Each fighter had to battle each other.
The weaker ones were easily conquered by their stronger enemies and were placed
out of the tournament. They left, bearing the shame of over confidence and
scrutiny. The purpose of Tekken was to measure a fighter’s skill and power.
The stronger fighters were the ones who acquired both, but among that percentage
differences among philosophy created a deep rift between each warrior. Each man
or woman came for a different purpose, each one being diverse as the next. Their
purpose could be to merely prove themselves worthy, gain revenge among another
fighters, capture a criminal partaking in the event, or to uphold honor.
Whichever purpose each of these fighters had, all of them thirsted over the
infinite victory over their most challenging nemesis yet.
The last five fighters were to face each other. Among the five, Hwoarang
and Julia were selected to fight. There was no sign of Jin and many thought that
he had backed out of the tournament. The others scoffed at him, commenting on
his lack of manhood. Julia, on the other hand, stood her ground and tried
desperately to conceal her anger. She was not going to let those people believe
their stupid accusations for long. As a matter of fact, Bryan Fury was one of
those who ridiculed him, and one of the last five warriors. To teach him a
lesson, Julia placed him out of the tournament by twisting his arm and punching
out his balls. Bryan’s suffered so much damage, that his voice sounded like a
mouse and he was admitted into the trauma unit.
“He won’t be f*cking anyone for a long time,” Julia commented when
she had finally beaten Bryan.
Anna did not take too well with Bryan’s defeat. She decided to defend
him by matching up with Julia in the tournament. To her dismay, she was paired
with Hwoarang himself. When Anna first heard of the announcement, she wasn’t
all that upset. Actually, she had been waiting for a time that she could get
Hwoarang alone.
When the match began, Anna started taunting Hwoarang. “Where is your
lovebird now? I don’t see her anywhere. Looks like she was too good to be with
you!” Obviously, the comment wounded Hwoarang’s pride. The pain displayed on
his face, infuriated Anna into a jealous fit. She attacked him with a high kick
and punched him in the face. Hwoarang blocked the first blow, but was unaware of
the second. He stumbled backwards, covering the fresh wound on his mouth. When
he checked his hand, bright red spots decorated the surface of his palm.
Hwoarang narrowed his eyes at her and positioned himself for Anna’s next move.
The woman was feral. Her moves were spontaneous and the majority of her attacks
were low. He was confidant that she would use a low attack on him as her first
move, but she had caught him off guard when she punched him on the face.
“Take this, you bastard!” Anna shrieked as she delivered her Flash
kicks.
Hwoarang used his arms and legs to kick off her attack and to shield his
face from her kicks. When Anna was about to finish her move, he decided to
attack. He grabbed her arm and threw her up over him so that her back land on
the ground. Anna screamed, but quickly got up before Hwoarang kicked her on the
ground.
“How could you?! I’m a woman!”
“Not to me you are!” Hwoarang performed his blizzard kicks, hitting
Anna every time he attacked. By the end of his move, she was near to falling
unconscious. The woman lay on the ground, her face covered by her hands. She
sounded like she started to cry.
“How could you,” she cried, “After all we have been through, all
that we have shared. You turn so quickly to her! What does that Bitch have that
I don’t have?”
Hwoarang leaned closer to Anna’s lying form so he could whisper to her.
“A heart,” he gently replied and held out his hand for Anna to take.
She suspiciously gazed at him through her hands. “What are you
doing,” she asked.
“I don’t want to hurt you, but you gave me no choice. Your near
defeat, so why don’t you just surrender and you can leave feeling a lot better
than the condition I originally plan to leave you in.”
“You bastard! Since when did you care?!”
“Since I fell in love.”
She gazed up at him in utter shock. Was he joking? Was Hwoarang actually
telling her this? He never even told her once that he loved her. And now, when
he actually said it, he was talking about someone else.
“How could you Hwoarang? I thought what we had was special!”
“I thought so too Anna.”
“But
didn’t you ever love me?”
“I
did once, until you decided that victory meant more to you than us. I was
willing to drop out of the tournament, but you wanted to win so badly, and you
begged me to stay. That was the only reason why I decided to go on with tourney.
My obsession of defeating Jin was forgotten when I found you. You and I had a
chance, Anna, we really did. I was going to give up all that I had just to be
with you. Even after we separated, I often thought about you. Even if I didn’t
love you then, I still felt something, but now all that has changed. You
didn’t lose me when I started to fall for Naya, you lost me when you chose
yourself over us. You don’t understand, Anna, that when two become one, they
no longer indulge in their selfish ways. What one does affects the other. Naya
understands this and she is willing to give up everything, and so am I. You
can’t change the past, and if you could, I wouldn’t want you to. I have
already found the one I have been looking for.”
