Kendo Noir Fu

Act 7: DarKane

I watched Kane to ensure he didn't try to snuff out Akira. When we arrived in the practice room, Akira turned to face us.

"Your guns gentlemen?" He asked.

I handed him my gat, and Kane did the same. Huh. Kane has a nine mil Baretta, I observed. Holds more ammo than my .45, but not much knockdown power.

Kane took his socks off and I followed suit. This was a wooden floor, and bare feet would provide the best traction.
Kane went to the center of the room and sat down on the floor, placing his sword on his lap.

"I'm going to meditate for a few minutes before we begin," Kane said.

"Is that okay with you?" Akira asked me.

"No problem," I replied.

Kane closed his eyes and began chanting in Japanese. But it wasn't just Japanese. Some words, or perhaps they were simply notes he appeared to sing, but more of an intonal sound than singing.

Is the room getting darker? I wondered. I looked at Akira, and his left eyebrow raised up. What is this?

Kane gradually chanted louder. His face took on a redish hue, or glow, as the room got darker. What the hell? He's channeling...but what kind of hellish power is this?

"Dark magic," Akira whispered, so faintly, I wondered if he really said it.

Somehow I had a feelin' this wasn't some parlor trick. This was indeed dark forces at work here. It felt like the room was gettin' smaller, stuffier, closin' in on me. Stifling. I struggled to breath the stale, dead air. The pain in my chest, the cracked ribs, and the blow I had sustained to my face increased as Kane got louder, and it...burned.

This is just an illusion, I thought, grimacing, tryin' to shake it off. But thinkin' that didn't change anything. Kane was gettin' stronger, I just knew it. Illusion or not, Kane's sword is real, and he aims to kill me. I shivered. The room is gettin' colder. I can see my breath! So cold and dark!

I looked at Akira again, and his eyes had grown wide. Even he is disturbed by this...whatever it is that Kane is doin'.

"Is magic real, Master?" I asked, after watchin' an old kung fu movie filled with magic.

"Have you been watching those kung fu movies again?" Master Toshiro asked. I nodded sheepishly. "Magic is not as real as you are," he finished, tapping my chest with his finger.

"Is there good magic and evil magic?" I asked.

"Of course, if you want to call it that. Magic, power, energy, forces...yes, good and evil," Master said.

"Can you teach me good magic, Master?" I asked.

"Ho ho! I already am, Mack!" Master exclaimed, his eyes laughing louder than his voice.

"But I can't see it," I said looking at my hands.

"Can you see the wind? Of course not, but it's still there, right? Just as the arts I teach you are there inside of you. As you grow, you may see or sense this energy in yourself and others. Your energy is very bright, Mack," Master said, smiling.

"You can see it?" I asked, smiling back.

"Truly," Master nodded, chuckling. "You will learn to see if you work at it."

I wasn't so sure I wanted to see this. I had never felt this kind of...intense evil. To be sure, I had encountered some very evil men, I had arrested many of them. But none with this much power. When is he gonna stop? I wondered, trying to clear my head. The darkness was making me groggy. I fought to keep my eyes open.

Kane continued his chant...an ugly sounding chant that grated on my nerves until they were raw and exposed. You are alone, a voice whispered in my ears from behind me. I nearly jumped out of my skin as I turned and looked. Nothin' there.
Easy now, I told myself. I closed my burnin' eyelids. Just need to rest them a second.

A cold wind rushed over me and I gritted my teeth to stop them from chattering.
You are going to die, a voice whispered, again, behind me. I turned to look, but just like before nothin' was there.

Kane's chanting was givin' me a headache and makin' it difficult to concentrate.
His eyes popped open and they appeared to be glowing red. Kane smiled demonically. Damn! I closed my eyes and opened them again. No, I'm not dreamin'. I closed my eyes again, and tried to pray.

Sleep, the wind whispered, caressing my face with it's chilly tendrils, breaking ny concentration. My thoughts were a mess. I couldn't focus.

"What are you doin' to me?!" I shouted.

Kane laughed maniacally as I felt my conciousness slip away. Stop it. Just stop it...
I searched...for something...I can't remember. What? An unnatural drowsiness sucked me in until I no longer knew what up or down was. Total disorientation set in.
Sleep, cold comfort...God it's so cold!

"Shhh. It's okay," she said, caressing my face. I opened my eyes and saw a strikingly beautiful and naked Japanese woman with white hair and pale alabaster skin. She looked familiar but I had never seen her before.

She sang a haunting melody as she undressed me, her voice like rain on a dark night, lulling me. Luring me...
Her voice caused me to burn with lust. All I could think about was her. I...wanted her.

