20 Flashback- Initiation

Flashback- Black Dragon Headquarters Five years ago

Alex had turned eighteen years old and today was a momentous day for him. As he had been promised at around age five, Alex was going to become a full member of the Black Dragons. He was happy. He had been given his birthday to celebrate with his girlfriend Cassie Cage before today. Alex awoke and had breakfast and got dressed in comfortable clothes as he had been asked to the night before by Uncle Kano. He went to the senior members-only section of the base and was met by Uncle Kano who smiled at him. Alex smiled back excited. He led him into a large room where Alex saw the other members of the Black Dragons. Tasia, Jarek, Kobra, Kira, Tremor, No Face, Karkas, and Siris, a rather recent addition to their roster himself but he proved himself, were there. Alex walked into the middle of them and Kano closed the circle as he took his place. Jarek, Kobra, and Siris snickered and eyed one another and then to Alex as Kano cleared his throat

"You've waited your whole life this, eh, kid? Yah think yah ready?"

Alex turned to face Kano as he spoke. He chuckled as he cracked his knuckles and neck from side to side. Alex looked around to see the smirks on some of the people around him; Tremor's face was concealed by his mask, but he was intensely glaring down at the young man. Kobra, Jarek, and Siris had their fists clenched and raised in a ready fighting stance; No Face, Tasia, and Tremor had their arms crossed; Kira and Karkas did neither, but their footing indicated readiness. Alex's heart rate rapidly increased as it began to dawn on him what was coming. Before Alex could react, his uncle gave the signal.

Kano ran his thumb across his neck.

"Good luck."

At Kano's order, Siris struck first and Alex dodged. Kobra ran in from behind as he held Alex in a full nelson. Jarek rushed in and gave Alex a few body blows before finishing off with a quick right uppercut. Alex quickly came to and threw a rough boot straight into Jarek's chest, sending him flying to the ground. Alex then jumped, grabbed Kobra's long locks, and kicked his legs, using the forward momentum to throw the hot-headed martial artist over his head.

Alex was on his knees with a briefly stunned Kobra in front of him, Siris and Tasia rushed forward, throwing a combination of punches and kicks in Alex's way. Miraculously, and somewhat beautifully, Alex, even on his knees, blocked each of their shots, swatting each fist and leg aside, while treading backward to help gain distance. Alex springs upward and shoulder tackles both Siris and Tasia before throwing a hopping spin kick, hitting both in their faces, sending them reeling back.

No Face sucker punches Alex from the side, while Tremor rushes in with a discus lariat. The force of Tremor's devastating blow made the young initiate flip twice before hitting the floor with a thud. Before Alex could open his eyes, he felt a hard kick in the rib before being grabbed and placed on his feet. Trying to regain his breath, Alex is put into a headlock by No Face, as Tremor readies a haymaker. Alex quickly maneuvers his body in a way where Tremor's punch hits No Face square in his jaw, releasing the headlock. Alex uses this window of opportunity to throw a haymaker of his own on Tremor, following with a punch, elbow, and finally a rough, desperate headbutt to fall the tall geokinetic.

Alex was heavily breathing. What the fuck is happening?! Alex is suddenly hit by an upward palm strike by Tasia and hit by a rough elbow to the side of his head by Karkas, followed by a clubbed blow from the hilt of Kira's dagger and knocked down by her heeled boots. Kira gets on top of Alex and readies a right punch when Alex punches her in the stomach and reverses the predicament into a guillotine choke. Tasia rushes in with a kick into Alex's abdomen, who absorbs the blow and uses Kira's body to swat Tasia aside. Alex growls, adrenaline pumping through his veins as Karkas flies towards him with a dropkick. This proves ruinous as Alex steps aside and catches him in mid-air. Alex grunts as he spins and slams Karkas onto his stomach, expelling air from his lungs, momentarily stunning him.

Alex turns face to face to Kano, who taunts him to come over. With rage, Alex stomps towards Kano, but is unaware of Siris's surprise attack from behind, knocking Alex off balance. Kano runs in with a few quick jabs, sending Alex reeling. Kano grabs Alex by his shirt collars and delivers a crushing headbutt on Alex's forehead. By this point, Alex is bleeding profusely, with blood and ichor dripping down his nose, mouth, and other open wounds on his face and body; regardless, Alex stood on his feet and readied his stance as the others around him had already regained their footing. Alex quickly scanned the room and exchanged glances with his Black Dragon superiors. Though they had a few scuffs and blood trails from Alex, all eight of them couldn't help but smirk or even smile at the young man's tenacity and prowess. Alex roared as all eight of them rushed in another wave of attacks. Kano smiled from ear to ear at the ensuing chaos.