Anna
fell into such a rage. She unsheathed one of her hidden daggers and stabbed
Hwoarang on the arm. Hwoarang fell back and cringed in pain. He quickly removed
the weapon before Anna jumped on him. On impact, Hwoarang fell to the ground
with Anna on top of him.
“Remember
this position, Hwoarang? And it wasn’t during a fight.” Her eyes gave an
insane twinkle. “I wonder if Naya will be as good as I ever was. You’ll
never find anyone skilled as me.”
Hwoarang’s
anger boiled. He threw Anna to the ground and held her there. Anna, on the other
hand, did not take the assault too likely. She smiled, licking her lips. “Oh,
Hwoarang, when did you become so…feisty.”
He
gawked at her. Astounded by her behavior. Before he could overcome his shock,
Anna bit him on the arm where she had stabbed him. Hwoarang howled, fell back
and desperately held his injury.
Anna
then got up from the ground and tried to lunge at him. She was planning to knock
him out of the ring with one fluid motion. Hwoarang raised his eyes and then
used the last of his energy to flip into the air and land behind her, leaving
Anna confused. Before she recovered from her bewilderment, Hwoarang did a high
kick and threw her out of the ring. Anna landed on the ground with a heavy thud
and then fell into a dreamless sleep.
|
| |
The
last two warriors were narrowed down. It was Julia against Hwoarang. They were
to battle each other until the remaining victor was left standing. The last
battle would take place in the cave where Jin had taken Naya. There, in the
final battle of Tekken Tournament, the fighter would face the Unknown.
Both
Julia and Hwoarang fought hard against each other. Their skills were almost
equally matched but in different ways. Julia utilized her agility to overcome
Hwoarang’s strength. Much of her attacks were by surprise, but Hwoarang did a
bunch of surprising of his own. Once he realized her weakness, he came back with
an attack of his own. He nearly defeated her when Julia, all of a sudden, kicked
him in the side, sending Hwoarang reeling to the floor. Hwoarang, immediately
got up and fought her all over again. The fight lasted a long time and the
spectators were getting impatient. Soon enough a victor was proclaimed and
Hwoarang was left disappointed. Julia had caught him off-guard when he was about
to finish a move and she kicked him out of the ring. Hwoarang demanded a
rematch, but the victory was legal. Julia would advance to the next level.
The
rules plainly state that only the Unknown and the challenger be present during
the final battle. Who ever came out of the cave alive was victorious. Yet this
battle was unlike any from the past. This battle would decide the future. Many
of the other fighters were not so happy that Julia had won the previous match.
She was only a girl and they would feel more secure if someone stronger were
admitted into the final match. Julia violently denied that someone else go in
for her. She plainly stated that she would fight the last battle herself.
“Just
because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I’m incompetent,” Julia said the night
before the final battle. All the fighters were gathered around a campfire,
discussing the present situation. Wang served as spokesperson of the rest of the
Tekken warriors, “You don’t know what your facing, Julia. This demon bears
phenomenal powers beyond your wildest imagination. She will steal your power and
use it against you. She has the power to do that to us all.”
“I
can do it, old man. Don’t you tell me what I can’t do. You think that my
mother wasted most of her life teaching me how to fight? You think her methods
are a load of crap?”
“No,
Julia. We are only saying that we would be a lot more secure, knowing that
someone with a much more spiritual knowledge would go in there instead. We would
have a better chance of defeating the unknown.”
“Then
who do you suggest we take instead?” She waited for an answer but did not get
one. “See my point! All of you are so frightened that I will lose this battle!
Well, I don’t care what any of you think! I will fight to the death.”
“You
are doing it for the wrong reasons,” Wang countered. “Fighting in the name
of love won’t be enough to stand up to the Unknown. This battle has the power
to determine the fate of tomorrow. We all might not be here in time to come,
because you might not win.”
“I
will not listen to the ranting of an old man. I have better things to do. I’m
fighting that battle whether you like it or not!” Before anyone could stop
her, Julia walked off into the night.
No
you’re not. Not if I can help it.
|
| |
The
Final Battle
There
was a religious ceremony for Julia before she embarked into the temple. All of
the fighters had gathered at the cave entrance that morning to pray for the
world’s fate and they would continue to do so until the battle ended.
With
all of their eyes closed, and minds concentrated on prayer, none of the fighters
noticed a second figure slip into the temple entrance.
Once
Julia stepped inside she was faced with a ghastly sight. A hideous woman,
overshadowed by a beast waited for her at the end of the cave. On the far walls,
torches danced in the air, illuminating the demonic glow in the creature’s
eyes. It patiently waited for Julia at the end of the arena. Once Julia walked
up to the creature she waited.
“Who
comes before me and for what purpose?” The menacing echo of the woman’s
voice slithered through Julia’s ears.
“The
name is Julia and I come to release Jin from your control.”
“You
have a poor reason, but I accept the challenge.”
