MK: Curse of Steel

Finally read all the chapters I missed



Spoiler:
Man, that assault on the temple was nuts! The whole time I was wondering 'where the hell are the Elite?!' But then they show up :cool: I love the way you describe the action.

Also I kind of sympathize with Shen. His wife was dying and the grand master didn't even allow him to save her. Thats a dick move.


The final chapter, great to see some other Lin Kuei members get talked about. Though "He pulled off his grey long sleeved shirt to reveal red tactical vest". Is that Smoke or Sektor?

I'm loving this story. What the hell were in those chests :mad:
 
Finally read all the chapters I missed



Spoiler:
Man, that assault on the temple was nuts! The whole time I was wondering 'where the hell are the Elite?!' But then they show up :cool: I love the way you describe the action.

Also I kind of sympathize with Shen. His wife was dying and the grand master didn't even allow him to save her. Thats a dick move.


The final chapter, great to see some other Lin Kuei members get talked about. Though "He pulled off his grey long sleeved shirt to reveal red tactical vest". Is that Smoke or Sektor?

I'm loving this story. What the hell were in those chests :mad:

Spoiler:
I thought the red would be kind of a dead give away, but yea that was supposed to be Sektor. Also the sniper was Cyrax if you didn't catch that. As for the chests? All will be revealed in due time.


I'm glad a handful of you guys are enjoying this and I know the updates have been few and far between but I want the chapters to be entertaining and not just filler so I take more time to work on them. Next update will be soon within the next couple of weeks.
 
Ooooooooooooooooo!

Spoiler:
Dreadlocks and red vest were a dead giveaway! Damn am I dumb


good shit to see this story updated :D
 
Darkness fades as the sky is painted orange by the rising sun, the delicate pink leaves of a cherry blossom float down to the grass wet with the morning dew.
"Again." An elderly man sits and places a thick board down. Bringing his hand down with a karate chop a young student splits the board, his bloody wrist stains the wood red. In the distance a stranger approaches, the sun rises behind him. The ancient man rises with the help of his sheathed katana.
"Fifteen more." He directs the young man and walks toward the traveler.
"What is your business here? Vagrants can't stay here." The hooded stranger shifts his ragged cloak and pulls down the cloth mask over his mouth.
"I come for training." Raising his eyebrow the old man examines the man.
"I don't train people anymore, that young man is a special case." The student wraps his bloodied hand and heads inside of the small building.
"I think you'll find that I am a special case as well." He follows the old swordsman who leads him into the dojo.
"Then you must prove yourself. My son, I have one final trial for you today, defeat this stranger." The elderly man hands a katana to the wanderer.
"Of course Sensei." His scabbard falls to the ground and the unsheathed blade gleams brightly.

The two swords clash together with sparks flying, the young men swing their swords quickly and gracefully. The hooded figure sidesteps a great slash, the blade's tip grazing his cheek. With his two fingers he touches the cut and looks to his fingertips, now dabbed with the blood. He stabs the sword into the wooden floor and raises his fists. The student now smirks and swings with a horizontal strike. Ducking the blade the traveler strikes with lightning speed, kicking the sword from his hands and delivering countless swift strikes to his midsection. As the student falls to the ground he feels the steel of his own sword pushed up against his throat.

"Enough. Now you must face the true test." The old man draws his sword and rises from his seated position. The man pulls the blade from the student's throat and turns to the master.
"Then let us begin." The master unsheathes his blade as the stranger pulls his from the ground. For the next few minutes their blades clanged together repeatedly, neither able to get the upper hand on the other. In an instant they each saw an opening on one another, their blades slashing the other's chest. Simultaneously they realized they were at a stalemate, they each had their swords raised against each other's necks. From the earlier swing their shirts fell to the ground, along with the stranger's cloak.

