Blaze Of Shadows [A World In Embers]

Shadow Merge II

Thirty minutes later five guards stood over Ryu's exhausted form and aimed their guns at him ready to pull the trigger when his shadow materialized and fed on their shadow, thereby nature tried to make up for a breach in the law and promptly disintegrated them out of existence...

The Apparition faced Ryu as he stood " who are you?" Ryu asked and took a step forward followed simultaneously by the shadow, he took another and extended a hand, again the shadow did the same and when their hands touched Ryu felt a strange pull towards it.

" Hanzo are you seeing this?". " What are you doing Ryu? The others have been captured" Hanzo replied. Ryu frowned." I have an idea". " Don't let your feet run ahead of your legs Ryu!" Kenshi's familiar voice boomed over the line but too late.

Ryu merged with the shadow and let the darkness flow into him, moving like liquid fire in his veins until he screamed in pain, the shadow coated his physical features as he slowly morphed into a different being with two green slits for eyes.

He had a tattered hood over his head casting his head in a silhouette and his enhanced body had an eery appearance like a shadow demon, he had become an entity capable of blurring the lines between illusion and reality.

" Ryu!... Ryu I'm getting strange interceptions! Are you still there? Are you okay?" Hanzo's frantic voice came over the line. " Yes, never felt better" came the entity's gutteral response from it's non existent mouth.

Meanwhile inside the building Kasumi and Hayato were brought up to Black Fox, he eyed them up and then leisurely lit up a cigarette, " Take off their masks" he commanded gruffly and their ninja masks were ripped off their faces.

" Welcome " he said although his eyes betrayed the opposite. " I guess you actually thought you could drag me back to that shit hole". " No" Kasumi said, her tone icy " we were debating if death was your only option".

His brown eyes glided over her and he gave a savage smile " well I'm sure you are now aware that the tabls have turned, my little lotus". " Stop this and you might see the outside of a prison again" Hayato yelled and promptly received a fist to the jaw just before they heard Ryu's scream.

" Who was that? Is this all of them " he snapped at a guard but ignored his answer." Ryu's here too, get him!" He barked and three guards turned on their heels and marched off into the dark. " What are you going to do with him?" Kasumi inquired and Black Fox gave a dismissive shrug in reply before the screams of the three guards echoed through the building.

Black Fox cursed and stood up and emerged a pistol from his jacket and instructed the five men remaining in the room to stand watch while a presence approached

The shadow entity, now fully merged with Ryu, emerged from the darkness. Its green slits gleamed with an otherworldly intensity as it faced the five guards. They raised their guns, but the entity didn't flinch.

With a wave of its shadowy hand, the entity sent the guards flying across the room. They crashed into walls and furniture, struggling to get back to their feet. The entity began to move towards them, its presence seeming to fill the space.

As it approached, the guards' shadows began to writhe and twist, as if alive. The entity reached out with a shadowy tendril, touching each guard's shadow in turn. They let out blood-curdling screams as their shadows were ripped from their bodies, disintegrating into nothingness.

The entity continued its relentless advance, leaving a trail of shadowless guards in its wake. Black Fox's eyes widened in horror as he realized his men were no match for this new, dark form of Ryu.

"Fall back!" he yelled, but it was too late. The entity loomed over them, its presence suffocating. The remaining guards turned to flee, but the entity was too fast. With a sweep of its shadowy arm, it sent them tumbling into oblivion.

Now, only Black Fox remained, his pistol trembling in his hand. The entity turned to face him, its green slits burning with an intense, malevolent glow...

Black Fox's eyes locked onto the entity, his mind racing with fear. He raised his pistol, but the entity didn't flinch. With a swift motion, it emerged a sword from the shadows, its blade a dark, ethereal mist.

The sword seemed to absorb the light around it, its presence making the air feel heavy and cold. Black Fox took a step back, his finger trembling on the trigger.

"You're no longer human," Black Fox spat, trying to keep his voice steady.

The entity didn't respond. Instead, it charged forward, the shadow sword flashing in the dim light. Black Fox fired his pistol, but the bullets seemed to pass through the entity's shadowy form without effect.

With a swift, deadly strike, the entity knocked the pistol from Black Fox's hand. The sword sliced through the air, leaving a trail of darkness in its wake. Black Fox leapt back, avoiding the attack by mere inches.

The entity pressed its attack, the sword flashing in a blur of motion. Black Fox dodged and weaved, but the entity's movements were too fast, too precise. He stumbled backward, desperate to escape the entity's deadly onslaught.

But there was nowhere to run. The entity pinned Black Fox against the wall, the shadow sword raised for the final blow...