[Log] MK 2nd Round - Decisive Battle - Reize vs Shang Tsung
WHO: Reize Seatlan, Shang Tsung
WHERE: The Outworld, Torture Chamber
WHEN: Monday, Febuary 10
WHAT: Round 2 of Mortal Kombat. Reize confronts Shang Tsung in a fight.
WATCH FOR: Reize being very serious, Shang Tsung snapping.
It's like a hall of horrors.
Every implement imaginable by mortals line the slick stone walls. Knives of every variety--serrated steel, brass barbed hook-knives, coal, branding irons, sets of shackles, thumbscrews, pliers, meathooks, hand pincers, corkscrews. Most of the furniture and accessories here are hopelessly brutal, racks, giant vises, clamp beds, pools of water. There is even a small kennel dominating one side of the room, though the jars on those shelves may emit the occaisional hiss or popping sound, they are rendered of holed earthenware, with no way to tell exactly what's inside save for the colored bands of their caps.
The dank atmosphere which presses on the lungs renders many of the tools rusted, but oddly the fact is that it seems to be intended--an small wall seems to house rusted blades, while an identical set of clean, well oiled items hang near them. It is a literal gallery of every imagineable pain, but most unsettlnig are the items that.. cannot be readily identified. Unknown affairs of structwork, leather, and suspended gearboxes hang to one side of the room, as well as screwed crystals, boxes of unidentifiable coarse handled rods and other anonymous things stock another wall entirely.
It smells like a nightmare.
Shang Tsung himself is sitting near a small entourage of his own, on the only piece of furniture in the area that seems as if it doesn't bite, stretch, break or otherwise harm its victim--a small bench. He sits not too far from a shaped coffin that stands upright, a strange thing with a woman's welcoming face upon its head. An iron maiden. Immediately to his sides are that entourage. A shadow priest, an eerie man-ghost in robes sits to his left. To his right? Well.. let's let her speak her own.
He himself is waiting for his valued opponent. Provided of course, he manages to get here in time.
It's horrible. It's disgusting. It's.... exactly what she expected. Her expression is distant, even cool with slitted burgundy eyes. Legs crossed, she doesn't look towards either Shadow priest or Shang Tsung; she's so still she might as well be a statue herself. Her lips are pressed together with displeasure, although it may be displeasure towards Shang Tsung's opponent, if he shows up late. She's just here to observe, after all - that and look pretty. She can do both with flying colors. Surely Shang Tsung had no complaints about the attire she picked out, right? <3
Of course the details of her features would be difficult to discern, thanks to the sheer black veil that obscures the lower half of her face and top of her head. Briefly Nami's eyes flick around the room, her body shifting ever so slightly in her seat. Maybe the boy will choose the smart option and bow out.
Was she sorry she poisoned his opponent? Hell no. He had to have known there would be a possibility of being poisoned and sabotaged and she certainly wasn't going to sabotage all that she sacrificed for the sake of some.. common joe, OR the little boy he was fighting.
Hurry up Reize; don't want to keep Shang waiting too long do you?
It's time for the tournament to continue on. Reize actually promised himself to get involved with this. He had one thing on his mind, freeing the people that existed within the forest, and those that Shang Tsung captured. It's why Reize is continuing to fight in this dreadful tournament. If he was to be defeated, Reize promised himself that it won't be Shang Tsung.
But upon entering the torture chamber, the air causes the boy to cough while his eyes widen at the torture chamber. This is a shop of horrors. The horror of each equipment causes the youth to become guarded, trying to mentally steel himself and to figure out what he is going to use to keep his cover, should Shang Tsung make use of this.
Reize -knows- that he won't have a pleasant fight. He knows that he is going to get killed. He is -expecting- underhanded tactics in this fight. That is why Reize remains guarded, observing both the veiled woman and Shang Tsung.
The boy offers his opponent a slight bow, "Alright." His expression turns serious, then he withdraws both of his boomerangs from his side. "Ready whenever you are."
~ For those put in the forest and for those like Ariel, I'm fighting for you guys. ~
The eyes become determined as a foot slides forward and he positions himself.
"Ah, our guest of honor has arrived."
It is through subtle half-lidded eyes that the sorcerer regards Seatlan. A kind of .. satisfaction suffuses him regarding their visitor, though he is more than aware of the fact that the situation could change very shortly. He is arrogant almost to a fault, but for a very good reason: He's well aware that the unexpected can happen.
He is also old enough to know he can die.
This kind of experience beyond mere knowledge is empowering in itself, and the dichotomy never ceases to amuse.
The sorcerer stands from his bench slowly, smoothing out all the wrinkles of the rich Tarkatan leather of his coat. "You weren't too long in the forests, I trust? I had begun to fear you may not have made it out.."
Oh, he adores Nami's outfit. Tasteful, but entirely modern of Outworld. Expensive, but not base. He has always taken great pride in his tailors. "Excuse me," he minds Reize for just a moment, as he removes his coat ceremonially, leaving only his pants and vest. The coat itself he steps back to proffer to Nami. "Don't let it wrinkle, my dear," is all he minds of her. Radiance in every affair.
That is when he puts a fist to his hand and offers Reize the slightest of martial bows. "..But we needn't occupy any more of eachother's time. Let the ancient rites of Mortal Kombat commence."
He's ready.
There is neither satisfaction nor disappointment from the 'harem girl' seat on Shang's right. Dark eyes narrow slightly as she watches Reize arrive, taking his stance, and there's.. a slight twist in her heart as he reminds her of someone she knew.. long ago. Swallowing, Nami blinks once, looking towards Shang when he moves. Perhaps expecting what follows, she stands, reaching out to carefully take the coat, laying it over one arm, "I would never do such a disrespectful thing." Nami promises with a subdued, respectful tone.
Again she seats herself, gracefully, holding the coat across her lap carefully so as not to encourage wrinkles. Then Shang Tsung is ready, Reize is ready, and the dance of death begins. What will happen if Reize wins? If Shang Tsung wins? .. too many lives hang in the balance, and as much as Nami wants to look away, she doesn't dare.
The young boy merely states towards Shang Tsung, "Because of you.... I was quite enlightened. More enlightened than I wanted to be. But, nevertheless, very enlightened." He shuts his eyes, recalling back, "My travels were well, but your torture plan failed. I always have a back up plan." An apple a day keeps the doctor away! The boy smiles thinly, then he watches the older man give the woman his coat. The young boy hrmphs, then his eyes focus back at Shang Tsung.
Once the older man finally bows, Reize offers the same bow.
"Let's."
Tightening his stance, the boy finally loosens himself to sprint towards Shang Tsung. He young boy draws his right foot against the ground to spring himself up in the air. Spinning in a complete twist, the boy draws his right leg up in the air, aiming to slam the foot towards the man's head.
But, it's more of a telegraphed move, as the real move is trying to shift the weight out while he spins to draw a boomerang at his stomach.
You miss Shang Tsung with your Twistover Strike jab.
Shang Tsung has found Nami invaluable for several discreet tasks. But for now, her only order was to watch. He'd need her services after the battle. After... well, everything. He had quite a day planned, if all went well. But for now, there was only this. The truth of the battle.
There were many truths, and Tsung was privy to all of them.
Some sorcerers dwelt solely in the magic arts, becoming frail and weak in the physical arts. Outworld sorcerers that would ascribe to such foolishness wouldn't live very long. Shang Tsung simply had the advantage of knowing every martial art in this world in the next.
..He just preferred a choice few.
