clear. But it was not Munin's time to die. If this creature wanted it to be, he could clearly crush her.
He knew too well how frail she could be.
As the roar comes, he endures against the earsplitting sound, keeping his ground as he rouses the spiritual flame. He could see the strength of the titan revealed. And yet, as the fists are empowered, he doesn't predict what comes next. As the first impact comes, the shockwave comes. His eyes narrow, as he calls out to his partner. "Mu! Take to the air!"
And he slams his own fist against the ground.
Hunkering down, he readies himself for the rage. The quicksilver fist acts as the shield against the pulsewave. As contact is made, an icy shell spreads, scattering the flame around him. Deflecting against the energy, the clone braces against the earthquake that threatens the very island itself. As the smoke and debris clears, Nameless remains in a crouch, black marks spread around him... highlighting the broken, but unscorched, sancturary he had made for himself. J Prime rises back up into a stand.
He says nothing. To the giant.
He already begins to circle the beast. Swiping his ice-gloved hand at Goro again and again, the scarlet flames cast embers into the air. Lash after lash is unleashed, as if he is trying to tame the creature. The flames continues to sear out from the glove, though as it stays contained, it is far weaker than before. To sting him, to bite him. This wasn't to take down the beast.
It was to enrage him.
COMBATSYS: Goro successfully hits Munin with Tremor Pound.
Glancing Blow
GORO
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|--------------=|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Nameless 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Munin
The hulking form of Goro, with four large arms like that, unnerves Munin quite a bit. It reminds her of things she has seen and heard about while investigating the creations and mechinations of Vega, NESTS, or Orochi....
Things like herself....
This, however, takes the cake! She curses under her breath as Goro sidesteps her attack, the chi-image coming in low vanishing, showing the top attack to have been the real one! She skids to a halt on the stone floor not far away, using her momentum to spin around to face Goro anew. She has little more than a few moments before Goro begins to pound the ground, sending shockwaves through the ancient structure! Her first impulse is the exact same as what Nameless indicates: get off the ground!
She does just that, leaping up into the air! With her focus on the ground, however, she doesn't pay as much attention to above! One of the smaller spikes comes loose, and wings her as it falls, leaving a nice gash in the side of her leg as she ascends above the tremors.
As she sees Nameless make his attacks, she tries to take advantage of the situation, pushing off of one of the colimns. As she decends upon Goro, she snaps several kicks at his head and chest, trying to work around his guard!
COMBATSYS: Nameless successfully hits Goro with Yoizuki.
-*- DEVASTATING HIT! -*-
GORO
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|------=========|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Nameless 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Munin
COMBATSYS: Goro endures Munin's Charged Combo!
GORO
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|-----==========|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Nameless 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Munin
Indeed, Goro is a practical person. When he glances around through the smoke and fires, blackened by his outburst, he finds Munin first amongst the devastation. He grins in a savage manner, taking a step towards her, then another, only to realize Nameless is still here far, far too late. His mistake was to utterly dismiss these pair of fighters in their entirety. Whatever power is deep within Nameless appears to be the true deal. For the sudden assault catches him completely off-guard. He's struck in the back of the ankle, ripping through muscle and flesh to tendons, where strength holds no power.
And then he collapses down to his knees.
His eyes are widen then, and body rigid. No further defense is offered, to the ripping, shredding assaults that he feels bite through his armored flesh. Each beat of his heart seems to be like the growing tempo of some drum of war. Mouth slightly agape. Never. He has NEVER been brought to his knees like this. Not in three hundred and fifty years, when he fully learned Shao Kahn's casual power.
Munin begins to strike him about the head, but it seems to only fuel him. His eyes are simmering, crimson points, before suddenly he bursts up to his feet.
"You wish to see... my power...?!" he growls out, swinging a backhand towards Munin dismissively. A great burst of heated air attempts to send her skidding away. Before he turns to face Nameless. All four arms spread out in all directions, a grand eclipse of sheer power and muscle, black shadow beyond the cinders of his eyes.
"THEN DRINK IN IT, MORTAL!!"
And then, with a roar, he lashes out, attempting to catch Nameless by each wrist and ankle in one of his gargantuan hands...!!