For six hours Alex held off attacks, striking back as needed. Though Alex had been severely beaten, the other members didn't come away with a few marks and scars of their own. Alex looked at the wall of Black Dragons; Kobra, Kira, Tasia, Jarek, No Face, Tremor, Karkas, and Siris all stood before him, puffing but still standing strong. Suddenly, Kano swept Alex's legs out from under him, knocking him on his back. Alex groaned as Kano pinned him. He grabbed a knife from one of his boots and raised it above his head. The knife shone in the dim light above them. Kano brought the knife down, breaking the ground next to the unflinching Alex, who did not divert his intense glare away from the Australian mad lad. Kano lightly chuckled and said

"Eh easy, relax kid. You have proven worthy."

Alex relaxed, steadying his heart rate and breathing as Kano helped him up. Karkas walked over and tended to Alex's wounds and helped him out of his shredded shirt. Alex is guided to a table and is instructed to lay on it, which he complies. Karkas takes a branding iron from the fire. It glows orange, signifying that it's ready to use. Without warning, Karkas presses it into Alex's right side just like the other members of the Black Dragon. He screams in agony as it is held in place for a few minutes before it is removed and Karkas treats it so it will last. Karkas looks forlorn as he knows this next part falls to Siris. No, it should be his brother Kabal working the ink and the skin. Siris was good, but not the artist Kabal was. Siris simply tattooed the logo on Alex's arm, rather than what Karkas knew could have been so much more. Karkas' back was covered in a black dracolich tattoo that his brother had given him. This process of the initiation reminded Karkas of his fallen brother. He teared up, missing him. Kano saw his sadness and coughed as he brought out a ritual knife. Kano said

"Kid, with that knife, slit your dominant palm, enough to draw blood, not enough to damage nerves in the hand. As the wound bleeds, repeat after me. I am now and forever a member of the Black Dragons."

Alex, still reeling from the burning sensation of hot iron, repeats

"I am now and forever a member of the Black Dragons."

"I shall serve and protect my brothers and sisters even to my dying breath."

"No matter the cost!"

"I plea now that should I ever break this oath my life shall be claimed by those I have betrayed."

"I am and forever will be a brother of the Black Dragons."

Kano took Alex's knife and ordered

"Close your eyes kid."

Alex obeyed as he then felt the knife blade at his throat enough to bleed not kill. Kano then asked him the same words asked of each member

"Do you in all that you are, willing, and entirely place your faith in your Brothers and Sisters?"

"Yes."

Alex feels the knife taken away from his throat and Karkas' hands working to bandage his hand and throat. Kano says

"Open your eyes mate. Yeah one of us now."

Each dragon in turn welcomed Alex to the fold, even Siris welcomed him despite not being here long either. Kobra, Jarek, Siris, and Kira gave Alex the good ol' punch on the arm; No Face and Tremor gave an acknowledging head nod; Tasia was the only one who openly hugged Alex, despite both of their conditions. Alex noticed Karkas looking depressed and he approached him and asked

"Uncle Karkas are you ok? You are not happy. Have I offended you?"

"What? No, Alex not at all."

He sighs before he looks at Alex again and said

"My identical twin brother Kabal used to do Siris' job of tattooing the recruits. You could tell his work compared to some mainstream artists."

Karkas took his shirt off and turned around for Alex to see the dracolich Kabal had inked on his back.

"Wow, that is really good."

"It was his best piece at the time…still…is."

Karkas's voice trails off, as he looks to the distance. Alex could tell something was wrong. He said

"You do not have to continue if you do not want to."

Karkas sighed and said

"Alex, you are a very close and dear friend of mine. If you can not share your pain with your friends who can you share it with?"

Alex smiled before he said

"Go on then."

"Kabal died in the Outworld invasion and was turned into a Revenant to serve at Quan Chi's side. He and Kano never saw eye to eye. Kabal was one of the few Black Dragons to get away and live. He was marked like the rest of us, but he left with his life. Lived a fairly normal life as a cop until Outworld invaded."

Alex looked at him sadly and even hugged him as the medical doctor cried in his embrace. Whether finally properly mourning his brother or venting, Karkas was grateful to Alex for being there to comfort him despite his young age. After a bit, Alex walked off to visit with the others before Kano called him over

"Yes, Uncle?"

Alex asked. Kano rolled his good eye and reminded

"Yah one of us. Act like it."

"Sorry boss."

Alex replied and a smile crossed Kano's face as he bumped Alex's chest with his fist. He said

"There is a good lad. Now take it easy tonight. Tomorrow you learn the ropes, got it?"

"Yes, Boss."

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