Namor: The Sub-Mariner #5

[fan4]

Namor, the Sub-Mariner #5
World Tour, Part 2

Written by mallet
Edited by Aaron Martel

Shang Chi fell to the ground, bloody and wounded. He felt he could no longer go on, but he had to. His family needed the money and these fights were the only way to get it. He owed them that much for leaving. So he slowly rose from the ground to look up at his enemy, a man twice as large as the adult male figure of Shang Chi. The enemy was known as, roughly translated, “The Quake”, and he had been a fighter in the pit for most of his life; he was its champion. Shang Chi had fought his way here after a year of struggling through the ranks of low money fights. He finally had earned this chance. Quake was a 300,000-dollar fight; all his other matches had been for 100 dollars or less. It would be enough to finally get his family out of the country, and that had to be motivation enough. This was why he had left in the first place, wasn’t it? He had traveled the world and learned all he could about the ways of fighting, forsaking his responsibilities as a son, so he could return and earn them a way out. Thus Shang Chi stood once more, his long black hair matted with his blood and his tan-toned flesh broken open. He stood and attacked.

Quake’s fist swung forward to crush the smaller man, but Shang Chi dodged the blow deftly and began maneuvering the brute around. They were in a circular dirt arena which rested in the basement of a towering skyscraper, giant steel fences caging them in as an audience cheered for one or the other of the two battling warriors. Shang Chi had managed to get behind Quake and drop kicked him in the back of the knee, sending the larger man to a stooping position. Shang Chi rolled to his feet and lunged at the man, using the now kneeling Quake’s position to climb his back like a staircase. He placed a hand on either of the man’s broad shoulders and lifted himself into the air, doing a hand stand on the man. Shang Chi’s legs swung down, his body forming a right angle, and that momentum launched him downward even more, but just then Shang Chi released the hold on Quake’s shoulders and pushed his hands off, letting him flatten his back into a laying position in mid air. With the momentum from swinging down, his new position shot him like a rocket, feet first, into the back of Quake’s head, causing the big man to fly face first into the fencing.

The crowd roared for this little challenger, someone who could finally unseat Quake from the arena championship spot, and who could possibly dare stand up to the Dragon. Dragon ran the local gang, which roughed up a few people, promoted general thievery, and caused mayhem in the Chinese countrysides around the small city. For the longest time it had been left at that, but then the Dragon grew more bold and seized the city, seemingly without any attempt to stop him. In truth, it was as if he already knew everything the local law enforcement had. The government attempted to control the situation but by then Dragon had already used fear and intimidation to take control of the city through politics as well. Virtually everything went through him; he allowed no room for differing opinions or even relaxation. The only time the people were allowed to be themselves was at the pit fights: watching other residents settle their disputes with fights, and betting on people who had become professionals at it. The fights were supposedly the Dragon’s gift to his loyal constituents. They were a way to deal with their own problems, and a form of entertainment at the same time. Truthfully though, with the betting involved, it was just another way to take money from the poor, and such was what had happened to Shang Chi’s family, who were now seemingly forever indebted to Dragon.

Shang Chi sought to change that as Quake rose to face him. Shang Chi planted his base foot, in this case his left, and prepared his final blow. Quake was staggering as he turned; the fight had already run six hours with neither man wanting to give in to each other. Shang Chi fought for his family, and Quake fought for his honor and position. The end was near, however, because as soon as Quake had Shang Chi in his sights once more, he was struck with a mighty blow. Shang Chi’s right foot landed squarely on the chin of the eight foot tall giant of a man, and he had connected with all of his remaining strength. If this did not fell the big man, Shang Chi would be forced to concede.

It would not come to that, however, as Quake fell backwards, unconscious before he touched the ground. With his strength depleted, Shang Chi dropped his deadly hands from their ready stance to his sides and his feet found themselves firmly planted again.

[fan4]

He was immediately helped from the ring by two burly men who would not say anything to him as they walked. That was okay, though, since Shang Chi was too tired to talk. The crowd’s cheers faded behind them as they walked down a dimly lit corridor and into an elevator, where one of the burly men pushed the only button on the panel, and the doors closed. No soft music pumped into the elevator, not even a dulcet hum from the elevator itself as it moved. They ran silent as they climbed up the spine of the building. The Dragon had built it; he wanted the largest building around, so that everyone could see who was in charge, and it easily towered 15 stories over any other building in the city.

Finally the ride stopped, and the doors opened to a massive chamber. At the front rested a desk cluttered with papers, and there sat a man behind it. As they walked closer the man became clearer. He wore a solid red mask with a dragon wrapped around it, not all that different from a luchador’s, and a simple suit. It also became clear that on his lap sat a mirror with lines of cocaine on it, a streak already missing.

