Kotal Kahn was scowling at Rain. Erron and D'Vorah are powerful fighters, but he was worried for Ferra's safety. Tanya was a great assassin, after all.

Meanwhile, he had to worry about his own safety as well. The odds were not in his favor at the moment; what with at least twenty Tarkatans versus him, Reptile, and Ermac. Looking over at his companions revealed that they were already in fighting stances.

Ermac was levitating a few inches above the ground and his hands were glowing green. Reptile had a heavy scowl on his face and he had his claws bared and ready; he was growling. Kotal, realizing that there was no way around it, accepted that they were going to fight.

Fine by me, the Kahn thought, but we need an edge. If only the others were here. I also don't have my hooks or sword. Damn!

Staring straight into Rain's eyes, Kotal Kahn stood up to his full height with his chin raised and his arms wide, as though he were about to embrace him.

"Well," he said as his tattoos glowed a bright blue, signifying he was entering war god mode, "what are we waiting for, hydromancer?"

Rain smiled under his mask and replied, "Very well," and, to his soldiers, "Kill them!"

The Tarkatans immediately sprang into action, but so did Kotal's warriors. A Tarkatan swung at Reptile, but the Zaterran ducked under it and slashed his opponent's hamstring. The Tarkatan fell to his knees and was killed by Reptile's claws to his throat. Reptile spun around and spit acid into the face of the next nearest Tarkatan. The challenger's face immediately bubbled away, leaving a visible skull. Reptile engaged another one without missing a beat.

Meanwhile, Ermac was fighting a couple battles of his own. Stopping an oncoming swing with his telepathy, he quickly countered by breaking the Tarkatan's arm at the elbow; the limb was now bending at a ninety degree angle in the wrong direction. Ermac then finished him by clutching the Tarkatan's head with his powers and, with a flick of his wrist, twisting it's head one hundred and eighty degrees. Without delay, he then had to concentrate on blocking an onslaught of slashes from another two Tarkatans. After a dozen successful blocks, Ermac telepathically lifts the two challengers in the air with both hands and bends them backwards by clenching his fists. They fell to the ground with a sick thud. Ermac was then met with yet another unfortunate opponent.

Meanwhile, Kotal Kahn, being the emperor and the main target, was dealing with the most opponents. However, unfortunately for them, he was the strongest of the Outworlders. Grabbing the forearm of a challenging Tarkatan, Kotal cocked his head back and brought it crashing down onto the skull of the enemy in a skull-crushing headbutt. Moving on to his next opponent, Kotal gave him two hefty hooks to the face before unleashing an uppercut that caused the Tarkatan to fly into the air and then fall to the ground. The Kahn then clutched his next two opponents by the necks and shoved their heads together with a loud thud and crack. Without even a breath, the emperor caught an unlucky soldier in a bear hug and squeezed hard. He only released the Tarkatan when he felt the ribs shatter under the crushing embrace. The defeated enemy crumpled to the floor. Kotal's tattoos glowed ever brighter with the continuous kombat.

The generals and emperor were doing well, but they were only halfway done, and as they expected, Rain eventually joined the battle realizing he was loosing his advantage. Of course, he immediately went after the emperor. Rain sent a punch to Kotal's gut and face, only one of which was blocked. Taking advantage of Kahn's momentary daze, Rain used his hydromancer powers to form a water bubble around the Osh-Tekk's head, attempting to drown him. The Kahn, however, delivered a spinning kick to Rain's side, launching him to the side. Before he could finish the incapacitated hydromancer, however, he was hindered by two other Tarkatans. He went to work kombating them.

As Rain determinedly stumbled to his feet, he caught sight of Reptile slashing one of his soldier's stomach open. Unfortunately for Rain, Reptile saw him as well and immediately charged at him. Rain, thinking quickly, teleported behind the raptor with a splash of water and palm-striked him in the back.
Reptile fell to his chest, but was up again in an instant. Facing Rain, he started building up acid in his throat, ready to spit. Rain seemed to sense this, however, and rolled out of the way just as Reptile realeased his poison puke. The acid hit another Tarkatan in the chest; the unlucky soldier fell to the ground, writhing in pain as his ribcage became visible.

Reptile, realizing his last attack missed its mark, swung his leg at Rain's head. Rain ducked and swept his other leg out from under him. Reptile fell to his back, momentarily dazed.
Rain, seizing the opportunity, went to stomp on the Zaterran's throat, but before he could, a green aura surrounded his foot and it became immobile. His other foot suffered the same fate, and he was swept upside down in the air with his feet held together by the green aura. Rain wondered in his panic whom his attacker was, and was answered by an echoing voice.

"We have you now!" Ermac proclaimed with an almost-smile. Looking around, Rain noticed most of his army was either dead, dying, fighting, or backing away from the fray.

Realizing his situation, Rain shouted, "Forget them! Get Tanya!" All but two of his soldiers obeyed; only because one was busy having his throat ripped out by Reptile's teeth, and the other was being baked by the Kahn's sun god powers.

Noticing the retreat, Kotal turned away from his victim and towards Ermac, "How many?"

Ermac replied, "Eight or nine, our lord."

"Reptile," Kahn ordered before pursuing the retreating Tarkatans. The Zaterran nodded and followed. "Ermac," he called behind him, "keep a firm hold on Rain."

"Yes, your majesty," the soul keeper replied to no one, for the other two had already left.

"You fools," Rain shouted, "you have no hope for victory! At the very least, Tanya ha-"

He did not finish. He was slammed headfirst into the floor by Ermac, effectively knocked unconscious.

"Silence." Ermac said calmly.