Chapter 1: The Blind Phoenix

L̸̬͎̓a̵̧̪̓̆c̷̦̏̍y̵̮̔͘ cartwheels out of the way just in time to avoid the large incoming white-hot mechanical glove.

"Close, but not close enough kid! Perhaps, you'd like a ride in the wave pool as well." she says as another Tsunami Wave crests above her and then comes crashing down into the shrine.

T̴a̷i̷z̷o̸ says nothing, instead opting to charge up an attack. A thick beam of ki energy fires from his chest into the surging wall of water. The two forces collide. For a second, it becomes unsure which would prevail. However, sparks fly from the suit, and the beam wavered. Slowly, but surely, the wave pushed back T̴a̷i̷z̷o̸'s assault. With a flicker, the beam blipped out of existence, allowing the waves to slam into T̴a̷i̷z̷o̸.

The waters carried T̴a̷i̷z̷o̸ like a leaf in a river, slamming him into one of the stone pillars. As the waters receded, T̴a̷i̷z̷o̸ lay limp on the ground, suit sparking. With a groan, he attempted to stand up, but the overworked suit stiffened up, its joints rigid. Realizing that he had lost, a shout of frustration escapes T̴a̷i̷z̷o̸, ripping through the shrine's silence.

Heaving in exhaustion, T̴a̷i̷z̷o̸ covers his face with his arms. From underneath, hot tears were streaming out.

Surfing the wave to land next to the broken sparking mech-suit, the teenager sobbing uncontrollably, L̸̬͎̓a̵̧̪̓̆c̷̦̏̍y̵̮̔͘ crouches down and tussles the boy's hair, "Don't worry kid, you fought well. Learn from your mistakes and in a few more years I suspect you will be one of the great Shinobi."

"In fact, in a few years, when you've got a bit more training and fixed up this suit, and maybe old enough to take me out for a drink, then why don't you come and find me. Perhaps we can work together again, things seemed to go well for us when we work together!"

When L̸̬͎̓a̵̧̪̓̆c̷̦̏̍y̵̮̔͘ stands up she is suddenly overcome with gripping pain as the being linked to the shrine rips at her soul once again. After recovering, L̸̬͎̓a̵̧̪̓̆c̷̦̏̍y̵̮̔͘ yells to the kid with urgency, "Now get out of here before it's too late and whatever lives in this shrine takes your remaining life force!"

Turning to the center of the stone formation, the Shinobi champion struggles towards the alter, collapsing to her knees, desperately trying to hold onto her own identity. With her final strength L̸̬͎̓a̵̧̪̓̆c̷̦̏̍y̵̮̔͘ gently picks up the decrepit body of the ancient Phoenix, stands tall and holds it high above her head to bath in the final rays of the setting sun.

The rays of sun grace the phoenix's body, dissolving grey skin into ruddy ash. With a shuddering sigh of resignation, the phoenix closes its cloudy eyes. Soon, its body was no more, having turned into a cloud of dust swirling slowly around Lacy. The particles slowly gravitated towards her cupped hands, lumping together and condensing into a gray sphere, the size of a quail egg. The newly formed egg was warm to the touch, confirming that the phoenix lived on.

Sniffling quietly, T̴a̷i̷z̷o̸ lowered his arm, having watched the spectacle in silence.

L̸̬͎̓a̵̧̪̓̆c̷̦̏̍y̵̮̔͘ tucks the warm egg carefully under her arm and leaves the cursed shrine as quickly as her tired body allows. As she descended the forested slope, the only remnant of the epic battle was water trickling down the stairs carved into the hillside having washed the blood and bodies away. Before long, the yakuza sport bike was taking her back into the night-lit city.

After L̸̬͎̓a̵̧̪̓̆c̷̦̏̍y̵̮̔͘ left, T̴a̷i̷z̷o̸'s tears had run its course.

"Whatever. There's always next time."

T̴a̷i̷z̷o̸' tried to crawl, but his body was rendered immobile without his exoskeleton functioning. With a sigh, T̴a̷i̷z̷o̸ called out to the air.

"Genzou."

The butler stepped out from behind one of the trees and bowed.

"Yes, young master?"

"Take me home."

"As you wish."

With a kurt nod, Genzou picked T̴a̷i̷z̷o̸' up, and together, they walked out of the shrine with no name.