COMBATSYS: Goro knocks away Nameless with Wrath of the Champion.
! VENGEANCE !
GORO
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Nameless 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|======-\-------\0 Munin
Whatever feeble attempt to resist comes from Nameless is not sufficient. He is locked shut by the irrevocable power of Goro, who simply laughs uproariously. Before he lifts him up overhead, and begins to yank in each direction at once. He lets out another unearthly roar, feet sinking into the ground, stretching every joint in Nameless' shoulder, hip, elbow and knee. Before suddenly whipping down, slamming him into the floor hard enough to form a crater.
A moment later, each fist is burning intensely with fire, before he starts to unleash a veritable storm of blows. Each impact is earth-shattering of it's own accord, but he has four limbs with which to leverage them, stance strong, and the rain simply does not stop. A full eight seconds follows, each blow driving Nameless an inch further into the stone foundation of the ground.
Before he rears back, gathering up two gigantic spheres of fire, whirling them up to coalesce overhead. The heat is nearly unbearable, before he hurtles it straight down. There's an incredible explosion of fire in all directions. Munin would do well to hide behind the throne, as no other place will result in anything but death. The fires burst up through the metal grate, ripping it off the ceiling and sending it it hurtling into the heavens, along with a plume of roaring hellfire a few dozen meters. The opening of the cave is filled, and a blast turns night into day for a few brief moments, as the island itself can be felt cracking and groaning in betrayal.
"You wounded me..." Goro states, with a growl. "Bravo, warrior. You have done more than many." A foot slams down upon the blackened form of Fearless. Before an arm almost casually flashes out, grasping him by the bicep of the right arm.
"As a reward... I shall take you apart, piece by piece..."
And then with a disturbingly casual gesture, he rips off Nameless' arm in a spackling of blood.
A life.
The offer returns to his mind. As he tears at the creature, he cuts deeper and deeper, the blessed flames searing through like a knife through butter. The damage of it becomes clear, however, when the titan actually falls. The creature had four arms. But he still had only two legs to keep him up. He continues to tear at the legs, spreading the fire to more and more of the giant. Fortunately, it seems that he was successful.
Unfortunately, he was successful.
The beast is roused, and he is enraged. Almost too quickly, he was upon the teenager. He couldn't defend. He couldn't evade. Instead, he struggles to endure. He had practice in it, and he could keep himself from screaming. But as his arms and legs are dislocated within the grips of the giant, he couldn't stop the gritting of teeth, the gasps of agony. He couldn't stop the chokes as he is slammed around like a rag doll, a mere plaything, as Goro had stated earlier. He is mercifully unconscious by the time the fire comes, unable to feel the searing pain that roasts his skin, blackening it with burns. In the end, Goro picks up his broken toy, and with the same effort as one would pull a leg off a roast chicken, he plucks off the teenager's right arm.
He is no longer unconscious.
A scream of pain comes from the teenager as he is roused awake, followed by a heaving sob. Teeth gritted, he forces his eyes open, looking at the bleeding stump where he arm used to be... and then the arm itself. He had endured countless tortured, countless pain to be granted the honor to have this fight. And yet, this was the greatest, most agonizing pain he had ever endured. Every dream was dying right before him. Every death of every hope slowly being pulled apart, just like himself. And with it, the realization strikes him.
He wasn't going to survive this.
A life. A life for a life. Sacrifice. The moments leading up to this flash before his eyes. This was not a fight he would win. But he was learning. The god-king would gain knowledge from this fight. A life for a life. The thought forces its way in his mind. There was only one life that mattered. One life that couldn't make it. Already, the glove was twisting itself around J Prime's arm, attaching itself tighter and tighter to him. It knew. It knew what he was thinking. And quietly, he responds.
"... I-I have to, Isolde."
He shouts now, twisting his head back as far as he can, as much as he can with the pain coarsing through him. He was not going into shock. He had that conditioned out of him. "Mu-O! Or Mu-N! Whichever one you are!Take! Take-" He sputters, feebly dragging his only remaining hand across to his mouth. "There is a woman at the mainland. Diana! Give her- Give her my glove! Make sure she gets it! J-Just run!" And with a pained gesture, he pulls the icy glove off his teeth.