So when Reize approaches, the old man assumes a curious battle pose. His hands are parallel to the ground, palms down, hands flat with his fingertips facing Reize, his left hand higher and forward, his right hand lower and at his breast. Hebi-ryuu.
It's an evasive style. When Reize kicks out at him, the sorcerer merely whips his head back, allowing the kick to fly past him. When the boomerrang appears--something wholly unexpected--the sorcerer grins. Like greased lighting his left hand stops the weapon at Reize's wrist. Soemthing he had to do to be sure the item didn't have mystical properties. Then the 'snake' segment of the style fast becomes apparent--his right hand goes high and wide. It sways there for a moment, seeking an opening on.. Reize's neck?
No.
His hand sways in a peculiar sidewinding motion, forming an s, coming from high to Reize's left to his midsection at his right. The sorcerer's arms cross. Then, from his guard, he moves his torso forward, to try and shift Reize's boomerrang hand off-balance and plant both his fingertips in a double knifehanding strike aimed at Reize's chest--from the sorcerer's right hand and his midsection--the sorcerer's left, formerly blocking hand.
What's most important: Shang Tsung is readily capable of drawing blood with a single strike.
Shang Tsung gets a glancing blow on Reize Seatlan with his Snake Style jab.
While Reize shifts his body into the main technique, the young boy is caught by surprised as Shang Tsung manages to capture the wrist from giving way for the boomerang to strike further. Shang Tsung will find that it is an ordinary boomerang. There's nothing special about it, sadly enough.
Once the hand swings in the S pattern, the boy still in the mid-air spinning motion is flipped over to the side. And still in the air, the boy is given the double knifehanding strike towards his chest, which sends him sprawling against one of the nearby pedestal. His body crumples to the ground, wincing in agonizing pain as he clutches his chest. "Ow..." He bites back tears, but he shakes his head. "..Eghn... Alright." The boy sprints towards Shang Tsung, drawing the boomerang back before he winds it out.
With the object thrown forward, Reize is moving straight towards the sorceror. The illusion of the matter is that the boomerang is heading towards him. Or rather, it suddenly shifts right past his face and makes its way behind him.
As Reize closes in at Shang Tsung, the boy launches his right hand forward to slam his fist at the man's face, then he swings the right leg out towards the man's ankle.
You miss Shang Tsung with your Haymaker To Sweep attack.
The sorcerer chuckles when Reize wings the boomerang past him, having only to adjust his head ever so slightly to allow the weapon's air displacement to disrupt the stands of hair at his temples. Readjusting his stance, Shang Tsung very idly considers. The pup wasn't entirely bad. A style highly focused on feint and distraction, similar to his Snake Kung Fu but less polished. Obviously--the sorcerer's had centuries to develop it. He will likely be trying to hit him from multiple vectors...
Fortunately, that's something the sorcerer excels at.
He considers all this in the space of time that he's cutting off Reize's avenues of attack.
He moves first forward into the haymaker. It's a dangerous situation to be in, to be sure--one Shang Tsung would pay for dearly if he wasn't just so. His forward left hand hooks in from the outside of that right-handed punch, levelling his palm over it, and -- curling his arm around it with one move. He is misdirecting the focus of the haymaker with a curling pythong motion to pull it past his side. With a grimace, he can't do much about the kick but shift that ankle just slightly to diffuse most of the actual damage associated with the impact. It very slightly weakens his stance, but it was necessary.
Because he's occupied. At the same time, he will attack down the length of Reize's arm. His knifehand seeks purchase in Reize's armpit, at the exact point where his arm connects to his chest. A painful and debilitating place to be hit in.
Shang Tsung misses Reize Seatlan with his Python Stab attack.
There is some edge that Reize is looking for in this fight against Shang Tsung. If there is one thing that the boy is noticing is that the older man is fighting the same way as he is, except his is more graceful and refined. Reize's is just raw ability, not quite trained. But, the young boy is noticing the fact that Shang Tsung is shifting the ankle.
...There is a moment of weakness in the stance that Reize can capitalize in. But that moment will have to wait as Shang Tsung is drawing his hand out towards the boy's armpit. That is where Reize drives his left hand to meet with the knifehand coming forth, halting it from striking further on the boy's joint. His eyes narrow at Shang Tsung while he stares forth at the taller man. Ferocity marks the boy's features. It's as if he's stalling. There is a technique that Reize was taught by Peleps Fals. It is the matter of capitalizing. He plants his right foot towards the man's foot.
Right near the ankle, aiming to stomp on it against the weaken stance, mostly to disable his mobility.
At the same time, the boy is attempting to push his arms against Shang Tsung, aiming to snake out of the hold while capitalizing on the moment to use his other leg to kick back.
At the same time, the boomerang that left Reize's hand is coming back. Right at the back of Shang Tsung's head.
Hrn.
"Gh--" It happens a little too quickly. He was able to block his knifehand. In a battle of (mostly) martial arts as he agreed to in the auspices of Mortal Kombat, Shang Tsung is faintly impressed. But it's of little consequence. Or is it? The arcanist looks up. He's /well aware/ of the boomerrang's return path. Unfortunately, his plan for evading it is neatly broken with the pressing kick. Shang Tsung is struck solidly in the base of the skull while his stance is weakened against Reize's array, which crumples the sorcerer on the spot and allows Reize to maneuver from Tsung's sweeping hands. The python stab is not so much a hold as it is a way of pushing a punch to one side, so Shang Tsung has very little to try and maintain.
Reize might notice that a hand levels on him, strong fingers relaxed and splayed.
It seems at surface the grasp of a dazed man looking to steady himself, with no martial force behind it. But if so much as a fingertip touches Reize, the martial sorcerer's entire body will explode with momentum. The force flows from his feet and through his stance. His fingers will curl instantly and project the full impact of any haymaker directed to Reize's solar plexus from just a few centimeters away.
A technique from Shang Tsung's Wing Chun repertoire.
Shang Tsung hits Reize Seatlan with his One Inch attack.
The young boy finishes planting Shang Tsung down with the kick and the boomerang. The weapon quickly comes back to the boy's hand, who is grinning while the weapons are sheathed. Now that they are no longer drawn out, the boy looks at Shang Tsung as he finally gets up. The hand is drawn out towards him, and the boy is aiming to take the hand as it is leveling towards him.
But, that momentum explodes out against Reize, which sends the boy sprawling back towards a nice wall. The solar plex is suffering a near cave-in from the central strike, which has the boy go limp against the ground and he lands on his face, "Eghnn..."
Soon, Reize's vision becomes unblurry, especially as he looks at the devices of destruction around him. His eyes widen when he looks around a little more, letting things process in his mind.
There is something that Reize has kept in mind for why he is in here. It's just him, Shang Tsung, and the woman. With all of those blades and various torturous devices, Reize is realizing more and more that they plan to torture him if he loses.
This is nothing more than a trap.
This is why Reize cannot lose. He won't let the rebels suffer in vain. If he can at least do some damage to the Outworld's presence, it is freeing those people.
The boy immediately draws his right hand out, extending his right palm in front of him. Narrowing his eyes at Shang Tsung, the boy calls out, "Tarot of Destiny... come to my aid..." A sparkle glimmer in his hand, forging itself into a tarot card. "High Priestess, Shining Spike!"
There is a radiant glow appearing above Shang Tsung, sparkles of divine energy glitter and descend along his form. Shining on him, the light's sparkles touch the ground, and soon comes forth a blast of light to come forth from above Shang Tsung's feet, aiming to burn him asunder.