The
two immediately engaged into battle. It was a gruesome fight. Each one attacked
right after the other. There were times that the Unknown looked like she would
fall, but she kept on getting up and fought back with more ferocity than before.
Julia, meanwhile, remained steadfast and alert. She used her combo moves,
knowing that it was the best way to cripple her opponent. Yet, no matter how
expertly she fought, the Unknown surprised her by using a combination of attacks
stolen from other fighters. She utilized Heihachi’s moves, which Julia, at the
time she fought him, had a hard time blocking. At this point, Julia felt
overwhelmed by the Unknown’s attacks, but she kept on fighting, harder than
ever before. She kept the memory of Jin in her heart and used it to fuel her
anger. She leashed out at the creature and finally, after a long struggle, she
had her on the floor. The Unknown had a ghastly wound on her side and she was
breathing heavily. At this moment, Julia decided to use her finishing move, but
to her horror she saw the wound at the Unknown’s side start to heal. Julia
frowned at this and leaned closer to inspect the healing injury. At this time
she was close to the Unknown’s face.
Suddenly,
the Unknown opened her eyes and momentarily blinded Julia with the awesome light
emitting from the her two ocular orbs. Julia fell back, closing her eyes and
shielding her face. The Unknown got up and prepared to do the finishing move.
Once strike of her hand would permanently disfigure Julia and confine her into a
wheelchair for life.
“STOOOP!”
The Unknown paused and gazed at the warrior’s direction. “Huh?”
“Your
fight is not with her…it is with me!”
“Who
are you?”
“Hwoarang.”
Familiarization
crossed the Unknown’s eyes and immediately she began to smile. “Ah-h. I’ve
been hoping to face someone like you. I feel your heart and your intentions are
more fruitful than this lovesick girl.”
“Then
fight me.”
“State
your purpose.”
“To
save you from yourself.”
The
Unknown threw back her head and released gallous laughter. Her shrieks roared
across the cave and shook the cavern walls. “You amuse me,” she spat.
“Defeating you will be so much better. I have poisoned this girl and she will
no longer prove to be an equal match. But someone of your skill is much more
inviting.”
She
kicked Julia aside and made way for Hwoarang to enter the ring. “You have a
poisoned mind,” Hwoarang began. “What have you done with her?”
“Whose
her?”
“Naya.”
For
a second, Hwoarang felt her eyes flicker, but the motion disappeared when she
delivered her first move. Her attacks were much like to Anna’s, feral and
possessive. Her power was great and her skill exceeding. When Hwoarang pounded
her to the floor, she got up and this time surprised him with a new form of
attack. Her moves were sinisterly familiar. For a while, as he blocked her
moves, Hwoarang tried to think who her attacks reminded him of. When the thought
came to him, Hwoarang grew shocked.
“Oh
my God! Naya!”
The
Unknown advanced on him and now she used Hwoarang’s attacks against himself.
He had a hard time defending himself. The creature’s power was extensive and
magnificent. Hwoarang was now using his most powerful moves and to his dismay,
they did little damage to his opponent. He was near the end of giving up when he
finally had the creature on the ground. He gazed into her eyes. “What are
you,” he asked insultingly.
The
creature struggled.
He
gazed into her yellow eyes.
“Get
off me!”
“No,”
he said, as if in a trance. He gazed deeper, deeper until he saw past all
exteriors.
“No….”
Hwoarang replied. “NO! Naya!”
“What
did you just call me!”
“Oh
my God.”
The
creature threw him off. Hwoarang landed on the ground.
“Naya…,”
he desperately called, “Naya what happened to you?”
“Why
are you calling me by that name? Who is Naya?”
“You
are!”
The
creature advanced and tackled him. “Your mistaken,” she said as they
struggled, “Naya is no longer alive. I possess her body now, she belongs to
me!”
“NO!”
Hwoarang punched the creature off of him. He got up and continued to stare in
amazement. “How can this be,” he proclaimed.
The
memory of Anna taunting him, reminding him that he would never keep what he
loved, came to him. His anger fueled and now he attacked the creature with fresh
ferocity. He kicked her endlessly, hitting every part of her. The creature was
beginning to grow weak. He knew that he could defeat her if he continued his
attack, but Hwoarang was getting tired himself. He knew that he would not be
able to continue like this for long. At one point he had to stop. When he did,
the Unknown came back with an attack of her own. He could measure her level of
strength by her hit and noticed that she was getting defensively weak. The being
would quite sooner or later. But right now, she was using the last of her
strength to punch him in the face. All the while, she kept smiling, joyous of
the fight’s turn of event.
“You
will die soon,” she proclaimed.
“I
refuse to fight you.”
“And
why is that?” She punched him again. Hwoarang stumbled.
“Because
I refuse to harm you.”
“Pathetic!
Then you will lose and the fate of the world is mine!”
