It had happened all too fast! One moment, he was controlled by evil--the next second, he was holding the dead body of his gal!

Sakura had made a desperate attempt to bring Ryu back, while Sean tried to help Ken. Just as she succeeded, Ryu was drained, and open to an attack by Baraka! Without even thinking, she threw herself over him, as he had done earlier. This time, she took the blade, felt a sharp sting, and soon died!

He looked at her, as he was carrying her. The only thing he knew was that he was taking her back to her "room." He wasn't sure why. There was the power to recover from wounds, but not death. His mind whirled around in a zillion places. The last time he felt such pain was when Akuma had taken out Shen Long.

Ken and Sean waited in the main room, while Ryu went to her room, and put her on her bed. He then went to his knees, and prayed. He prayed that this was but a nightmare, that it wasn't so. She didn't deserve to die, not this young, and not that way. I wish there was something...his mind stopped, as he just now noticed Chun Li. She had walked beside him, and she was also showing her respect.

"Chun Li? I was wondering...what were you doing there, when..?"

"Come on, Ryu! You don't think that only you and Ken could feel the darkness. I did too. I also felt a sense of real danger. I followed to where it lead me--I was too late! That's when I flew in, and pounded the freak! I'm so sorry; I wish I could have come sooner!"

"`What's done, is done. We must learn to move on with our lives.' It's something Sakura had told me once," they each smiled, then Chun Li said Ryu's match was soon.

"What a strange place to fight! This appears to be some kind of Library."

"Whatever, crime-lord. I'm still sending you straight to Hell!"

"Ah, Ah! Now, are you kids going to play nice, or do we need some stronger rules?"

"Who are you, ya fat, old geezer?"

"Raizo! Of all the...hmph! Let us go! I think I shall send you to Hell, Scorpion!"

Bison warped right behind Scorpion, only for Scorpion to warp behind Bison, and nail him with his fist. He then impaled Bison with a spear, uppecutted him, ran, and then threw him back to the ground. Bison teched, and landed on his feet. He then shot out with a flaming torpedo, and blazed through Scorpion, just as he landed!

"You move like a stiff! Oh, yes, I forgot--you are a stiff!" Bison laughed devilishly.

It was that brief moment of pause, and Scorpion came back. He speared Bison again, and hit him with a few punches, a kick, and finished with a roundhouse, smacking Bison into a case of books. With such force, it was amazing that the entire case didn't come crashing onto him! Scorpion unmasked himself, ready for the kill. Then, he thought a moment.

Smoke! He hadn't considered it, nor had he even seen Smoke unmasked before now. He was shocked at what he had learned. To think, that he had thought that he would never see him again. Now, by a strange twist of fate, he could. Now, all he needed was to see...

"Fool! Your last mistake!" Bison disappeared, and reappeared with a small set of copies. Each one shot into Scorpion, nailing him with a volley of Scissor Kicks!

"Now! Psycho Crusher!" Bison yelled, putting more force into the attack than he had ever put in it.

"Winner of Round 3, Fight 4, Bison!"

"Do you want me to finish him?" Vega asked, now that they had returned.

"At another time, maybe. For right now, find Sagat, and report to me. We are going to keep an eye on Akuma and his match. I just recreated Shadowloo's elite--it won't fall this soon!"

So, at last, the fight that has long been in the making. Ryu will take on Liu Kang; the heroes fight for the one, true master.

"Where are we?" both men asked, for neither recognized their surroundings.

Then, at the speed of thought, they were at Ryu's dojo, The Pit, Hell, Australia, and finally, in the void.

"What is this?" asked Liu Kang, confused.

"I--don't know."

"For a fight of this level, I've chosen to let you decide where to go, you have but to think it, and you are there. So far, the two of your minds are going at warp speed. Calm down, and breath."

"Alpha-Omega!" they blurted, seeing just the strange light.

"Yes. Focus...the woods where your cabins are...good choice. Of course, no one else will be aware of your kombat, but it won't matter. Just don't get distracted."

Each of them bowed respectfully to his opponent, and instantly were engaged. Each went for a jump kick, and each of them fell. Liu Kang went for a flame to Ryu's head, which was successfully blocked. His low one burnt Ryu's legs, before he could block properly. Seeing Ryu stagger, Liu Kang unleashed his bike kick on Ryu. This time, he blocked it, with Liu Kang bouncing harmlessly away.