You miss Shang Tsung with your Tarot Spell: High Priestess (Shining Spike) attack.
When Reize hits the wall, it barely shudders against his momentum. They were forged of heavy stone, partially to shield the noise often emanating from here from the rest of the complex, save for the chambers directly below, which was used to house prisoners who would shortly be a guest in these particular chambers.
Here, even the screams of the tormented will be of use.
Shang Tsung breathes evenly as he steps forward to face Reize, smiling thinly past his own pain. The effectiveness of the one-inch 'fa jing' strike was that it was nearly impossible to predict or evade. IT was similar to his She Quan snake-style kung fu, but much, much harder to read properly.
"....!"
When Reize levels his tarot card on him, Shang Tsung has no other choice but to respond in kind. He steps back, both hands at his hip open in a variant of the iron horse. His eyes rolling into the back of his head in deep concentration, the sorcerer doesn't need any lengthy incantation for his next attack. Only the stolen energy deep within him, and one word.
"Break."
He lets loose a flurry of Outworld's hottest fires from his hands, spraying it to clash against the blast of light. For heat to meet heat. To cut through it. To flood past it. And to try and break Reize underneath a flurry of hissing, screaming skulls lit aflame. It is nothing less than pure torment--of those he holds in his thrall and for those he turns it against. Getting struck by such a terrible thing would be unwise.
Shang Tsung critically strikes Reize Seatlan with his The Fire of Tormented Souls attack.
Narrowing his eyes at Shang Tsung once the sorceror causes for the flames to burn from his hands to collide with the light, the boy's eyes widen as it -cuts- through his own spell. "Egnnnn!" That look of fright and shock remains on his face as the heat breaks the boy out, especially as the flurry of hissing, screaming skulls reveal themselves. The boy is releasing a howling scream, drawing on both knees.
As if breaking into tears over the tormenting power, the boy is drawing his hands out to draw forth a tarot. "Eghh..."
Everything is looking very bleak for Reize, especially since his vision is dimming. "...I'm so sorry, Hakufu." He narrows his eyes, looking at the ground, "Guys... I'm sorry. I am not sure..."
He tightens his fists, then he draws forth another tarot to appear with a quick spark of glimmer. No incantation htis time. An image projects of a young boy being followed by a dog in a creek; The Fool. His body is suddenly on fire. "But I can sure try!" The boy, this time, removes his boomerangs. The boomerangs now in hand, the boy zips towards Shang Tsung, surrounded by the flames from The Fool. The boy sprints towards Shang Tsung, swinging both boomerangs out in melee combat, then he spins his body around like a whirlwind to thrust both legs out in swinging kicking motion.
You miss Shang Tsung with your Scorching Whip attack.
"Do you understand the futility of your struggles yet?" mentions the sorcerer dispassionately. He has little love in this world, and none of it is for Reize. "Amusing, that you should be so fond of The Fool..." the sorcerer intones, ignoring the scent of sharred ozone in the air, and taking only a moment to adjust his Grandmaster's cotton drill vest collar. Businesslike, he steps forward.
"I should think you both have something in /common/."
When the boy lights aflame, Shang Tsung again assumes his She Quan fighting stance, levelling two planes of harm on the boy. But when he does, his own hands are sheathed in a kind of eerie green miasma, casting a ghastly light on the dead stone beneath them. The flaming boomerrangs are swiftly evaded--though the heat does scorch his arms and his vest, the sorcerer shifts to a side, trying to pinpoint a location on his opponent.
Cold. Frigid cold. That is the sensation that is given when Shang Tsung tries to leech the mystic energy from Reize's fires into his right hand with that green aura. He probably can't leech it all in only a moment, but he can perhaps create an opening. There, at Reize's left side. He moves fast--wickedly so. If he can manage to leech enough energy, he might be able to pierce through Reize's fire veil and stab him in the side with that deadly, glowing knifehand.
A risky maneuver. But in sorcery, Shang Tsung is quite confident in his endless well of practiced experience and skill.
Shang Tsung hits Reize Seatlan with his Ice Knife attack.
Shang Tsung is right about one thing, The Fool represents Reize the most, as they share the similar qualities. Fiery passion, adventurous, bold, full of optimism. Yet inexperienced, and irresponsible. Foolhardiness as well. This is Reize's bonding tarot. The fiery passion that burns within the boy is calling forth as the flames continue to roar with life as the swung legs continue to lash out before the boy makes his landing.
Unfortunately, Shang Tsung manages to make the landing quite abrupt as he strikes the glowing knifehand to strike through his flames, piercing right into side. His eyes widen as the knifehand strikes him to the mid-section, ending the landing's gracefulness to the point of Reize colliding like a rock. Coughing in blood, Reize is in tears now, clutching onto his stomach. "....Argh.."
Futility of his struggles?
...Those calls come back into his mind. The screams of the people, defiantly wanting to get out. Reize is struggling to get up, coughing as he is trying to catch his breath.
~ "Hi, I'm Ariel...." ~
"I...got to..."
The voice of a familiar girl that Shang Tsung keeps ringing.
~ "I'm glad to see you! I ran and hid but... I don't think it's so safe here anymore.." ~
"...Fight for..."
~ "Can you.. can you help us...?" ~
Tears start streaming from the boy's eyes. He made a promise to his parents. He made a promise to himself. He made a promise of Destiny. He made a promise to the people imprisoned. "...Those..." The right hand starts to summon forth a blank tarot, soon forming the image of a moon. The next card is of a large tower. The Moon and the Tower. Two Tarots?
"People..." The boy draws his right hand up, growling, drawing his hands together, "...Tarot of Destiny... Spectral Image!" Soon, four images of Reize starts to form around Shang Tsung, surrounding his form. The Moon shatters into sparkles, then the Tower radiates with a bright glow.
"STORM PRISON!!!!"
All of the images of Reize suddenly transform into a bolt of lightning, shaping and crackling with ferocity. They all start converging together, closing itself like a cage to start cutting through Shang Tsung with an electrical people.
You juggle Shang Tsung with your Storm Prison combo.
Shang Tsung breaks your combo.
Define despair.
Is it the depression of a man whom has seen his own death?
No.. death is but a release. In Outworld, there are creatures that would consider death a considerable mercy. There are creatures that suffer in every conceivable way, creatures that would grovel before devils and make love to fire demons for that one salvation. No, fear certainly describes one who's seen his own death, but to wish for it is the fate of those whom have disobeyed the emperor. And the meaning of the peril that would befall those lost souls is but the same.
Today is but an amusement for his excellence.
So is despair knowing death?
Hardly. Despair is knowing total failure. Knowing that everything you've ever fought for will shortly be dashed to pieces, everything you've believed, everything you promised, taken apart like a mere toy.
That is the business of Shang Tsung this day.
The sorcerer's hand withdraws swiftly, shaking the blood from his fingertips before his hands shift once, then twice, to a lower art, a southern style of Kung Fu, his hands at his hips. She Quan is but one of his favored styles. HE shifts often and frequently, drawing on the knowledge of everyone whom he's killed, drawing on their knowledge and energy to make himself stronger. Even that little girl Ariel has something to offer him. She was quite fond of the dance, and her knowledge, her somewhat clumsy childlike allowance of grace is his to command now. That spry youth combine with the knowledge of all of the artists of all his personal Hell now.
