The Broken Warrior

The Lin Kuei Battle
Aeroblade awakened in his quarters of the Lin Kuei, dizzy. He shook his head and swung his feet out of bed.

"Damn, what the...? What was THAT all about?" he said.

He looked around the room and recollected his mind.

"Stupid dreams!" he muttered.

Aeroblade stood up and walked to his closet. It was 5:30 AM, nearing time for his spar match against Vandal at 6. Aeroblade dressed into his traditional Lin Kuei garbs, totally black, except for the mask and arm and skin guards. When he was half-way dressed, a loud knock came from the door.

"Come in!"

"Good morning, Aeroblade," the Lin Kuei advisor, Ripsaw, said.

"Yea, what is it?"

"Just reminding you about your little sparring match against Vandal in a few."

"Yea I know."

"Well I'm out then."

"Cyas *door shuts* bastard."

Aeroblade finished getting dressed and went to the training room to warm up. Upon entering the room, he met Turgo and Splash. They welcomed him, and planned on helping him prepare for the match.

"This is just a spar, Aeroblade. You're not gonna die." Splash said.

"No shit."

"Well I can only see fear up close, but yours is 'out there'."

"Hey, I'm not scared... to fight or to die. I'm not!"

"Are too."

"You're so fucking immature, Splash."

As Turgo snickered in the corner, Aeroblade went over to a punching bag and began beating it with rage.
"Don't get careless, Aeroblade," Turgo said warningly.

"I'm not!"

"Are too.

"I'm gonna break your neck little fucker."

"Oh sure," Splash said, backing away.

"ENOUGH," came the loud voice of Ripsaw from the entrance. "It's time to get to the arena. The match is gonna soon start."

"Yea, yea go fuck yourself," Turgo said as Ripsaw walked off.

"I really hate that loser," Splash replied.

"Well that gave me a lot of time to warm up. Oh well, better get going."

"Kick his ass, Jake!" yelled Turgo.

As Aeroblade walked to the Lin Kuei arena, he heard the whispers of the on-lookers. Upon his arrival, Aeroblade calmly walked into the ring and awaited his opponent Vandal. Vandal appeared shortly after, snickering under his green mask.

"You're assss isss mine now, Jake," the serpent warrior Vandal hissed.

"It might be."

As the Lin Kuei master yelled the signal to fight, Aeroblade leaped into the air and landed with a foot to Vandal's face. Vandal fell hard to the ground, his nose already spilling thick blood. Aeroblade spun in the air and thrusted a foot out, connecting with Vandal's face. Vandal's bloody mask cracked and fell to pieces, revealing his serpent mouth. Vandal hissed at Aeroblade and ran at him with arms outstretched. Aeroblade quickly swept Vandal off of his feet and followed up with a body slam. Vandal hissed in pain as his spine struck the ground. Aeroblade quickly stomped on Vandal's stomach, making Vandal gasp for air. Aeroblade kicked Vandal in the ribs numerous times and pressed his foot against the serpent's throat. Vandal pushed the foot off and remained on the ground. Aeroblade then stomped on Vandal's stomach again, forcing him to choke up blood. Aeroblade then brought his foot down hard on Vandal's face, shattering his nose. More blood gushed out.

"Enough," yelled the master. "Aeroblade wins."

"Piece of cake."

"You got lucky this onccce, Aero," hissed Vandal, blood dripping off of his forked tongue.

As Aeroblade walked out of the ring, a loud crash came from the ceiling. Four ninjas dressed in black landed in the ring, each equipped with spears. The Lin Kuei warriors quickly rushed the four ninjas. Aeroblade saw one warrior get stabbed in the face, his face rotting where the spears connected.

"It's Serpent Poison!" Aeroblade yelled. "That dumbass Vandal cannot take defeat. More fucking serpents, just what I need."

A few clan members saw and ran for their long-range weapons. Some unfortunately, rotted away before Aeroblade's eyes. Aeroblade ran into the fight as three more ninjas dropped from the ceiling. Aeroblade jumped into the air and performed a Tsunami Shadow Kick, sending one of the serpents flying toward the nearest wall. The serpent connected with the wall, a torch there set him afire. Aeroblade ducked to avoid a spear and backflip-kicked the nearest serpent. Meanwhile, six more serpent ninjas entered the door as two more dropped from the ceiling. Aeroblade set to work on the serpent he just kicked. He grabbed them by the neck and withdrew his Skinblade. Aeroblade viciously sliced off the head, sending blood spewing all over him and the surrounding warriors.

Aeroblade looked to his right and saw Turgo slicing off a serpent's head with his ax-sword. Aeroblade looked to the door again, seeing a group of ten more serpents charging into the battle.

Aeroblade looked to his left and saw Vandal chewing on a warrior's jugular. Aeroblade rushed over, but received a kick to the stomach, then a backhand from Vandal, sending him to the ground.

"Payback isss hell, isssn't it bitch?"

"Shut the fuck up."

Vandal sprang upon Aeroblade and violently ripped his arm open with a vicious bite, his sharp teeth tearing muscles and ligiments.

"You fucken bastard!" Aeroblade yelled in pain.

Aeroblade brought his knee up and connected with the small of Vandal's back. Aeroblade then sat up and head-butted Vandal right in the stomach, sending more blood flying from his mouth.

Aeroblade looked at his blood-soaked arm and looked up, seeing a serpent jabbing a spear into a female warrior's side.

Aeroblade received a kick to the jaw and was sent spinning to the floor. He looked up and saw Vandal with a poison spear. Aeroblade rolled right to avoid a jab, then tried to sweep Vandal off of his feet. Vandal jumped to avoid the attack and landed right beside Aeroblade. Aeroblade quickly rolled over to miss another jab, but timed too early and was struck in the arm. Aeroblade screamed in pain then quickly brought his Skinblade out. Aeroblade cut off his poisoned arm before it got his whole body, screaming over the other cries of pain. Using his powers of Regeneration, Aeroblade's missing arm reappared, while his severed limb rotted on the ground. Vandal hissed at the display and threw the spear at the back of a Lin Kuei warrior. Using the distraction as an advantage, Aeroblade jumped up and smacked Vandal hard with a flying kick. Aeroblade followed that up with a swift uppercut then caught Vandal in the air and slammed him into the ground head first, cracking his skull. Barely alive, Vandal used his remaining energy to spit poisoned saliva into Aeroblade's eyes. Aeroblade couldn't see Vandal's disappearance or what else went on, but a few cries later and the battle was over. Aeroblade walked blindly, holding his arms out to grab someone.

"Help, I can't see!"

Turgo grabbed Aeroblade and examined his eyes.

"Serpent Saliva Poison...FUCK," yelled Turgo angrily. "You're gonna be blind Aeroblade, you hear? BLIND. The battle is over now, let's get you to your room."