“Welcome Shang Chi,” he said in a soft tone. “Congratulations on your victory, although I must say it is going to be depressing to have to kill you after such an entertaining bout.”

Shang Chi just stood there and glanced around the room briefly. He seemed too tired to even comprehend what was going on.

“Ahh, exhaustion. Well I guess I can take a moment to explain, at least let you die with some knowledge…” the Dragon chuckled. “You see, Shang Chi, I know everything. I came into possession of an… item of great ability. It showed me everything that was to happen or could happen, depending on my actions. With it I amassed my wealth, put the locals into my bondage, and secured myself for quite some time, or at least so I thought. Because I looked into it again recently and saw you, killing me and freeing these people from their debts. But you see, I’m not worried. This has happened before. I saw a great warrior coming just yesterday, he came to take away my item but with it I found a way to weaken him. I drained him of the thing he needs most- water, and hung him up as a trophy…”

The Dragon continued his ranting but Shang Chi had had about enough of this. His body was still sore and broken but his mind was not; all he needed was an opportunity.

That opportunity showed itself soon enough. As he finished scanning the room a second time, he noticed an open doorway, and though it was only thinly separated he saw weapons behind those doors. Though some were seemingly ancient, they’d do just fine if he had a chance to get over to them, but that would be his major obstacle.

“I said do you understand?!” snapped the Dragon.

Shang Chi gave a little startled look and nodded back a yes to whatever it was that the madman had said.

“Excellent, then we can play out my game!” Dragon took several note cards from his pocket. “Since you aren’t nearly as dangerous as my previous guest, I’m going to allow you to choose one of those many methods of death I mentioned.” The Dragon reached the cards out to Shang Chi. “After all, I know that you can’t harm me now. My paper said so.”

Shang Chi just stared at him in disbelief as his enemy gave him his key to escaping. Shang Chi reached for the cards sure enough, but he let them fall to the ground before stumbling backwards a little, past the two guards. There was a slight moment of confusion as the two guards looked on, wondering if they should pick up the cards, and Shang Chi took another half step back before darting to the door. He raced in, slamming and locking the door behind him. He had almost forgotten how exhausted he was but now he remembered, having used up any of the energy he regained during the elevator ride and the Dragon’s drug-fueled speech. Now he had a chance though, and he took a look around what he thought was the armory and figured out must be the treasury. All the weapons he had gotten a glance at from farther away turned out to be dulled and decorative.

[fan4]

Suddenly, a low moan came from a nearby room, causing Shang Chi to glance in, and there, hanging from the ceiling, was a man in green swimming trunks. He had wings on his ankles and pointy ears, his hands were bound by the wrists to the ceiling, and his skin was dry and cracked looking.

“Water…” said the being, glancing at Shang Chi. “I… require water… surface dweller.”

Shang Chi looked around the room and spotted a table where they kept a glass jug of water, seemingly to torture the man. Shang Chi didn’t know if he should trust him, but he heard keys turning and doors opening, so any ally would be a good ally right about then.

From the moment the water hit the mans lips, his skin softened and color livened his face, but the most startling change had to be when the man ripped out of the chains binding him to the ceiling. Just then the Dragon and his two guards broke into the second room, only to recoil seeing this second opponent free.

Shang Chi actually was able to rest as the man easily handled the three; not being prepared for him they couldn’t surprise him and weaken him as before. The Dragon and his men were easily taken down and then the man in the green briefs proceeded to disarm and capture all of the Dragon’s men in the skyscraper. It took all night, and the help of a few locals Shang Chi trusted, but come dawn most of the city had been cleared and the gang was bound in the center of town.

Shang Chi would not be the man to kill the Dragon, but after all the years of debt and virtual slavery, his father deserved to make that choice. Shortly after the first fight, Shang Chi learned his ally’s name: the legendary Namor, the Sub-Mariner. Namor had been sent by a mystic known as Dr. Strange to fetch the item Dragon had. It turned out that it was a piece of a magical map, a map of reality and fate, of destiny. Just the quarter Dragon had was strong enough to allow him to see into the future and possible threads of fate.

[fan4]

Shortly after dawn Namor had to leave once more, to collect the final piece of the map, but not before thanks were given on both sides. The town even gave Namor a feast in honor of his and Shang Chi’s victory, though Shang Chi found his new ally a little more then disgruntled with the idea that Shang Chi had really helped. After that the goodbyes were shared, and Namor was off, but Shang Chi had work to do. The city had no leaders now and someone had to help, and that someone was Shang Chi.

To be continued