He is hit /once/ by the flurry of electrical attacks. His feet moving quickly, pacing each step to just so miss the bolts. He dances there for a minute, in the eye of the storm. Then the man--nay, creature--becomes incorporeal. Diffuse, a thing of weird proportions. Sliding past--through--and around the arcing electrity. That one blast--a bolt catches the eerie man-mist, just tangible and visible enough to link it to the worst hissing sound one could ever hear from anything in this world or the next.
He reforms to his normal dimensions just near Reize, electricity still arcing across his body.
Whether it be by his own pain or his own fury, the suffering he holds for Reize is only regarded in an explosive open-handed slap swiftly aimed across the boy's face. From that, he will try and grab him by the hair and fling him savagely across the chambers.
Shang Tsung hits Reize Seatlan with his Shang Ragin'! C_C jab.
"YOU IMBECILE!" Shang Tsung hisses terribly, spittle flying from his grit teeth. It's a predatory look, but it's one very off-put. Clearly he didn't like that at all. "What made you think your foolish schoolyard charms would win this battle?!"
He breathes slowly, centering himself.
"On your feet, Seatlan. They'll describe your agony for the ages in sonnets written in your own blood.."
After the storm is released, the boy narrows his eyes with a roar echoing. The boy tightens his fists and he slams his hand down, letting the tarots do its part. From this point, the young boy is more than ready to fight Shang Tsung once more, now remembering the purpose. But, what utterly destroys the confidence is that he's moving away from every single bolt, until that one bolt strikes him. That is enough to cause the youth to exhale forth a sigh of relief.
That is, until Shang Tsung comes forth with an open-handed slap across the face of the boy. The resounding echo has Reize stumbling against the ground, landing limply. ...He can't go on. Not like this.
~ I don't know if I can go on... like this. ~
His vision becomes blurry. "...Egh..." His eyes narrow at Shang Tsung, "Schoolyard charms...?" He spits bitterly at Shang Tsung, then he staggers himself into his feet. "...I'll be darned.... if I'll let that happen!" The boy draws his fist out, then he runs towards Shang Tsung, spinning his body around to come forth with a melee fighting prowess form of combat. "You -FIRST-!"
The boy launches his right foot across Shang Tsung's leg, then he attempts to spin over to launch the same foot across the back of his head.
You get a glancing blow on Shang Tsung with your Round About Kick attack.
"Yes, a sonnet in your own blood..." Tsung continues, "So that all the world will remember the Fool, who thought to stand against his destiny..."
Hrn! The melee form has much better penetration against Shang Tsung. Oh, don't be alarmed. The leg does break his stance cleanly and draw a welt underneath his fine spidersilk pants. However, even still the faltering sorcerer has enough agility to slip back, around and away from the kick to his head, incurring only the faintest graze in addition to his welt. He is still an experienced martial artist in his own right. But he is a sorcerer first amongst all things.
Stance wide and low to the ground, panting lightly as if winded from a great workout, the sorcerer cuts his eyes. It wouldn't do for his agents to see him become much more winded than he is. It would be undignified and certainly unbecoming. He can tell Reize is slowing down, he has less momentum than he did before. His attacks have been proving fruitful.
This should be enough.
The sorcerer snaps out a hand, glowing a wavering green then snapping open to form a wide open dragon's maw in fingers and palm. He sweeps the hand back swiftly to his shoulder. It is a movement accompanied by the dreaded sounds of terrible screeches of steel grinding against stone.
...As the iron maiden, now opened by naught but the arcanist's will and trailing those same eerie green energies, slides up behind Reize all too quickly. It is fit with rows of sharp blades, all arrayed specifically for Reize, to piece him through various areas nonlethal. The iron maiden was considered merely a rumored device of torture in Earthrealm, merely a piece of dreaded furniture, the most famous, the one at Nuremburg Castle, never having been confirmed in use. Shang Tsung has found that trapping particularly endearing.
And for Outworld, no nightmare is left undreamt.
The iron maiden, if it trips Reize up, it will pinion him on the blades fitted for his back.
Shang Tsung misses Reize Seatlan with his And then the sorcerer will close his hand. super.
This is quite a predictament for the boy to be in. The young man is on one knee, looking at Shang Tsung after the tired kick makes its mark on the older man, exhaling a sigh. He coughs, clutching onto his chest while looking up at the man. "..." He shuts his eyes, frowning once more.
Then, Shang Tsung touches a sore spot.
_Destiny_.
"You don't know Destiny! It is not my destiny to end like this.... My destiny... is to defeat you and free those who have been captured by you!" He growls out, drawing his right hand towards his chest.
His eyes shift back to see the spikes formed up. Both eyes widen as the Iron Maiden prepares to close up.
Life is flashing right before his eyes.
Han, Hakufu, Eriol, Subaru, Tifa, mother.. father...
~ NO! ~
The boy leaps up into the air as the door attempts to shut on him, then he leaps on the top of the device, aiming to spring off and he starts diving towards Shang Tsung, attempting to drive both of his feet on the man's chest.
Should that be successful, Reize is going to thrust his weight to have Shang Tsung skid to a wall, which will push him off of the sorceror at the same time.
You miss Shang Tsung with your Wild Ride attack.
.. Impossible.
Shang Tsung is beginning to become perturbed.
When Reize manages to leap atop his iron maiden, his nightmare embodied, the sorcerer is mildly stunned and quite aggravated. For now, it seems he'd like to leave the random butchery to his subordinates. He'll battle Reize in his own fashion. For all things, he is a connosieur.
Even pain.
When Reize leaps off the maiden to attack him, Tsung slips to one side, resuming something resembling a stance. THe energies surrounding his right hand pulse. Its nature changing. That hand whips out, and fast. He's going to take Reize by the collar in a paralyzing grasp..
Shang Tsung hits Reize Seatlan with his Unto Torment attack.
You have been knocked out!
.. While his left hand spreads open, creating a circle marked with weird runes on the earth blow him. He opens a pit in the stone, at least 6 feet deep. But this time it's no trap. Inside, his soulfire, despair given a physical form, burns with hellish intent. Never anything good or free.
Yes. For all those who rebelled before, the cycle continues.
Looking up with placid eyes, Shang Tsung's voice has an ironic lilt to it.
"Now, Mr. Seatlan..I cast you into your sacrament."
Then he'll pitch the boy inside.
As Reize lunges forward with both feet aiming to plant against Shang Tsung, the boy is taken by surprise. The boy tries to reach for his radio briefly, but it promptly drops from his hand as he's turning to face Shang Tsung.
"...I'll come out and free these--- arggggghhh!!" The boy is casted within the sacrement.
~...I ... I failed them... didn't I? ~
Yes, despair is not the man who has seen his own death.
It is the man who has to settle for the agony of living.
That's the lesson that Outworld teaches.
"You fought well... for your age," Shang Tsung allows. "But in the end, this is where all of your foolish ideals lead." Purposefully, he strides past the iron maiden--a pity, that--to the wall just beyond. From it, he snatches a particular pair of cold iron shackles, holding them loosely by the chain in one hand. He returns to the wall of the pit he cast Reize into, looking down quietly.
"You needn't worry, my dear Seatlan," the arcanist soothes. He is deliberately ignoring the fact that Reize likely can hardly hear him over his screams and the screams of his own souls in that pit. He tucks a hand into his pants pocket, the shackles held at his hip. "Though you may eventually wish for it, I won't allow you to die. There is still so much we've yet to discuss.."
The following few days will likely be the worst of Reize's short life.
For Shang Tsung, it will be a pleasing way to spend a few evenings.
