(Outdated) The King of Elements

The Main Event (part 3)

"Is everything ok, Ke'Undre? You look troubled," Kimmy said as Dre placed his phone in his pocket.

"Everything's ok," Dre lied. He wanted to tell her everything, about the scream of the Edge Walkers over Loyalty's call as well as tell her the grave danger that they were all in grave danger. He ultimately decided against it, placing his faith in Loyalty's hands. If need be, he would do everything he could to protect Kimmy and Megumi.

Kiku had just been defeated by Bianka's axes, however she didn't go without a fight. The sleeves of Bianka's jacket had been torn to shreds, and she was bleeding from her shoulder as well as her thigh from Kiku's jabs of her straight sword. "I wonder who's coming next," Megumi said as Bianka placed her hands on her head and began taking in deep breaths.

The next opponent began his descent. He was dressed in a gray jacket, the color of the Spirit Elementals. A long, red scarf flowed behind him as he dropped. Once he landed, however, Zero dashed at Bianka, dragging a large war hammer behind him. Before she had a chance to turn, Zero had smashed her with his hammer, knocking her deep in the dark abyss of the forest.

The audience was stunned as he ripped off his scarf, looking as manic as a feral beast. Marcus had appeared on the battlefield, wearing a black mesh shirt over a sleeveless vest and a pouch for his kunai knives. Zero turned and rushed at Marcus, skipping the formalities that the competitors normally gave to each other. Caught off-guard, Marcus reached in his pocket and threw sharp, three-sided spikes on the ground. Zero ran through it as if it wasn't there, sprinting at him with bloodied spikes embedded under his feet.

"This guy's crazy," Dre heard a nearby audience member say as Zero swung his mighty hammer; Marcus managed to barely dodge it, somersaulting to get distance between them. Zero pounded on, catching up to Marcus as he straightened himself up. He let out a startled yell as he reached for his double-edged katana and cut the hammer off of the handle. Zero chucked the remains of the hammer behind him and smacked Marcus with a stiff right hook to his jaw, sending him flying. Marcus spun in the air and flung a line of kunai at him, expelling a dense mist as he spun. Each one struck home, stabbing his chest and arms. He roared as he ripped them from his body and threw them at him. Marcus disappeared with the fog.

Zero stood alone in the thickening fog. The crowd had fallen silent. The only sound now was the sound of Zero's growling as he watched for any sign of Marcus. He suddenly turned and grabbed in the mist, taking hold of a solid form, and threw it against a nearby tree. The back of Marcus's head bounced off of the bark with a sickening crack. He began to fall forward until Zero grabbed him by his throat and slammed him against the tree again and again. The crowd began to sound uneasy as Zero continued his barbaric assault. It was painful for Dre to watch and listen to the carnage. He wanted to jump in the screen and help out somehow, but he knew that if a trained elite couldn't handle him, there was no way that he wouldn't even last a second against him.

Marcus's hands fell limp. The tree was splattered with his blood and was beginning to crack. His body finally disappeared, making Zero slam his hand on the tree, covering his palm with Marcus's blood. The crowd hadn't even cheered.

Another opponent began to descent. Dre's heart sank as the slim, lanky form of McManus landed, dressed in a tan jacket under his black combat vest. "Aw yeah, pimps and peeps! It's time for the best of the rest!" He stood with that smug "McManus" grin as he looked at Zero. McManus's smile quickly disappeared as he turned, staring at him like a man possessed with the desire, the need to kill. "Sweet Jesus!" he exclaimed as Zero pounded towards him. He swung a wild haymaker at McManus, only to be dodged and counter by three swift kicks to Zero's ribs, bringing the beast down. "Zero, bro. Calm down. It's just a game," he pleaded.

"Shut up and die!" Zero bellowed as blood seeped through his teeth. He made his way towards McManus, throwing haphazard punches at him. Each punch was dodged and countered by a kick to his midsection.

Zero roared again, narrowly missing decapitating McManus with a hard lariat. As Zero turned to him, McManus spun, kicking the side of Zero's head with a spinning wheel kick that reintroduced him to the ground. McManus turned to an overhead camera. "That's how you take a beast down!" he exclaimed to the audience before he flexed his arms. For the first time since Zero had been on the battlefield, the crowd erupted in cheers.

"What is he doing?" Kim asked.

Dre rubbed the corners of his eyes, as if he had a migraine. "I honestly don't know."

Smiling, McManus turned back towards Zero and caught his boot square in the face. The crowd groaned as McManus tumbled on the ground. As McManus was struggling to get back on his feet, Zero foot slammed against his back, holding him still as he aimed his hand out towards McManus. "Now die." A blue beam of energy erupted from his hand, blasting McManus into the darkness of the forest. The crowd groaned in disappointment.

Moments later, the next opponent began to fall to the battlefield. "You've lost it again, haven't you, Zero?" Ichi's snide voice cut through the tense forest. Zero was slightly hunched, like a vicious animal preparing to pounce on his target. He slid his katar over his right hand, the blade was separated in three like a trident. "Very well then. I shall be your therapist."