Lee rushed through the crumbling corridor, his troll and the remnants of Zei's subordinates close behind. The underground hideout shook violently, the very foundations seeming to rebel against their presence. Kaname's savage rampage rippled through the stone passages, each vicious blow bringing more of the structure down around them.
Ceilings collapsed in thunderous crashes, sending cascades of stone and debris raining down. The screams of the captured and enslaved vibrated through the hallways like a haunting chorus of terror and desperation. Those attempting to escape found themselves trapped, crushed by falling stones, or cornered by the encroaching destruction.
Lee and his men rounded a corner at full speed, only to skid to an abrupt halt. The sight before them froze them in their tracks, their eyes wide with disbelief and horror.
Zei, their seemingly invincible leader, burst through the wall in front of them. His body revealing the fury up ahead - both arms crushed and hanging uselessly at his sides, his form pummelled and wrecked. Smoke curled from his body, the last vestiges of his fire ability sputtering out like a dying ember.
The subordinates exchanged panicked glances, their confidence evaporating at the sight of their defeated leader.
Another explosion rocked the hideout, closer this time. The sound of Kaname's approach sent a fresh wave of terror through the group. Stones showered down from the ceiling, forcing them to dodge and weave to avoid being crushed.
"What... what do we do AHHHH!!!?" one of the subordinates yelled, before being flatten by a fallen stone.
Before anyone could respond, the wall to their left exploded outward, showering them with debris. As the dust settled, a silhouette appeared in the newly formed opening - Kaname radiating an aura of unimaginable power.
Lee, his face engulfed in disbelief and growing panic, struggled to process the situation. In a desperate bid to regain control, he raised his hand to his mouth, fingers trembling as he whistled sharply.
The troll beside him instantly responded to the signal. Its massive form tensed, muscles rippling beneath its thick hide. A powerful, fearful growl erupted from its throat, bouncing off the crumbling walls as it began beating its chest. Its eyes blazed with a berserker aggression turning to face Kaname.
Its massive feet left craters in the stone floor lumbering towards her, each step sending tremors through the already unstable structure. Debris continued to dribble down from the ceiling, adding to the apocalyptic scene.
Lee watched his last line of defense move into position, a flicker of hope battling with the overwhelming dread in his chest. The other subordinates pressed themselves against the walls, torn between the urge to flee and the paralysis of fear.
As the troll advanced, Kaname's silhouette remained unnervingly still in the dust-filled opening. She clenched her bloody fist and walked toward the approaching troll. Her pace quickened as she grabbed a nearby decapitated head.
The troll lunged swinging its arm sideways, its dominating fist cutting through the debris. Dodging the powerful attack with pristine grace, Kaname rotated her body mid-air, gathering momentum. At full force, she smashed the head on the side of the troll's temple unleashing a resounding crack. The impact sent the massive creature barreling through the stone walls. Its body laid limp amidst the rubble of the ruined wall. The head obliterated in her grasp leaving only blood and bone fragments sprayed across the walls.
She landed kneeling on her feet in front of Lee and his men, shaking the aftermath off her hand. Picking up the bowie knife Zei once held, she gazed upward. As she rose, holding the knife, Lee and the subordinates stepped back, watching it faintly gleam in the low lighting.
Kaname lightly scratched her cheek, scanning the passageway, her voice eerie and nonchalant. "Now that your troll is out of the way," she said as she twirled the knife in her hand, making direct eye contact with Lee. "It's time I level the playing field."
Lee drew his sword, his face warped with rage and fear. "You stupid little shit! You'll pay for this! I'll kill you!" He then shifted his head to the sides, eyes cutting back addressing the subordinates. "I'll give 1 year's pay to anyone that kills this bitch! Don't let her get away!" He firmly readjusted his hold on the sword and charged towards her, the remaining men excitedly following closely behind.
She sighed, effortlessly dodging Lee's wild swings. Ceasing an opening from his blind spot, her right hand shot out, gripping his face with strength exceeding his, thrashing him backwards into the ground. Before he could recover, she lifted his head only to smash it down again, and again, and again, leaving cracks in the stone floor and blood pooling from underneath.
The remaining men immediately stopped their pursuit in witness to Lee's defeat. They exchanged panicked glances before turning to flee. "Let's get out of here!" one screamed. "I didn't sign up for this shit!" another yelled back.
Releasing her hold on the deceased Lee, Kaname stood tall hovering over him. Her passive tone, filled with menace, muttered out across the room. "Where do you think you guys are going? …Don't you remember our lessons?"
In a burst of speed, she sprinted towards the fleeing men, easily overtaking them and blocking their exit. Her eyes were hollow, yet filled with a chilling hatred as she looked upon the cowering men.
"Didn't he say..." she gestured towards the fallen Zei, her voice dripping with dark irony, "This is the fate that awaits those who cling to weakness, who refuse to understand true strength."
The men froze in terror, realizing she wasn't going to let them escape. The remaining men launched an uncoordinated attack out of desperation and fear. They brandished an array of weapons - swords, axes, and spears - while others summoned their elemental abilities, hands crackling with energy.
The first attacker, a burly man wielding a battle axe, charged forward bellowing. Kaname sidestepped his swing, the axe embedding itself in the ground. In one fluid motion, she slashed off his arm and stabbed him under his armpit.
Another subordinate thrusted his hands forward, a gust of wind howled towards her. She ducked under the airburst, which shattered the stone behind her. Rolling forward, she came up inside his guard, stabbing him in the neck, then moved the knife outward partially decapitating him.