"You have spirit that I have not seen in a long time." He lowers his blade with a great laugh and sheaths it.
"You know, a long time ago I taught two great warriors. Your style seems very fami-" His expression turned shocked as he saw the stream of smoke rising from the pendant around the man's neck.
 
Are the old man and Yung student significant?
If so, then its cool, I will wait for their names in a later chapter.
 
Are the old man and Yung student significant?
If so, then its cool, I will wait for their names in a later chapter.

Yeah they are pretty significant, if you go back to an earlier chapter you may get a hint as to who the old man is. The student... well his identity may remain a mystery for a little while longer. :wink:
 
The day is still young as the old sword master sits across from the mysterious assassin.
"Sake?" The master holds up a glass to his guest.
"I don't drink." The master continues to fill his cup, placing the lid back on his bottle.
"Suit yourself. The name's Takeda by the way." The old ronin downs the alcohol and places his cup down.
"Tomas. Call me Smoke." Takeda lets out a laugh remembering older times, happier times.
"Then you really are his son? Tomas Vrbada... Your father had that same name." Smokes face turned somber looking down at the sword on his lap.
"So you really did know my father?"
"Knew him? He lived here for two years." Tomas smirked twirling the gem at the end of his necklace.
"I see, Grandmaster mentioned that once studied martial arts in Japan." Takeda's expression turned to surprise looking at Smoke.
"Zhao became the Grandmaster did he? Hmmm... you already know all I can teach you about the sword, why did he send you to me?" Smoke turns to him a scroll in hand.
"He only left me this scroll, my necklace, and a note to visit you." Reading the scroll the old master's eyes widen, he wears a disturbed expression.

6 years have passed...

The Lin Kuei now are nothing but a group of mercenaries, a shadow of their former self. No longer a group of respectful warriors. All members have been trained in the modern battlefield, evolving with the world around them. Their code of honor has been thrown away, the sickly, the old, children, none were safe. Shen Li has brought about these changes, wielding the medallion any clan member knows that opposing his ideas will lead to nothing but death. The Lin Kuei Elite have become an urban legend, imposing terror onto the world's population. From the abyss a dark power watches, observing the Lin Kuei as they become ever more twisted and powerful.

"Tell Sub Zero I need to see him." Shen Li sits behind a desk commanding an initiate through an intercom. An extremely pale man sits across from the Grandmaster, a dark grin spread across his face.
 
A fog hangs heavily in the air as Smoke sits across from the old swordsman. A light rain begins to fall as Takeda runs his fingers over the ancient parchment.
"This scroll... you signed your name onto it?" Smoke nods his head.
"It awakened some type of power in me." Streams of smoke rise from Tom's fingertips as Takeda strokes the scruff on his chin.
"Did Zhao.... did he tell you the true nature of this scroll?"
"No, is there any reason why he shouldn't have?" Smoke began to question his former Grandmaster's judgement in his thoughts.
"Then I should start from the beginning... centuries ago the young children of Japan began mysteriously disappearing, only for their bodies to turn up days later... charred to the bone. It turned out this was the work of a cult, trying to summon an ancient demon known as the Enenra. The Enenra was a misunderstood creature, appearing only to the pure of heart. The demon appeared to a boy of a local clan, seeking justice for those who were sacrificed in it's name. The demon granted it's powers to the child, although the child was not aware of it."
"So... my powers are the result of a demon?"
"Patience... let me continue and all will be clear. So, the boy was abducted by the cult and subjected to the summoning ceremony. As the boy's flesh burned away the smoke began to take a physical form... and slew all of the cultists in the area, leaving nothing but blackened skeletons. The boy was later found on the altar, very much alive. But... the samurai who found him believed he was to blame for the deaths of the other children. He was taken to a temple where a priest performed a gruesome exorcism... I will spare you the details but the Enenra was sealed away in this very scroll. The clan the boy belonged to was charged with keeping the scroll. Every hundred years the greatest and most honorable warrior of the clan had to sign the scroll with their blood to keep the Enenra sealed away. Any that preformed this ritual dropped dead, but legend stated that one warrior would rise from the ritual with the powers of the Enenra. Your mother was a descendant of this clan... Tomas Vrbada.. the Enenra deemed you worthy."
"This... this all sounds so far fetched... I don't know what to think, why would the Grandmaster put me in such danger?" Smoke looked at the gemstone on the end of the pendant, not sure what to think.
"I'm sure Zhao had his reasons... maybe you ought to ask him when you go back?"
"I would but... He is dead, he left me these items in his will."
"Ah... that makes sense..." Takeda lowers his head and says a small incantation, the language he spoke in was unfamiliar to Smoke.
"I believe that necklace may be related to the Enenra, your father wore it when he studied here and claimed it was a family heirloom... I didn't think anything of it at the time... but looking back, it must have been fate for him to meet your mother." Takeda continued on.
"I... thank you Takeda, this has answered a lot for me, I see now why Grandmaster sent me here. I should return to the clan... goodbye." Smoke spent his journey back home reflecting on what Takeda had said, his mind clouded with doubt and confusion.
 
