Zed vs. Shen

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"Akali. Wait."

Zed's mask was lifted up, his face exposed. A long, thin scar covered his face from his left cheek to above his right eyebrow. His long black hair accented his glowing crimson eyes, gazing upon Akali's turned back with a hint of longing and regret, although he didn't want to show it. She looked over her shoulder at Zed, with a hazy eye, betraying her own regret...but also displaying determination.

"I can't follow this path any longer Zed." She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry..." She turned her head forward again, but only managed to take a single step before Zed spoke once more.

"If you're going to leave...at least give me one last kiss to remember you with."

Akali's mask hid her blush, but Zed knew. They've been together so long; he knows just how she would react. She turned and began moving towards him, sliding her mask down exposing her pretty face. For once in a very long time, Zed smiled. He took her into his arms, her arms locking around his neck. And just as they are about to lay their lips together...Zed's shadow grabs Akali's arm. Zed's expression immediately turned into that of anger.

She was wielding her kama. She was about to stab him.

"After all this time..." Zed hissed as Akali began to struggle. Zed's eyes glew a brighter crimson as he racked his head down to bring his mask down on his face.

The moment Akali broke free of Zed's grasp, he slashed into the side of her abdomen with his wristblades. Blood spattered on the moonlit grass. Wind made the tips sway ever so gently. Zed stood above Akali, his awakened shadow looming over her other side. He readied his wristblades once more, lifting his arm high.

"You were the last person I'd expect to hurt me." But deep down Zed knew she was doing what she believed in...and that it wasn't easy for her to do at all.

With all of his force, Zed slashed his arm down into the vulnerable Akali - and was surprised to see that his arm bounced off of something.

A purple shield.

Zed cursed and threw a shadow behind him, swapping places with it just as Shen appeared standing above Akali's wounded form, his two fingers up to his face in his channeling stance. He slowly brought those fingers down into his fist, then slowly brought his arm down to his side as he spoke.

"Zed. It isn't too late."

Zed stayed wordless. His old friend, and his lover, both against him. And he was the only one to blame. No, Zed thought. I am not to blame. It's the Master...He made me this way...

Shen spoke as if he knew of Zed's thoughts. "ZED. He accepted his mistake. He knew he wronged you. You didn't deserve the treatment he gave you. We can fix this." Shen turned to look over his shoulder at the wounded Akali, and continued his sentence. "All of it. Give it a chance Zed."

Zed suddenly appeared in front of Shen. Shen did not startle or even flinch, but slightly leaned back, staring Zed square. Zed hissed a menacing whisper against Shen's masked face. "What I have done...cannot be undone. I have followers now; people who look up to me...people who have pride in me. Pride that our master...Your father...never was wise enough to have until it was too late."

Behind Shen, Akali stood up and began to limp away to the Kinkou camp. Zed noticed her. In fact, he looked right at her...And she looked at him. But he did not attack. He did not follow. Not because Shen was there...but because he couldn't bear to hurt her again.

Shen's eyes took a saddened, regretting shape. "Zed..."

With one word, Zed brought back old memories to both ninjas. The word that the Master always spoke before they sparred. He hissed with determination. "Begin."

Shen nodded, and went in to headbutt the extremely close Zed, but only managing to wisp his head through a shadow. As Shen went back to a stand, the shadow became tangible again, and slashed Shen across the chest, only to be met by another purple shield, though it managed to shatter it.

With Shen's shield on cooldown, Zed knew it's the proper time to strike. He pounced onto Shen from behind with his wristblades at the ready, but Shen heard even the faintest sound of Zed's footsteps. Not that he was making too much noise - ninja are just so well trained that they can recognize each other under any circumstance. Shen reared around to block the blow, grabbing Zed's arm and slamming his palm against Zed's chest, forcing Zed to backflip to keep his balance as the shadow began to stab at Shen, but Shen blocked it with a timely backflip of his own, pulling out one of his magically embued swords to slash the shadow, dispelling it.

With the warriors now several yards apart, they stared at each other with calm resolve. The moon's glow slightly brightened, then faded back again as the warriors continued to remain perfectly still.

Their feet, just their feet, did minor changes in balance and positioning.

Then a split second later they immediately clashed at each other, bouncing away again. This time they clashed with such force that, when they rebounded, their feet glided across the grass for a few straight seconds, leaving behind small trenches of soil.

Shen closed his eyes, a smile forming within his mask. "Just like old times isn't it Zed?"