Ryu rolled in, and delivered three fast kicks to Liu Kang's legs, with the third sweeping him off his feet. Ryu then threw Liu Kang, but he flipped in mid-air and hit Ryu with a fireball to the chest. Liu Kang then nailed Ryu with a fly kick, knocking the Shotokan Warrior to his back. Liu Kang went for the kombo he used to defeat Charlie, but Ryu was too fast, dodging the hits, and blocking the last few kicks.

"Shinku-Tatsu-Maki-Senpu-Kyaku!" Ryu yelled, as the vacuum pulled Liu Kang into the fury of kicks, laying him out, but only for a few moments.

Before Ryu could see it, Liu Kang was up, and threw Ryu toward, well, opposite of where he was. It was with some difficulty that Ryu was able to land on his feet, only to be pummeled with Liu Kang's Bike Kick, which was immediately followed with the Fly Kick!

Both leapt up, with Liu Kang going for his fireball. Ryu blocked, and landed an instant before Liu Kang. He then ripped into Liu Kang with a Dragon Punch! Unfortunately, for Ryu, he had put more power into the rising then the actual strike, and Liu Kang was up before Ryu landed. This left Ryu open for all seven hits of Liu Kang's kombo!

Liu Kang repeated it as Ryu got up to his feet, and slammed Ryu into one of the trees. Liu Kang then went for a 360, set on finishing it. He bent down for a second, and uppercutted Ryu...

..."Shin-Sho-Ryu-Ken!" Ryu shouted from out of nowhere, completely taking Liu Kang out of his move, and allowing Ryu to merely finish him, and the match would end.

Without even thinking about it, Ryu got into a stance that matched Akuma's! He then began to focus his energy, and was summoning up a Raging Demon!

NO! My God! What am I doing! What's happening to me? I thought, that after Sakura saved me; she died for me, that my curse had been finished! I thought, like Sakura thought, that in her sacrifice, I would be rid of this--Damnation! I...can't go on! I--just can't...

'Ryu! My Ryu! Please, be strong, for me! I may not actually be here with you, but I'm here with you--in spirit. Even if I can't be here with you...there is another. You must try to live!'

`Sakura', Ryu thought, almost speaking aloud. Was it really her? What was happening to him?

"Looks like I've got my shot!" Liu Kang declared.

He shot a fireball into Ryu's leg, hit him with a Fly Kick, fried him with his high fireball, and drove Ryu into a tree with his Bike Kick. Ryu collapsed--his last thought was Sakura--and another??

"Winner of Round 3, Fight 5, Liu Kang!"

"Liu Kang! You did it, my love! I knew you could. You will be the one, I just know it."

"Perhaps. Something was--distracting him. His hands were on his head, as if someone was ripping his mind out. I hope he's ok."

"I'm sure he'll make it. Let his friends take care of him, as they are now. Then, you can try and find out what was bothering him."

Liu Kang wasn't too sure, but finally agreed for Chun Li to look after him, as she was already at his side. She had some--disturbing news, and felt she should tell him. She also felt that he would...need someone, when he found out.

"What just hit me? I feel awful...I lost..." his voice trailed off.

"Ryu, this may not be the best time, but Sakura's body has--vanished," she spoked, trying to be calm.

"Huh? Say what?" but Ryu was still drained, and hardly heard what was said.

"Ryu! What's wrong! Something more than loosing this fight is on your mind! What..?"

"I--almost used a Raging Demon on Liu Kang."

"Good place, the Kombat Tomb! I never got a chance to in those MK matches! This should be nice! Now, for you, you die!"

"I am power made flesh! Feel how weak you truly are!"

Goro laughed at the lame remark, and shot his powerful fireball. Akuma warped calmly past it, intent on hitting Goro with a Raging Demon as he came out of his warp. To his surprise, Goro turned around fast, grabbed Akuma with his lower limbs, and pounded the shit out of Akuma with his upper arms! He then roughly dropped Akuma. Akuma arose, dizzily, and was swatted by Goro's powerful hit! Goro leapt into the air, ready to stomp Akuma into the ground.