So far, this story is heavenly.
Needing more!

I have been on a bit of a hiatus with writing recently, although I have been wanting to get back to it. I've just been kinda busy lately, I plan to have some more chapters up before the end of June.
 
After travelling for several weeks Smoke found himself finally back home. Several workers were standing outside of the walls, hammering away at the newly raised gate since the last one had been destroyed in the attack. Smoke approached the gate removing the gray kimono top he picked up in Japan.
"Welcome back brother." The guard sitting atop the gate gave a signal after laying eyes on the insignia on Smoke's chest.
"Home at last." Tomas muttered to himself as he stepped into the fortress. The familiar walls comforted him, but yet he felt a chill down his spine, something felt wrong as he entered the courtyard. An unnatural coldness hung in the air as Smoke reached to his back gripping the hilt of his sword. Smoke watched as a hummingbird grazed at a flower, taking a deep breath he shut his eyes. He concentrated focusing on the noise around him, each individual flap of the bird's wings, each of blade of grass blowing in the wind, every nail being hammered in, they all echoed in his mind as he drew his blade with the speed of the bird.
He felt pressure against his sword as a freezing wind blew, and with a smirk Smoke opened his eyes.
"Not quite fast enough Kuai." Tundra stood in front of him a frozen shortsword in hand.
"Just trying to make sure all that time off didn't make you rusty..." Smoke sheathed his sword and let out a laugh as he and Kuai shook hands.
"I've noticed you all have been busy. It seems all the destruction from the attack is already repaired." He and Tundra walked around the courtyard looking at the recent repairs.
"Yes, well the Grandmaster has been quite proactive, come this way I've got something to show you." Kuai led Smoke to a newly built building. Swinging opened the doors Smoke was surprised to see a freshly stocked armory. He walked around the room looking at all the unfamiliar weaponry. Behind display cases sat a myriad of pistols, rifles, and body armor.
"What is all this?" Smoke turned to Kuai puzzled.
"Well, after the attack Shen Li realized that we were... out of date compared to the rest of the world. These firearms can shoot more quickly and pack more of a punch than the bows and arrows we used to use."
"You approve of all this?" He questioned Tundra staring around at the room at the collection of guns.
"Cyrax and Sektor do... I'm not quite sure what to think. They are quite useful. Anyway, I think the Grandmaster will want to speak with you now that your back." Smoke shook his head and left the armory as Kuai sat across from the Lin Kuei's newly trained gunsmith. Walking outside Smoke watched as the sun began to lower over the horizon and the sky glowed faintly with hues of red and orange.
 
Huh.
Ninjas with guns.

I can dig it, nice to see you still going home boi

But will they choose to use them? The main "theme" I based this story around is Tradition vs Modernization, although I haven't really expanded on it so far.
 
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