The Shadow Priest shifts. In an otherworldy tone, it declares the outcome.
| || Shang Tsung.. wins. || |
WHERE: The Outworld, Torture Chamber
WHEN: Monday, Febuary 10
WHAT: Round 2 of Mortal Kombat. Reize confronts Shang Tsung in a fight.
WATCH FOR: Reize being very serious, Shang Tsung snapping.
It's like a hall of horrors.
Every implement imaginable by mortals line the slick stone walls. Knives of every variety--serrated steel, brass barbed hook-knives, coal, branding irons, sets of shackles, thumbscrews, pliers, meathooks, hand pincers, corkscrews. Most of the furniture and accessories here are hopelessly brutal, racks, giant vises, clamp beds, pools of water. There is even a small kennel dominating one side of the room, though the jars on those shelves may emit the occaisional hiss or popping sound, they are rendered of holed earthenware, with no way to tell exactly what's inside save for the colored bands of their caps.
The dank atmosphere which presses on the lungs renders many of the tools rusted, but oddly the fact is that it seems to be intended--an small wall seems to house rusted blades, while an identical set of clean, well oiled items hang near them. It is a literal gallery of every imagineable pain, but most unsettlnig are the items that.. cannot be readily identified. Unknown affairs of structwork, leather, and suspended gearboxes hang to one side of the room, as well as screwed crystals, boxes of unidentifiable coarse handled rods and other anonymous things stock another wall entirely.
It smells like a nightmare.
Shang Tsung himself is sitting near a small entourage of his own, on the only piece of furniture in the area that seems as if it doesn't bite, stretch, break or otherwise harm its victim--a small bench. He sits not too far from a shaped coffin that stands upright, a strange thing with a woman's welcoming face upon its head. An iron maiden. Immediately to his sides are that entourage. A shadow priest, an eerie man-ghost in robes sits to his left. To his right? Well.. let's let her speak her own.
He himself is waiting for his valued opponent. Provided of course, he manages to get here in time.
It's horrible. It's disgusting. It's.... exactly what she expected. Her expression is distant, even cool with slitted burgundy eyes. Legs crossed, she doesn't look towards either Shadow priest or Shang Tsung; she's so still she might as well be a statue herself. Her lips are pressed together with displeasure, although it may be displeasure towards Shang Tsung's opponent, if he shows up late. She's just here to observe, after all - that and look pretty. She can do both with flying colors. Surely Shang Tsung had no complaints about the attire she picked out, right? <3
Of course the details of her features would be difficult to discern, thanks to the sheer black veil that obscures the lower half of her face and top of her head. Briefly Nami's eyes flick around the room, her body shifting ever so slightly in her seat. Maybe the boy will choose the smart option and bow out.
Was she sorry she poisoned his opponent? Hell no. He had to have known there would be a possibility of being poisoned and sabotaged and she certainly wasn't going to sabotage all that she sacrificed for the sake of some.. common joe, OR the little boy he was fighting.
Hurry up Reize; don't want to keep Shang waiting too long do you?
It's time for the tournament to continue on. Reize actually promised himself to get involved with this. He had one thing on his mind, freeing the people that existed within the forest, and those that Shang Tsung captured. It's why Reize is continuing to fight in this dreadful tournament. If he was to be defeated, Reize promised himself that it won't be Shang Tsung.
But upon entering the torture chamber, the air causes the boy to cough while his eyes widen at the torture chamber. This is a shop of horrors. The horror of each equipment causes the youth to become guarded, trying to mentally steel himself and to figure out what he is going to use to keep his cover, should Shang Tsung make use of this.
Reize -knows- that he won't have a pleasant fight. He knows that he is going to get killed. He is -expecting- underhanded tactics in this fight. That is why Reize remains guarded, observing both the veiled woman and Shang Tsung.
The boy offers his opponent a slight bow, "Alright." His expression turns serious, then he withdraws both of his boomerangs from his side. "Ready whenever you are."
~ For those put in the forest and for those like Ariel, I'm fighting for you guys. ~
The eyes become determined as a foot slides forward and he positions himself.
"Ah, our guest of honor has arrived."
It is through subtle half-lidded eyes that the sorcerer regards Seatlan. A kind of .. satisfaction suffuses him regarding their visitor, though he is more than aware of the fact that the situation could change very shortly. He is arrogant almost to a fault, but for a very good reason: He's well aware that the unexpected can happen.
He is also old enough to know he can die.
This kind of experience beyond mere knowledge is empowering in itself, and the dichotomy never ceases to amuse.
The sorcerer stands from his bench slowly, smoothing out all the wrinkles of the rich Tarkatan leather of his coat. "You weren't too long in the forests, I trust? I had begun to fear you may not have made it out.."
Oh, he adores Nami's outfit. Tasteful, but entirely modern of Outworld. Expensive, but not base. He has always taken great pride in his tailors. "Excuse me," he minds Reize for just a moment, as he removes his coat ceremonially, leaving only his pants and vest. The coat itself he steps back to proffer to Nami. "Don't let it wrinkle, my dear," is all he minds of her. Radiance in every affair.
That is when he puts a fist to his hand and offers Reize the slightest of martial bows. "..But we needn't occupy any more of eachother's time. Let the ancient rites of Mortal Kombat commence."
He's ready.
There is neither satisfaction nor disappointment from the 'harem girl' seat on Shang's right. Dark eyes narrow slightly as she watches Reize arrive, taking his stance, and there's.. a slight twist in her heart as he reminds her of someone she knew.. long ago. Swallowing, Nami blinks once, looking towards Shang when he moves. Perhaps expecting what follows, she stands, reaching out to carefully take the coat, laying it over one arm, "I would never do such a disrespectful thing." Nami promises with a subdued, respectful tone.
Again she seats herself, gracefully, holding the coat across her lap carefully so as not to encourage wrinkles. Then Shang Tsung is ready, Reize is ready, and the dance of death begins. What will happen if Reize wins? If Shang Tsung wins? .. too many lives hang in the balance, and as much as Nami wants to look away, she doesn't dare.
The young boy merely states towards Shang Tsung, "Because of you.... I was quite enlightened. More enlightened than I wanted to be. But, nevertheless, very enlightened." He shuts his eyes, recalling back, "My travels were well, but your torture plan failed. I always have a back up plan." An apple a day keeps the doctor away! The boy smiles thinly, then he watches the older man give the woman his coat. The young boy hrmphs, then his eyes focus back at Shang Tsung.
Once the older man finally bows, Reize offers the same bow.
"Let's."
Tightening his stance, the boy finally loosens himself to sprint towards Shang Tsung. He young boy draws his right foot against the ground to spring himself up in the air. Spinning in a complete twist, the boy draws his right leg up in the air, aiming to slam the foot towards the man's head.
But, it's more of a telegraphed move, as the real move is trying to shift the weight out while he spins to draw a boomerang at his stomach.
You miss Shang Tsung with your Twistover Strike jab.
Shang Tsung has found Nami invaluable for several discreet tasks. But for now, her only order was to watch. He'd need her services after the battle. After... well, everything. He had quite a day planned, if all went well. But for now, there was only this. The truth of the battle.
There were many truths, and Tsung was privy to all of them.
Some sorcerers dwelt solely in the magic arts, becoming frail and weak in the physical arts. Outworld sorcerers that would ascribe to such foolishness wouldn't live very long. Shang Tsung simply had the advantage of knowing every martial art in this world in the next.
..He just preferred a choice few.