Akuma rolled out of the way, and unleashed a Messatsu-Go-Hado! The large fireball pounded into Goro, fried him. However, Goro was still on his feet, and a second later, he was advancing on Akuma!

Akuma leapt into the air, shouting "Tenma-Go-Zanku!" with a large fireball blasting into Goro. For a moment, this attack staggered Goro, but not for long. Akuma was blasted by Goro's fireball, which drove him through a wall! Again, Goro was advancing, but at a slower pace, the two powerful fireballs had weakened him, but for a monster like Goro, it would take much more to finally defeat him.

Goro's lower arms went for Akuma's throat, but Akuma warped past him. As he turned around, he was met with a Messatsu-Go-Shoryu! The punches did their damage, but the true damage came from the evil energy that was emitted, increasing the damage ten-fold!

Due to Goro's immense size, this move did not take Goro off his feet, as it would a smaller opponent. Thus, Goro had a bit of time to prepare for Akuma's landing. Goro again grabbed Akuma, and pounded him with twice the force of before, he then smashed Akuma with his fist, all but killing him!

"Now, it's time for A-kuma-kabob! May your death be painful!"

"I think not! Sagat, Vega!"

"Tiger, Raid! Tiger, Genocide!"

Vega went into a huge series of rolls, and just nipped Goro with his claw. He then had to flip out of the way, to avoid his face getting smashed into the ground.

"Fools! I will take you all!" Goro boomed, and there was little doubt he could.

Goro fighting Bison, Sagat, and Vega--all at once! If any could do it, it would be Goro!

"Chun Li! How can she simply vanish? It's impossible!"

"I agree, man! But she, Sean, and I no longer see her where you put her. Here you are, and I doubt that you moved her. So, the question is, what happened to her?"

"Do you think A-O knows anything about it? A-O's been acting strange, when it has. The rules seem to be--changing. Something's wrong with this!" Sean said, anxiously.

"I'll agree with that!" Chun Li added, "All of a sudden, some of what was `off limits,' is on when Baraka goes to kill you. Only, he gets Sakura. I feel so, bad."

Suddenly, Ryu got up, and went walking. Ken and Sean looked after him, with blank looks on their face. Chun Li, however, decided to follow him.

"May I join you?" but he didn't respond, so she went, neither speaking for what felt to be eons.

"Ryu?" she asked, mostly to end the silence, "I's just wondering, are you thinking about Sakura?"

"Who? Oh, yes. Actually, not too much. Well, it's hard to explain. It's this whole dark-side. There's an untapped power in me, but to be able to reach it, without succumbing to my dark-side again...this is what caused Sakura her life. To have such power, but with such devastating results! How can I hope to control such a thing?"

"Maybe, if you had someone who understood a similar power, could be there for you, you could be able to reach the goal."

"I'm sorry, but what do you know about this sort of thing. Don't get me wrong, you are a very strong fighter, but I think this is a bit too strong for you."

"Oh! Ryu, is that what you think!" Chun Li had some difficulty in controlling her temper, but held back, understanding that Ryu was in a difficult time, and needed her.

"Well, Chun Li? What?"

"Shichisei-Senpuu-Kyaku. My `Demon Blade Kick,' if you will. And don't tell me you've forgotten the power of my Kiko-Sho when we teamed up with those heroes!"

"Yes, I recall, now. But, how do you control such power, and not let it consume you?"

Chun Li blushed, and looked away from him.

"Please, Chun Li! I need to know! This could consume me if I don't find a way to control it!"

"Whenever I feel as if I will be consumed, especially for my revenge on Bison, I just think about how noble and honorable a warrior, a person, you are. It is you who helps me to keep my mind on what is truly important. I think, if you will, that I could help you...no matter your problem."

Well, well, well. First off, it seems that only Sagat, and Bison are left in Shadowloo. That is, if they survive Goro. With both he and Raiden advancing, it seems inevitable that they shall clash. Then, will the raw power of Goro be enough to defeat the god of thunder. Whoever wins that one, who would have the power to stop them?

Liu Kang-Ryu was so close, that only one more vote put Liu Kang into the win! Very close! So, the next two big ones, Ken and NSubzero go at it in 30! Place your bets (note, I do not encourage voting, and if you do, you hold nobody but yourself responsible...=P).

Chun Li and Ryu? Need I say anymore?

©2001

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