The glove falls to the ground, by Goro's feet. The exposed hand already ignites with the crimson flame, the flesh distorting and boiling from the now free energy. It was roaring in a full flame, the demonkilling fire growing larger and larger. He had given courage in the presence terror. When dread sunk its teeth in him, he drowned it in the fire. And now, death had him in his clutches. Nameless stared into the face of death. Blood streaming down his chin and eyes, face locked in a grimace, and arm becoming more alight, he responds to the titan. "I-"
"I am still thirsty."
COMBATSYS: Nameless charges his next attack!
GORO
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Nameless 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|======-\-------\0 Munin
After a few kicks and a leap out of the way, Munin has only moments to duck behind a column to avoid the firey conflagration cause by Goros attack! Once she comes back around, however, it's just in time to see Nameless get his arm torn off like he was a childs toy! Her eyes go wide as she sees the blood spray, and then narrow as she gets angry......
When Nameless questions her identity, and mentions Mu-N, she almost does a double take..... she had heard that somewhere before... but where? She shakes her head clear as she races up, and with a smooth move picks up the glove, pocketing it, followed up a leap up and over Goro, doing her best to mask his vision of Nameless with her body and distract him for Nameless to throw off whatever he plans for his attack, as well as position herself behind him in a pincer!
COMBATSYS: Munin assists Nameless.
GORO
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Nameless 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|======-\-------\0 Munin
"Hah! You live!!" Goro roars, beating on his chest with obvious pleasure. Each blow seems intense, ringing in the air with a surge of heat. "Excellent. Shang Tsung, I approve of these toys... they may be no challenge, but they are worthy of a Shokan in taking a beating...!" However, then Munin vaults over the massive person, causing a mild grunt of annoyance that gives Nameless a few more moments to prepare.
"I am Prince Goro of the Shokan, warrior. Before you die... tell me your name...!" His muscled legs tense, crouching down low. He then narrows his eyes, grinning still... before hurtling upwards in a short hop. A split second later, and Goro is directly overhead, knees up to his chest. Before with explosive force, he descends like a spear, striking down with both heels in tandem. A great roar leaves his lips once more, attempting to crush Nameless into the already battle-churned island anew, hit or miss causing an explosive blast of force in all directions that shatters multiple columns and sends metal spikes clattering all around.
He can sense the power welling up within the man... but there is no mercy here. Will he have the strength to bring it to bear against the mighty Shokan?!
COMBATSYS: Nameless endures Goro's Ground Stomp.
GORO
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|------------===|===============
[ \\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Nameless 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|======-\-------\0 Munin
He lived.
But he won't live.
He was bleeding out badly now. The bloodloss alone would have killed him. But as Goro bellows, he knew that that wasn't how he would die. The glove was too far away now. It couldn't control the flame. She couldn't control it. Him, Goro, and the fire made three. His flesh on the exposed hand was incinerated now, muscle and bone exposed as the fire spread up his arm. This was just how his brothers and sisters died before his eyes. Goro might have thought he was the only one holding back.
As the Kusanagi flame begins to consume the teenager's body, it may become obvious this is not the case.
But the Prince commends him. Bittersweet, as a maimed limb could attest. But the clone continues to focus, containing the flame with force of will. It was eating him. A feeble glance is passed over as Munin leaps over him, attempting to get in position to acquire the glove. He needed to buy her more time. Both of them more time. He had one last trick. As the titan takes to the air, he does not move. He does not try to crawl away desperately away. He accepted his fate. He embraced it. He was just waiting for it to come to him.
There is a sickening crunch, when it does.
J Prime could not breath. As the fire and debris clears, he is under the feet of the giant. The muscles were gone. He was just a splatter on the ground now, bones crushed, body broken. But that was not what he was building towards. The fire was licking the toes of the Prince, threatening to take his legs now. The Kusanagi flames were past the point of control. There was little left in J Prime's mind. He had already buried his dreams, or given them away to others. He only had the last remains of his willpower left, and just enough air in his lungs to respond.
"I am..."
"Nameless."
And he releases the flame.