So when Reize approaches, the old man assumes a curious battle pose. His hands are parallel to the ground, palms down, hands flat with his fingertips facing Reize, his left hand higher and forward, his right hand lower and at his breast. Hebi-ryuu.
It's an evasive style. When Reize kicks out at him, the sorcerer merely whips his head back, allowing the kick to fly past him. When the boomerrang appears--something wholly unexpected--the sorcerer grins. Like greased lighting his left hand stops the weapon at Reize's wrist. Soemthing he had to do to be sure the item didn't have mystical properties. Then the 'snake' segment of the style fast becomes apparent--his right hand goes high and wide. It sways there for a moment, seeking an opening on.. Reize's neck?
No.
His hand sways in a peculiar sidewinding motion, forming an s, coming from high to Reize's left to his midsection at his right. The sorcerer's arms cross. Then, from his guard, he moves his torso forward, to try and shift Reize's boomerrang hand off-balance and plant both his fingertips in a double knifehanding strike aimed at Reize's chest--from the sorcerer's right hand and his midsection--the sorcerer's left, formerly blocking hand.
What's most important: Shang Tsung is readily capable of drawing blood with a single strike.
Shang Tsung gets a glancing blow on Reize Seatlan with his Snake Style jab.
While Reize shifts his body into the main technique, the young boy is caught by surprised as Shang Tsung manages to capture the wrist from giving way for the boomerang to strike further. Shang Tsung will find that it is an ordinary boomerang. There's nothing special about it, sadly enough.
Once the hand swings in the S pattern, the boy still in the mid-air spinning motion is flipped over to the side. And still in the air, the boy is given the double knifehanding strike towards his chest, which sends him sprawling against one of the nearby pedestal. His body crumples to the ground, wincing in agonizing pain as he clutches his chest. "Ow..." He bites back tears, but he shakes his head. "..Eghn... Alright." The boy sprints towards Shang Tsung, drawing the boomerang back before he winds it out.
With the object thrown forward, Reize is moving straight towards the sorceror. The illusion of the matter is that the boomerang is heading towards him. Or rather, it suddenly shifts right past his face and makes its way behind him.
As Reize closes in at Shang Tsung, the boy launches his right hand forward to slam his fist at the man's face, then he swings the right leg out towards the man's ankle.
You miss Shang Tsung with your Haymaker To Sweep attack.
The sorcerer chuckles when Reize wings the boomerang past him, having only to adjust his head ever so slightly to allow the weapon's air displacement to disrupt the stands of hair at his temples. Readjusting his stance, Shang Tsung very idly considers. The pup wasn't entirely bad. A style highly focused on feint and distraction, similar to his Snake Kung Fu but less polished. Obviously--the sorcerer's had centuries to develop it. He will likely be trying to hit him from multiple vectors...
Fortunately, that's something the sorcerer excels at.
He considers all this in the space of time that he's cutting off Reize's avenues of attack.
He moves first forward into the haymaker. It's a dangerous situation to be in, to be sure--one Shang Tsung would pay for dearly if he wasn't just so. His forward left hand hooks in from the outside of that right-handed punch, levelling his palm over it, and -- curling his arm around it with one move. He is misdirecting the focus of the haymaker with a curling pythong motion to pull it past his side. With a grimace, he can't do much about the kick but shift that ankle just slightly to diffuse most of the actual damage associated with the impact. It very slightly weakens his stance, but it was necessary.
Because he's occupied. At the same time, he will attack down the length of Reize's arm. His knifehand seeks purchase in Reize's armpit, at the exact point where his arm connects to his chest. A painful and debilitating place to be hit in.
Shang Tsung misses Reize Seatlan with his Python Stab attack.
There is some edge that Reize is looking for in this fight against Shang Tsung. If there is one thing that the boy is noticing is that the older man is fighting the same way as he is, except his is more graceful and refined. Reize's is just raw ability, not quite trained. But, the young boy is noticing the fact that Shang Tsung is shifting the ankle.
...There is a moment of weakness in the stance that Reize can capitalize in. But that moment will have to wait as Shang Tsung is drawing his hand out towards the boy's armpit. That is where Reize drives his left hand to meet with the knifehand coming forth, halting it from striking further on the boy's joint. His eyes narrow at Shang Tsung while he stares forth at the taller man. Ferocity marks the boy's features. It's as if he's stalling. There is a technique that Reize was taught by Peleps Fals. It is the matter of capitalizing. He plants his right foot towards the man's foot.
Right near the ankle, aiming to stomp on it against the weaken stance, mostly to disable his mobility.
At the same time, the boy is attempting to push his arms against Shang Tsung, aiming to snake out of the hold while capitalizing on the moment to use his other leg to kick back.
At the same time, the boomerang that left Reize's hand is coming back. Right at the back of Shang Tsung's head.
Hrn.
"Gh--" It happens a little too quickly. He was able to block his knifehand. In a battle of (mostly) martial arts as he agreed to in the auspices of Mortal Kombat, Shang Tsung is faintly impressed. But it's of little consequence. Or is it? The arcanist looks up. He's /well aware/ of the boomerrang's return path. Unfortunately, his plan for evading it is neatly broken with the pressing kick. Shang Tsung is struck solidly in the base of the skull while his stance is weakened against Reize's array, which crumples the sorcerer on the spot and allows Reize to maneuver from Tsung's sweeping hands. The python stab is not so much a hold as it is a way of pushing a punch to one side, so Shang Tsung has very little to try and maintain.
Reize might notice that a hand levels on him, strong fingers relaxed and splayed.
It seems at surface the grasp of a dazed man looking to steady himself, with no martial force behind it. But if so much as a fingertip touches Reize, the martial sorcerer's entire body will explode with momentum. The force flows from his feet and through his stance. His fingers will curl instantly and project the full impact of any haymaker directed to Reize's solar plexus from just a few centimeters away.
A technique from Shang Tsung's Wing Chun repertoire.
Shang Tsung hits Reize Seatlan with his One Inch attack.
The young boy finishes planting Shang Tsung down with the kick and the boomerang. The weapon quickly comes back to the boy's hand, who is grinning while the weapons are sheathed. Now that they are no longer drawn out, the boy looks at Shang Tsung as he finally gets up. The hand is drawn out towards him, and the boy is aiming to take the hand as it is leveling towards him.
But, that momentum explodes out against Reize, which sends the boy sprawling back towards a nice wall. The solar plex is suffering a near cave-in from the central strike, which has the boy go limp against the ground and he lands on his face, "Eghnn..."
Soon, Reize's vision becomes unblurry, especially as he looks at the devices of destruction around him. His eyes widen when he looks around a little more, letting things process in his mind.
There is something that Reize has kept in mind for why he is in here. It's just him, Shang Tsung, and the woman. With all of those blades and various torturous devices, Reize is realizing more and more that they plan to torture him if he loses.
This is nothing more than a trap.
This is why Reize cannot lose. He won't let the rebels suffer in vain. If he can at least do some damage to the Outworld's presence, it is freeing those people.
The boy immediately draws his right hand out, extending his right palm in front of him. Narrowing his eyes at Shang Tsung, the boy calls out, "Tarot of Destiny... come to my aid..." A sparkle glimmer in his hand, forging itself into a tarot card. "High Priestess, Shining Spike!"
There is a radiant glow appearing above Shang Tsung, sparkles of divine energy glitter and descend along his form. Shining on him, the light's sparkles touch the ground, and soon comes forth a blast of light to come forth from above Shang Tsung's feet, aiming to burn him asunder.