“I
won’t lose, and if you did win, the fate of the world won’t be in your
hands, it will be in Naya’s.”
“Liar!”
“You
possess her body, but it’s apparent that you don’t possess her soul!”
The
Unknown kicked him. Hwoarang looked like he was near ready to fall. His face was
heavily bruised and his arms and legs cut up. Yet despite he state, he refused
to lift a finger to defend himself.
“I
do possess her soul, you fool. I control her entire body!”
They
continued to struggle. “For centuries I have thrived in this cave, believing
that I would never die, but there came a time where my body began to grow weak.
I knew my spirit would live, it was only the body that needed to be replaced.
But I wasn’t just going to have any body, but to possess a being of my own
relation. I had no family, so I used Heihachi’s seed to fertilize my egg and
give birth to a daughter, the human whom I would possess when she came of age.
Now that she is off age, I control her body and soul!”
“If
you controlled her entire body,” Hwoarang replied, “then you wouldn’t be
crying.”
The
creature paused, puzzled by his sudden announcement. “What?”
She
swiped a finger across her eyes. A fresh crystal lay at the palm of her hand.
“What is this? Why am I crying? No! No…it won’t stop! Why? Why does it
keep coming out? No…NOOOO! I can’t see! These cursed tears are blurring my
vision!”
Hwoarang
stepped back. He knew what was happening. “Fight it, fight her off Naya! I
know you can do it!”
The
creature struggled and howled in pain.
“Please
Naya, I need you to be strong! Fight her!”
The
Unknown thrashed widely, rolling on the ground, covering her eyes.
“Naya,
I know you can do it! Please, fight for me! I love you…”
A
bright light enveloped the room and suddenly the creature was lifted before the
altar of the cave and swallowed by the enveloping light. Hwoarang screamed
Naya’s name countless times, calling out to her.
The
light blinded him, making him shield his eyes from the awesome light. It lasted
for several minutes then finally died away.
|
| |
He
slowly opened his eyes and frantically searched the area. He called her name,
but he could hear no answer.
“Naya,
where are you?”
A
commotion made Hwoarang turn. He found Jin Kazama standing behind him.
“What
are you doing here?”
Jin
did not spare Hwoarang any of his attention. He had his eyes on the ground
before Hwoarang, glimpsing the limp body of an unconscious girl. He brushed past
Hwoarang and approached the lifeless body. He bent low to her and swept a strand
of hair from the side of her face.
“Julia…”
The
figure did not stir. He felt her neck and then slowly began to pick her up.
“What
are you going?” Hwoarang asked.
Jin
finally acknowledged his presence. “It’s finally over,” he replied,
“since the demon is gone, I am no longer a slave.”
Hwoarang
remained silent momentarily. “How is she,” he finally asked.
“Like
you care.” Jin saw the concern in Hwoarang’s eyes and sighed. “She’ll be
fine. She’s blind, but not for long. I will stay by her side so that I am the
first thing she sees. If you were in my place, I think you should do the same
thing.”
Jin
turned his back and disappeared into the darkness with Julia in his arms,
cradled like a sleeping child.
Suddenly,
a moan caught his attention. Hwoarang did not think twice when he ran over to
the altar and found Naya’s uncovered body laying there.
“Naya.”
He whispered. He slowly approached her and held her. To his surprise he began to
cry. “Thank you God.”
She
moaned again and turned to face him. For a while, he stared at her lovely face,
enjoying her features. He felt his heart sing by the look at her.
Slowly,
her eyes opened. When she saw his face, she smiled. “Is it over?”
Hwoarang
was too choked for words. He only nodded.
Naya
looked down at the rest of her body. She began to blush. “At least I could
have made a more modest entrance.”
Hwoarang
laughed. “I like it better this way,” he said, “ at least I get to look at
you.”
“Don’t
even think about it,” she warned. “I won’t give myself to anyone out of
wedlock.”
“You’re
an old fashioned girl.”
“There’s
still a lot about me you don’t know.”
“But
what I do know about you, I already love.”
She
gazed up at him and smiled. “And I you.”
Hwoarang
swallowed. He could not contain himself any longer. His hand began to stroke her
face and Naya could tell what he had on his mind.
“Hwoarang…no.”
He
stopped. “I love you Naya.”
“I
know…it was you who saved me. I could feel your pain as we battled. I
struggled to get free, but it was your courage that unlocked my prison. No one
has ever felt for me as much as you do…I couldn’t lose you. The struggle was
too intense that I started crying. I could not bear the thought of hurting
you.”
“Naya…”
“Yes?”
“I
don’t care anymore. You’re with me and I’m not going to lose you ever
again.”
She
smiled which made him kiss her. When they let go he could not get her out of his
mind. “Naya…”
“Yes?”
“If
you don’t want to do anything until marriage…then...”
“What?”
“Why
don’t you marry me?”
She
smiled. He already knew her answer.