There isn't enough strength for Nameless to scream. It rips through his body, tearing through whatever was left of him. But it was exploding now, erupting like a volcano. These were not mere embers, but a full pyre, directly underneath Goro's feet, and tall enough to consume his entire form. The boy was a weapon. An assassin. He was sent here to fight. He did it for a life. A life for a life. The last light of his mind flickers off. But before the darkness of eternity takes him, he swears he sees something in the purifying crimson that consumed him.
The image of her, praying for him.
It was a comforting vision to die for.
COMBATSYS: Nameless can no longer fight.
GORO
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|------------===|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Munin 0/-------/-======|
Landing behind Goro, Munin abruptly turns around, witnessing the oversided creature land on Nameless! As the dying fighter unleashes his flames, she comes up behind Goro, chi infusing her fists, as she sends a punch at the back of his left knee! Ideas begin to cross her mind...... plans for how to escape if need be..... or if she should stay put and fight to the end...... she has this glove..... (What is my next move?) she wonders as she makes her attack!
COMBATSYS: Nameless successfully hits Goro with Empowered Rinkou.
GORO
[ |||||||||||||| ]
1|---============|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Munin 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Goro dodges Munin's Strong Punch.
GORO
[ |||||||||||||| ]
1|---============|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Munin 0/-------/-======|
"...!" Munin is evaded with a leap, but his urge to swat at her like a fly is suppressed in the wake of the oncoming assault from Nameless being prepared.
Such lifeforce!! Goro is not used to seeing it. He is used to the animalistic desperation of those who know they cannot win. Like putting down rabid dogs at best. Or the subtle look in the eyes of a man who knows he cannot win. That the tournament is a sham, and cannot be won by any alive. Not with Shao Kahn upon the helm. Is this why Shang Tsung has taken such interest in Earth...?
The flash of superheated demon-killing fire strikes into Goro head on. He can do nothing to defend himself; crossed arms are blown open, and his huge body slams into the back of the small building. When it sears away, dark skin is blackened, and he grasps a massive nest of spikes to keep upright.
"A glorious end. Your nameless battle will live on... as a scar upon my flesh..." He grasps the cracked skin in the middle of his pectorals. Indeed, a wound that will heal ugly.
He marches over to stand beside the broken one-armed figure. "Leave." he states to Munin, simply. "You will not be asked again. Stay, and you shall die, too. ...You do not have his resolve, however. I doubt you will throw your life away as he did...!"
COMBATSYS: Goro gains composure.
GORO
[ ||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|------=========|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Munin 0/-------/-======|
Plans, plots, and potential actions stream through Munins consciousness. She estimates how much damage shes taken so far, her strengths and limits, her opponents strengths and limits that shes seen as well as his injuries, and the fact her teammate is not just beaten, but outright deceased.
Nameless asked her to get the glove to someone named Diana. Someones dying request carries weight to her. In addition, this 'Goro' is giving her the option.
The choice is made.
Her chi flicks out, and she nods "No, i won't". (At least, not here and now.....). She bows respectfully, turns, and makes for the door back out.
"Hah." Goro states, when Munin flees with the glove in hand. Before a simple voice rings heavy through the island; heard by the fleeing girl. There is a deep, gutteral power to it, one that puts Goro to shame. One that puts any being she has ever met to shame.
"FINISH HIM."
Kneeling and putting two fists to his chest, Goro reaches out and grasps Nameless by the head. Hefting him up, the massive combatant rises to his full height. "You are a worthy soul for Shao Kahn..."
"He is mine." states another voice, that of the viper in the shadows earlier. Goro just laughs, before grasping Nameless by his face, and the three other limbs. In a brutal motion, his remaining limbs are severed and hurled aside, before his torso is slammed into a nest of spikes, impaling him grotesquely.
"Whoever gets his soul, I care not..."
As chi saturates the island and it slowly begins to phase out of this reality, returning from where it came, Goro settles upon his scorched throne. Steepling his fingers, and staring at the new carcass to line his walls.
"More. Of these, Shang Tsung."
"BRING ME MORE!!"
"GORO WINS. FATALITY!!"
COMBATSYS: Munin has left the fight here.
GORO
[ ||||||||||||||||||||| ]
1|------=========|===============
Log created on 20:35:17 08/03/2014 by Nameless, and last modified on 07:49:22 08/04/2014.