You miss Shang Tsung with your Tarot Spell: High Priestess (Shining Spike) attack.
When Reize hits the wall, it barely shudders against his momentum. They were forged of heavy stone, partially to shield the noise often emanating from here from the rest of the complex, save for the chambers directly below, which was used to house prisoners who would shortly be a guest in these particular chambers.
Here, even the screams of the tormented will be of use.
Shang Tsung breathes evenly as he steps forward to face Reize, smiling thinly past his own pain. The effectiveness of the one-inch 'fa jing' strike was that it was nearly impossible to predict or evade. IT was similar to his She Quan snake-style kung fu, but much, much harder to read properly.
"....!"
When Reize levels his tarot card on him, Shang Tsung has no other choice but to respond in kind. He steps back, both hands at his hip open in a variant of the iron horse. His eyes rolling into the back of his head in deep concentration, the sorcerer doesn't need any lengthy incantation for his next attack. Only the stolen energy deep within him, and one word.
"Break."
He lets loose a flurry of Outworld's hottest fires from his hands, spraying it to clash against the blast of light. For heat to meet heat. To cut through it. To flood past it. And to try and break Reize underneath a flurry of hissing, screaming skulls lit aflame. It is nothing less than pure torment--of those he holds in his thrall and for those he turns it against. Getting struck by such a terrible thing would be unwise.
Shang Tsung critically strikes Reize Seatlan with his The Fire of Tormented Souls attack.
Narrowing his eyes at Shang Tsung once the sorceror causes for the flames to burn from his hands to collide with the light, the boy's eyes widen as it -cuts- through his own spell. "Egnnnn!" That look of fright and shock remains on his face as the heat breaks the boy out, especially as the flurry of hissing, screaming skulls reveal themselves. The boy is releasing a howling scream, drawing on both knees.
As if breaking into tears over the tormenting power, the boy is drawing his hands out to draw forth a tarot. "Eghh..."
Everything is looking very bleak for Reize, especially since his vision is dimming. "...I'm so sorry, Hakufu." He narrows his eyes, looking at the ground, "Guys... I'm sorry. I am not sure..."
He tightens his fists, then he draws forth another tarot to appear with a quick spark of glimmer. No incantation htis time. An image projects of a young boy being followed by a dog in a creek; The Fool. His body is suddenly on fire. "But I can sure try!" The boy, this time, removes his boomerangs. The boomerangs now in hand, the boy zips towards Shang Tsung, surrounded by the flames from The Fool. The boy sprints towards Shang Tsung, swinging both boomerangs out in melee combat, then he spins his body around like a whirlwind to thrust both legs out in swinging kicking motion.
You miss Shang Tsung with your Scorching Whip attack.
"Do you understand the futility of your struggles yet?" mentions the sorcerer dispassionately. He has little love in this world, and none of it is for Reize. "Amusing, that you should be so fond of The Fool..." the sorcerer intones, ignoring the scent of sharred ozone in the air, and taking only a moment to adjust his Grandmaster's cotton drill vest collar. Businesslike, he steps forward.
"I should think you both have something in /common/."
When the boy lights aflame, Shang Tsung again assumes his She Quan fighting stance, levelling two planes of harm on the boy. But when he does, his own hands are sheathed in a kind of eerie green miasma, casting a ghastly light on the dead stone beneath them. The flaming boomerrangs are swiftly evaded--though the heat does scorch his arms and his vest, the sorcerer shifts to a side, trying to pinpoint a location on his opponent.
Cold. Frigid cold. That is the sensation that is given when Shang Tsung tries to leech the mystic energy from Reize's fires into his right hand with that green aura. He probably can't leech it all in only a moment, but he can perhaps create an opening. There, at Reize's left side. He moves fast--wickedly so. If he can manage to leech enough energy, he might be able to pierce through Reize's fire veil and stab him in the side with that deadly, glowing knifehand.
A risky maneuver. But in sorcery, Shang Tsung is quite confident in his endless well of practiced experience and skill.
Shang Tsung hits Reize Seatlan with his Ice Knife attack.
Shang Tsung is right about one thing, The Fool represents Reize the most, as they share the similar qualities. Fiery passion, adventurous, bold, full of optimism. Yet inexperienced, and irresponsible. Foolhardiness as well. This is Reize's bonding tarot. The fiery passion that burns within the boy is calling forth as the flames continue to roar with life as the swung legs continue to lash out before the boy makes his landing.
Unfortunately, Shang Tsung manages to make the landing quite abrupt as he strikes the glowing knifehand to strike through his flames, piercing right into side. His eyes widen as the knifehand strikes him to the mid-section, ending the landing's gracefulness to the point of Reize colliding like a rock. Coughing in blood, Reize is in tears now, clutching onto his stomach. "....Argh.."
Futility of his struggles?
...Those calls come back into his mind. The screams of the people, defiantly wanting to get out. Reize is struggling to get up, coughing as he is trying to catch his breath.
~ "Hi, I'm Ariel...." ~
"I...got to..."
The voice of a familiar girl that Shang Tsung keeps ringing.
~ "I'm glad to see you! I ran and hid but... I don't think it's so safe here anymore.." ~
"...Fight for..."
~ "Can you.. can you help us...?" ~
Tears start streaming from the boy's eyes. He made a promise to his parents. He made a promise to himself. He made a promise of Destiny. He made a promise to the people imprisoned. "...Those..." The right hand starts to summon forth a blank tarot, soon forming the image of a moon. The next card is of a large tower. The Moon and the Tower. Two Tarots?
"People..." The boy draws his right hand up, growling, drawing his hands together, "...Tarot of Destiny... Spectral Image!" Soon, four images of Reize starts to form around Shang Tsung, surrounding his form. The Moon shatters into sparkles, then the Tower radiates with a bright glow.
"STORM PRISON!!!!"
All of the images of Reize suddenly transform into a bolt of lightning, shaping and crackling with ferocity. They all start converging together, closing itself like a cage to start cutting through Shang Tsung with an electrical people.
You juggle Shang Tsung with your Storm Prison combo.
Shang Tsung breaks your combo.
Define despair.
Is it the depression of a man whom has seen his own death?
No.. death is but a release. In Outworld, there are creatures that would consider death a considerable mercy. There are creatures that suffer in every conceivable way, creatures that would grovel before devils and make love to fire demons for that one salvation. No, fear certainly describes one who's seen his own death, but to wish for it is the fate of those whom have disobeyed the emperor. And the meaning of the peril that would befall those lost souls is but the same.
Today is but an amusement for his excellence.
So is despair knowing death?
Hardly. Despair is knowing total failure. Knowing that everything you've ever fought for will shortly be dashed to pieces, everything you've believed, everything you promised, taken apart like a mere toy.
That is the business of Shang Tsung this day.
The sorcerer's hand withdraws swiftly, shaking the blood from his fingertips before his hands shift once, then twice, to a lower art, a southern style of Kung Fu, his hands at his hips. She Quan is but one of his favored styles. HE shifts often and frequently, drawing on the knowledge of everyone whom he's killed, drawing on their knowledge and energy to make himself stronger. Even that little girl Ariel has something to offer him. She was quite fond of the dance, and her knowledge, her somewhat clumsy childlike allowance of grace is his to command now. That spry youth combine with the knowledge of all of the artists of all his personal Hell now.