The underground chamber rumbled, dust and large debris falling increased as the fight intensified. A swordsman and a fire-wielder coordinated their attack, blade and flame arcing towards her in tandem. She danced between their attacks, her movements a blur. The knife flashed, and both men fell, their coordinated assault disrupted.
As she fought, Kaname used the crumbling environment to her advantage. She kicked loose stones at her attackers, crushing their bodies; used falling debris as cover, evading their attacks; and maneuvered enemies into the path of their allies' attacks, tricking them into killing each other.
A water-bender sent a pressurized jet towards her. She deflected it with the flat of her knife, redirecting it into an earth-manipulator attempting to trap her feet in stone.
The fight continued, each fallen enemy transforming her movements more fluidly, more deadly. Just as the last man fell, a deafening roar shook the chamber. The troll, wounded but far from defeated, burst through the rubble. Its eyes, filled with primal rage, locked onto Kaname.
She turned to face the troll, bloody knife in hand. A faint smile playing on her lips as she took in its smell. "Hmmm…Tasty…"
The troll rushed towards her, its massive fists swinging, bashing everything in its line of sight. Kaname rolled under its guard, slashing at its legs as she passed. The creature howled in pain and fury, redoubling its assault.
As they fought, the underground structure groaned ominously. Cracks spread across the ceiling, chunks of masonry falling around them. Kaname and the troll circled each other, neither willing to give ground despite the imminent collapse.
Consciousness returned to Zei in waves, each bringing with it a new surge of pain. The ground beneath him trembled, and the air was coated with dust and the sounds of crumbling stone. He forced his eyes open, blinking against the grit that threatened to seal them shut again.
What... happened?
His mind still sluggish attempting to push himself up, but agony lanced through both arms. Looking down, he realized with a detached sort of horror that they were broken, bent at unnatural angles.
A groan to his left caught his attention. Yasushi lay nearby, still unconscious, surrounded by corpses. Zei's lips curled in aversion.
Pathetic. The boy can't even wake up to face his punishment.
As Zei turned his head to observe the rest of the chamber, his breath caught in his throat, crudely smiling. Bodies littered the ground, broken and lifeless. His men, who'd followed and obeyed his every command, laid scattered like discarded dolls.
Hahahaha…How? How could this happen? How could I not of known?
His eyes fell on a familiar face among the fallen, a twinge of grief pierced his heart. His most loyal subordinate, Lee, lay motionless, his eyes staring blankly at the crumbling ceiling, blood dripping from his mouth.
Lee! You fool!! Why didn't you escape when you had the chance!!! How did you allow HER to kill you!!!
Despite his contempt, memories flooded back. After decades alone wandering the different realms, Zei had encountered a starving peasant. In a rare moment of pity, Zei fed him, breaking death's impending hold. Grateful and awestruck, he took on his new name, Lee, and devotedly followed Zei, aiding him in his criminal ventures no matter how brutal.
Their partnership grew into a formidable criminal enterprise - Zei of the Bloody Flames. They enjoyed many luxuries and rampages together, with Lee often telling their victims they were brothers. Though initially annoyed by this claim, Zei grew to enjoy Lee's company over time. He was his first to follow him, the first to never question his motives.
Now, seeing Lee's lifeless body among the carnage, Zei felt a familiar pang of loss. Lee had been more than just a subordinate; he was a constant presence, the closest thing to a family Zei had known for a while. Without him, there would have been…nothing.
A thundering roar snapped Zei back to the present. Through the falling debris and dust, he could make out two figures locked in combat – Kaname and the troll. He watched, mesmerized, as she moved calculated and with precision.
The troll's massive fists swung wildly, each miss causing more destruction to the already unstable chamber. But Kaname was relentless. Zei's eyes widened as he saw her dart in close, her knife flashing in the dim light. With surgical precision, she struck at the troll's joints and major muscle groups, causing it to lose control of its movements.
How clever! The troll is too large for her to handle so she strikes severing its tendons! The goal is to completely cripple it.
The troll's agonized bellows filled the chamber as it toppled backwards, its massive body no longer able to support itself. As it crashed to the ground, more of the ceiling gave way, raining stone and metal around the combatants. Taking the knife, she stabbed in the chest, reopening the wound Etsuyo created. Cutting deeper, she ripped through its chest cavity, exposing a beating heart.
*BA DUM
*BA DUM
*BA DUM
*BA DUM
Zei's eyes widened as he watched Kaname's eye lit up and mouth water. Her next movements forced his mind to recall their earlier conversation about people who looked like her - a supposedly extinct race. Mustering his remaining strength, a dark chuckle escaped his lips as he witnessed her rip out the troll's heart, taking a bite out of it.
"Little One!" he shouted, his voice hoarse but enveloped with a manic energy and glee. "I never thought I'd live to see the day of such carnage! You are truly amazing! A true gem in this filthy world!"
As he spoke, his body began to glow, flames licking at his skin. His laughter grew louder, more unhinged, drawing Kaname's attention away from her meal. The underground passage imbued with an intense heat, the stone walls groaning under the increasing pressure.
"If you survive this," Zei laughed, his eyes twinkling with admiration and madness, "Be sure to come find me again if I'm not dead. HAHAHAHA! I got a few things I'd love to teach you!"
And with that final declaration, Zei released all of his power in a massive wave of fire. The underground hideaway imploded. The ground beneath them caved in, walls collapsed from the intense heat rapidly expanding the air. The concentration of his fiery attack created an explosion reminiscent of a small nuclear blast. Debris, fire, and shockwaves blast through to the upper terrain, consuming everything and everyone within.
Embracing the destruction he had wrought, Zei maintained his maniacal laughter, as the world around him lit up into chaos.
- -