KITH 1: Attack of the Demon (part 2)
Due to the length of the KITH stories, each will be split into two parts and sent out biweekly. Catch the second half of KITH: Attack of the Demon in fourteen days.
KITH 1. Attack of the Demon
By Nicholas Ahlhelm
VI. Showdown with the Hidden Demon
Cinder showed no fear as he walked alongside his brothers into Smithson’s Junkyard. His face was smeared with war paint in the shape of a black skull. Jigsaw wore paint as well, though his was in white and black. The design consisted of two puzzle pieces, one in each color, connected over the bridge of his nose.
They hoped the designs would make them look more menacing than a typical male in their early twenties, as well as conceal their features from the Hidden Demon’s forces.
Kodiak followed a couple of steps behind. The massive bear-man didn’t feel a need for any disguise. He wore his usual face mask and shorts.
A large clearing sat in the middle of Smithson’s Yard. The area had once held a massive compactor and incinerator, but both were removed after the city decommissioned the junkyard three years earlier. Planned renovations for the site ended when the recession grew deeper in the area.
Mounds of bagged trash, totaled cars and general refuse encircled the clearing in every direction except the path the three brothers now walked on.
Cinder caught movement out of the corners of his eyes. He knew they were surrounded. He glanced at Jigsaw. His brother gently nodded to make it clear that he also saw their attackers.
A group of five ninja awaited them on the far side of the junkyard. None appeared to be armed. Four were masked. The fifth, he recognized as Kazuhiko Shirai.
The three brothers walked to the center of the clearing. Cinder met Shirai’s grim stare.
Shirai stepped forward and spoke. “It has been many years since you escaped me, children. Your loss brought great dishonor to the Hidden Demon, but more importantly, you brought dishonor to me. I do not like to be played for a fool. Tell me, what became of your alien savior?”
Cinder opened his mouth to speak, but Jigsaw beat him to it.
“He died. He’s been dead for years.”
“I don’t think so,” Shirai said with a twisted smile. “I think he put you up to this fight. I think he sent you here to die.”
“We’re not dying today,” Cinder said. “I could have killed you in your own office today. Instead we have chosen to fight you with honor.”
“Honor is for fools. I hoped you would be wiser.” Shirai shook his head. “I created you to be warriors. Instead you will be victims.”
His other warriors slowly emerged from the shadows. Though dressed as ninjas, their equipment proved far more modern. They all carried a variety of firearms: handguns, shotguns, and automatic rifles. Cinder even spotted a few rocket launchers in the mix.
“Our meeting was supposed to be a duel,” Cinder said.
“I changed the plans,” Shirai said. “As I said before, honor is for fools. I am no fool.”
“Aren’t you? You came here and just assumed that we would walk in to an ambush unprepared. I doubt you even know what we can do.”
Shirai laughed. “Of course I know what you can do. I created you. The big one behind you possesses immense strength. Another one can generate fire at will. Your scarred friend is certainly our close range combat unit. And then there is the telekine—where is the telekine?”
“If you’re so smart,” Jigsaw said with a sadistic grin, “why don’t you tell us?”
A stack of mangled cars exploded to the brothers’ right. Hidden Dragon warriors flew up in to the air, but before they could land, another blast destroyed a mound of refuse across the clearing.
Three more blasts cut down the armed men surrounding the brothers before a single firearm could be brought to the ready. The Ansible ripped through the sky above them. Cinder knew it would be a couple of minutes before it could make another pass.
Which made it his turn.
He raised both arms high and let the fire consume his flesh. Red-orange flames burst forth from his skin. He concentrated the blaze in his hands. Twin balls of napalm formed between his fingers.
He twisted around and hurled them at two of the remaining groups of soldiers. The fireballs exploded on contact and engulfed the debris around the soldiers in flames. Acrid smoke filled the air.
Cinder mopped up the rest of the would-be ambush team in under a minute. Only a few stray bullets escaped their guns.
The brothers turned to Shirai and his remaining men.
Blades slowly lowered from Jigsaw’s arms as they approached the four remaining men.
“You think you have won,” Shirai said. “But I told you I was not a fool. I have contingencies. Backups to my backup plans. You won’t defeat me that easily.”
He laughed again. “No, I think it’s time to find out what happened to the rest of my project.”
A blast of ice-cold air ripped into the brothers. Cinder felt the cold bite in his own flames. He poured on more energy to keep the fire burning, but that only seemed to make the cold strengthen.
He realized that the cold emanated from the outstretched hands of one of Shirai’s guards. No, it can’t be…
Coils coated with a glowing green phosphorescence fell from the arms of another guard. The clothes of the third suddenly ripped from his flesh as he grew. This guard’s skin thickened and hardened until it formed into some kind of metallic hide.
Shirai smirked. “Kill them.”
Kodiak charged in to meet an enemy almost as big as he was. His metal foe ran forward to meet him. He crashed into his enemy with all his might, but neither of them budged.
“Another strong guy,” Kodiak said. “Awesome!”
“I am Ironclad. And I will break you.”
Kodiak slammed a fist down onto Ironclad’s skull. “I saw Rocky IV too. But I rooted for Stallone!”
He drove a fist up into Ironclad’s chin. The blow jarred the metal man’s head, but seemed to not cause him anymore harm.
“Dang.”
Ironclad pounded his fists into Kodiak’s chest. A lucky shot caught him in the gut. Kodiak gasped for air. Ironclad hefted Kodiak up above him. Kodiak flew through the air and crashed to the ground over a dozen yards away.
He laughed. “This is going to be fun!”
A coil lashed out at Jigsaw. He tried to cut it away, but the appendage moved in midair to avoid his strike. The coil’s tip lashed against his left arm. His skin burned beneath its touch.
His foe laughed maniacally. “Time to die, blade boy! Madcoil’s got to get rid of you cuz I’ve got way more killin’ to do!”
The coil quickly tightened its grip on his forearm. Jigsaw could smell his burning skin beneath the lash’s acid touch.
“Screw this,” Jigsaw said.
A trio of blades show up through his skin and the coils. Madcoil howled in pain.
“You’re gonna pay for that, home skillet. I’m going to make you beg to die!”
“Try it,” Jigsaw said in return. “I’m in the mood to hurt someone today.”
Madcoil charged towards him. Jigsaw raised his arms and extended more blades to strike.
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