He is hit /once/ by the flurry of electrical attacks. His feet moving quickly, pacing each step to just so miss the bolts. He dances there for a minute, in the eye of the storm. Then the man--nay, creature--becomes incorporeal. Diffuse, a thing of weird proportions. Sliding past--through--and around the arcing electrity. That one blast--a bolt catches the eerie man-mist, just tangible and visible enough to link it to the worst hissing sound one could ever hear from anything in this world or the next.
He reforms to his normal dimensions just near Reize, electricity still arcing across his body.
Whether it be by his own pain or his own fury, the suffering he holds for Reize is only regarded in an explosive open-handed slap swiftly aimed across the boy's face. From that, he will try and grab him by the hair and fling him savagely across the chambers.
Shang Tsung hits Reize Seatlan with his Shang Ragin'! C_C jab.
"YOU IMBECILE!" Shang Tsung hisses terribly, spittle flying from his grit teeth. It's a predatory look, but it's one very off-put. Clearly he didn't like that at all. "What made you think your foolish schoolyard charms would win this battle?!"
He breathes slowly, centering himself.
"On your feet, Seatlan. They'll describe your agony for the ages in sonnets written in your own blood.."
After the storm is released, the boy narrows his eyes with a roar echoing. The boy tightens his fists and he slams his hand down, letting the tarots do its part. From this point, the young boy is more than ready to fight Shang Tsung once more, now remembering the purpose. But, what utterly destroys the confidence is that he's moving away from every single bolt, until that one bolt strikes him. That is enough to cause the youth to exhale forth a sigh of relief.
That is, until Shang Tsung comes forth with an open-handed slap across the face of the boy. The resounding echo has Reize stumbling against the ground, landing limply. ...He can't go on. Not like this.
~ I don't know if I can go on... like this. ~
His vision becomes blurry. "...Egh..." His eyes narrow at Shang Tsung, "Schoolyard charms...?" He spits bitterly at Shang Tsung, then he staggers himself into his feet. "...I'll be darned.... if I'll let that happen!" The boy draws his fist out, then he runs towards Shang Tsung, spinning his body around to come forth with a melee fighting prowess form of combat. "You -FIRST-!"
The boy launches his right foot across Shang Tsung's leg, then he attempts to spin over to launch the same foot across the back of his head.
You get a glancing blow on Shang Tsung with your Round About Kick attack.
"Yes, a sonnet in your own blood..." Tsung continues, "So that all the world will remember the Fool, who thought to stand against his destiny..."
Hrn! The melee form has much better penetration against Shang Tsung. Oh, don't be alarmed. The leg does break his stance cleanly and draw a welt underneath his fine spidersilk pants. However, even still the faltering sorcerer has enough agility to slip back, around and away from the kick to his head, incurring only the faintest graze in addition to his welt. He is still an experienced martial artist in his own right. But he is a sorcerer first amongst all things.
Stance wide and low to the ground, panting lightly as if winded from a great workout, the sorcerer cuts his eyes. It wouldn't do for his agents to see him become much more winded than he is. It would be undignified and certainly unbecoming. He can tell Reize is slowing down, he has less momentum than he did before. His attacks have been proving fruitful.
This should be enough.
The sorcerer snaps out a hand, glowing a wavering green then snapping open to form a wide open dragon's maw in fingers and palm. He sweeps the hand back swiftly to his shoulder. It is a movement accompanied by the dreaded sounds of terrible screeches of steel grinding against stone.
...As the iron maiden, now opened by naught but the arcanist's will and trailing those same eerie green energies, slides up behind Reize all too quickly. It is fit with rows of sharp blades, all arrayed specifically for Reize, to piece him through various areas nonlethal. The iron maiden was considered merely a rumored device of torture in Earthrealm, merely a piece of dreaded furniture, the most famous, the one at Nuremburg Castle, never having been confirmed in use. Shang Tsung has found that trapping particularly endearing.
And for Outworld, no nightmare is left undreamt.
The iron maiden, if it trips Reize up, it will pinion him on the blades fitted for his back.
Shang Tsung misses Reize Seatlan with his And then the sorcerer will close his hand. super.
This is quite a predictament for the boy to be in. The young man is on one knee, looking at Shang Tsung after the tired kick makes its mark on the older man, exhaling a sigh. He coughs, clutching onto his chest while looking up at the man. "..." He shuts his eyes, frowning once more.
Then, Shang Tsung touches a sore spot.
_Destiny_.
"You don't know Destiny! It is not my destiny to end like this.... My destiny... is to defeat you and free those who have been captured by you!" He growls out, drawing his right hand towards his chest.
His eyes shift back to see the spikes formed up. Both eyes widen as the Iron Maiden prepares to close up.
Life is flashing right before his eyes.
Han, Hakufu, Eriol, Subaru, Tifa, mother.. father...
~ NO! ~
The boy leaps up into the air as the door attempts to shut on him, then he leaps on the top of the device, aiming to spring off and he starts diving towards Shang Tsung, attempting to drive both of his feet on the man's chest.
Should that be successful, Reize is going to thrust his weight to have Shang Tsung skid to a wall, which will push him off of the sorceror at the same time.
You miss Shang Tsung with your Wild Ride attack.
.. Impossible.
Shang Tsung is beginning to become perturbed.
When Reize manages to leap atop his iron maiden, his nightmare embodied, the sorcerer is mildly stunned and quite aggravated. For now, it seems he'd like to leave the random butchery to his subordinates. He'll battle Reize in his own fashion. For all things, he is a connosieur.
Even pain.
When Reize leaps off the maiden to attack him, Tsung slips to one side, resuming something resembling a stance. THe energies surrounding his right hand pulse. Its nature changing. That hand whips out, and fast. He's going to take Reize by the collar in a paralyzing grasp..
Shang Tsung hits Reize Seatlan with his Unto Torment attack.
You have been knocked out!
.. While his left hand spreads open, creating a circle marked with weird runes on the earth blow him. He opens a pit in the stone, at least 6 feet deep. But this time it's no trap. Inside, his soulfire, despair given a physical form, burns with hellish intent. Never anything good or free.
Yes. For all those who rebelled before, the cycle continues.
Looking up with placid eyes, Shang Tsung's voice has an ironic lilt to it.
"Now, Mr. Seatlan..I cast you into your sacrament."
Then he'll pitch the boy inside.
As Reize lunges forward with both feet aiming to plant against Shang Tsung, the boy is taken by surprise. The boy tries to reach for his radio briefly, but it promptly drops from his hand as he's turning to face Shang Tsung.
"...I'll come out and free these--- arggggghhh!!" The boy is casted within the sacrement.
~...I ... I failed them... didn't I? ~
Yes, despair is not the man who has seen his own death.
It is the man who has to settle for the agony of living.
That's the lesson that Outworld teaches.
"You fought well... for your age," Shang Tsung allows. "But in the end, this is where all of your foolish ideals lead." Purposefully, he strides past the iron maiden--a pity, that--to the wall just beyond. From it, he snatches a particular pair of cold iron shackles, holding them loosely by the chain in one hand. He returns to the wall of the pit he cast Reize into, looking down quietly.
"You needn't worry, my dear Seatlan," the arcanist soothes. He is deliberately ignoring the fact that Reize likely can hardly hear him over his screams and the screams of his own souls in that pit. He tucks a hand into his pants pocket, the shackles held at his hip. "Though you may eventually wish for it, I won't allow you to die. There is still so much we've yet to discuss.."
The following few days will likely be the worst of Reize's short life.
For Shang Tsung, it will be a pleasing way to spend a few evenings.
The Shadow Priest shifts. In an otherworldy tone, it declares the outcome.
| || Shang Tsung.. wins. || |