She giggled fetchingly, and she knew how and where to touch me, invoking a desire within me that I couldn't deny. She embraced me and we kissed, writhing expertly against by body, driving me...insane with lust! Was this a dream? The thought was quickly crushed, as she continued to focus my attention on her. She is so enchanting! I thought, my excitement rising.

I heard a familiar sound...the sound of a sword bein' drawn from it's sheath.
I knew I should do something..."take me," she whispered in my ear, before kissing me again. I was lost in her kiss, and I didn't care anymore if this was a dream or not. All that mattered was feeding my lust, fulfilling my desire, and quenching the fire that burned within me.

"Mack! Mack! Wake up!" Master Toshiro shouted.

I opened my eyes to see Kane slashing at me with his sword! I drew my sword, stopping the brunt of his blow, but his sword bit into my left shoulder. I stifled a scream and tried to focus.

Every move I made was easily countered by Kane, and he only seemed to get stronger and faster as the battle raged on. He brought his sword down and I blocked it, but the force drove me to my knees.

God! Where did he get such strength? I thought, fear clutching my mind.

I missed a block and Kane's sword sliced into my left side. Dammit! This don't look good.

"Remember!" Master Toshiro said.

Remember what? I wondered, parrying another blow.

"Eagle Claw!" Master said.

Of course! Kane knows Kendo, but Master taught me more than Kendo. He taught me Shao Lin Eagle Claw and more!

Kane slashed and I blocked, stepping in I struck his elbow. Kane let out a howl as I pressed him, but he recovered too fast.

I staggered, swaying one way and then the next. Kane looked puzzled. Good, I thought. He stepped in with and brought his sword down. I staggered to the side, with a glancing block of my sword. Let's see how you handle Wushu Drunken Fist! I thought, launching a haymaker left and striking Kane in the eye.

Kane slashed blindly and I staggered back, but he made me pay with a small cut to my forearm. I got the better of the exchange though, and Kane was shaken. Hopefully, his eye will swell up, I thought.

My next strategy will be the hardest. I hafta relax, I thought, preparing for Wing Chun, a soft form of kung fu that requires relaxation, and that uses non-committal strikes, so if I miss I can easily defend or follow through. It also conserve energy, and can use an opponents energy against him. But using Wing Chun with Kendo wouldn't be easy.

Kane was incensed! He roared, and his eyes lit up a brighter red. Good, I thought. I think. Kane sprinted forward, his sword a blur. I centered myself, and relaxed. Be efficient, I thought. Conserve energy. Look for holes...there! I stepped in, locking blades, sending an Arrow Fist to his solar plexus. I got a hasty kick to the abdomen in return. "Oof!"

We both took damage on that one, I thought. I switched gears again. By now, Kane knew I was switching styles, but would he recognize this one? Only one way to find out, I thought, assuming the Chinese Dragon form. Kane shook his head and pressed the attack, his deadly sword giving me no rest.

I must ride the wind, I thought, parrying and then rotating to avoid Kanes slashes.
I dropped quickly and executed a leg sweep knocking Kane off balance. I followed through with a Plum Flower Punch. Kane stabbed at that instant, his sword skewering my left side as I struck him with full force on his right collar bone, shattering it.
"Smash!"

From the Dragon back to Kendo, I quickly brought my sword up as Kane struggled to get his free from my side. I brought my left elbow down and pressed in with all my strength, trapping Kane's sword inside of me. Kane deflected my sword a bit with his left arm but I still got it in under his rib cage, and I twisted it for good measure.

We both stood there gasping for breath, bleeding profusely, sweat burning our eyes. But Kane's eyes grew wide, as he sensed his impending death. "ha ha...cough..," he muttered.

"Chinese Kung Fu and Wushu!" Kane spat, smiling, blood coming from his mouth, the fire in his eyes fading. "Listen, Mack! The Grand Master himself...cough...cough...cut down..."

"What? What are you saying Kane?" I asked, shaking him.

"Your...cough...family, he...killed. Tell...cough...tell Toshiro...sorry..." Kane whispered, wheezing his last breath and sliding to the floor.

I dropped to my knees at this revelation, which felt like a Tiger Fist to the gut! The Grand Master murdered my family? Why? What?! What the hell?!

Akira knelt in front of me. "Wow! Good fight! One of the best I ever saw! I thought you were a goner there. Good thing we got it on video. Now hold still, this is going to hurt."

Akira pulled Kane's sword out swiftly, and I saw a white flash of new pain. I tried to stand up and dizziness overtook me. Wonder how much blood I got left? I wondered, smiling. I fought to stay awake, but I was fading fast. Video? What the fu..?

The last thing I heard before everything went black was Akira's voice, "Mack, I heard what Kane said."