Zed stood up straight. The soft blow of the wind made his waist tapestry billow ever so slightly. The bright moon loomed over his shoulder, contrasted by the dark glow of his red eyes. "Yes. But this time..." Zed tilted his head downward; his eyes straight facing Shen. "the results shall be different."

Suddenly a dark red X has appeared on Shen. It did not hurt him, but it felt like a warning. Zed himself became shadow; intangible, and quickly flying towards Shen. Shen assessed the situation; unsure of what this new ability is. He immediately activated his shield as Zed became tangible once more, although it was destroyed almost instantly by the simultaneous strikes of Zed and the shadows near him. After the strike landed, only one shadow remained where Zed had cast this new ability on Shen. Shen felt a growing dread; like some kind of strike was inevitable but he had no idea where it would come from. In one last ditch effort, Shen drew both of his magical Vorpal Blades and slashed at Zed, who faded back to his shadow. The shadow now in front of shen did a wide slash attack that made red shadow appear all around it and made Shen's sense of dread grow even larger. Something was definitely about to hit him. But what?

Zed smirked within his mask as he saw that he was finally about to win this battle he had always wanted to gain recognition for. He dashed back to Shen with another shadow. Shen had fallen to one knee, the Death Mark still moments from activating. He bowed his head to Zed and prepared to accept his fate.

Zed's hand touched Shen's shoulder.

The Death Mark was gone.

Shen looked up at Zed, confused. "What happened? I...I thought you were going to win, Zed."

Zed remained perfectly silent as he leaned down, taking Shen's hand and helping him up to stand. "I did win, Shen."

Shen's eyes widened. He knew. He finally understood now. "You never wanted to kill me..."

Zed's reply was delivered calmly, with an air of pride. "You were the only one who had shown me respect. The lives of all the others...their blood is on my hands...and on the hands of my disciples. But there is a reason you survived. Didn't you ever think about that, Shen?"

Shen simply nodded as the epiphany worked its way throughout his entire mind.

Zed's voice turned into a hiss again, but with a much less harsh tone. "Like I said. What I have done...cannot be undone. I cannot return to the Kinkou. But I can keep you as my friend, Shen. Keep your people from mine, or I WILL kill them. You may continue your teachings...but do not prevent mine from spreading. I will make us all as powerful as we deserve to be." Zed tilted his face down to gaze upon the grass that had been spattered by Akali's blood. "And...and tell her-"

Shen interrupted with his soft, deep voice. "Fear not. I will tell her. But Zed...please know that we do not appreciate this path you are traversing upon..."

Zed simply turned and began to walk away, stopping for just a moment to look over his shoulder at his old friend, knowing that his next words may be the last he will ever speak to Shen, or anyone related to the Kinkou, in a very, very long time. "Do...not, deny me."

Zed turned into a wisp of shadow, which, centimeter by centimeter, began to dissipate into the wind. Where; only Zed knows.

Shen looked down at the blood on the grass, then towards the way to the Kinkou camp. With the night's events heavy on his mind, he began to make his way back to base.

Zed sat in his throne room. Lit candles trimmed the path to his seat. The emblems of his shadow order decorated the walls. Hooded disciples made their way to him, their steps slow and measured, perfectly balanced, without a sound. Zed rested his masked face on the top of his fist, his elbow resting on an armrest of his throne. The entire chamber was cast in shadow. As the disciples finally reached Zed, they looked up at him with reverence. High ranking shadow ninja stood perfectly still at attention on both of Zed's sides. They looked down at the disciples as they spoke to Zed.

"We have not seen a Kinkou agent for days now, Master."

Zed remained silent for a few moments. No doubt in thought of the events of the night just a few days ago.

"Good. The world will be ours soon."

As the disciples made their way out of the chamber into the temple, Zed reached into a secret compartment beneath one of the armrests of his throne. He pulled out Akali's sturdy mask, slightly bloodied, though he had never wanted to clean it. He knows she's still around somewhere...but never knows when he will meet her again. He set his memento back into its compartment. He stood up and with slow, prideful, measured steps, made his way into the middle of his chamber. He lit the candles arranged within a semicircle, sat with his legs crossed, and closed his eyes.

He tried his best not to shed a tear.

He failed.

But it wasn't the first time.

His bodyguards knew. They could sense the quivering in his body even from the wide range they are from their master. They did not feel sorry for him. They only wished they knew how to help him. They closed their eyes and meditated with him. Together with their master - a master who is in many pieces.