**Theme for the moment**
Jinn watched the fight between Mando and Yinon with great interest. The Israeli was payed little attention for it was Ortega whom had been the one that the masked man had been interested in seeing fight once more. It was more than mere nostalgia that drew Jinn to wish to see Mando fight, his desire derived from a much more cerebral part of the mysterious man. Years had passed since Mando had been studying beneath Jinn. Such time could change a man for the better or worse, Jinn needed to be certain Mando was still the man he once was. It was for this reason alone that he had Yinon make the call to his old pupil. He was well aware Yinon's prickly personality would set off the unpredictable man. He needed only wait and watch the inevitable.
What he observed however was anything but the rebellious military man and dutiful pupil he once knew. Before him he saw a savage, glorious in his ferocity yet feral. Like a beast Mando hacked and slashed at his foe all the while taunting him relentlessly. No respect was shown to his adversary, none was warranted. Mando was merciless in his onslaught, the pure talent he displayed for brutality was on full display. Mando's style had mutated from the well timed and honed fighting man forged in the United States military. He had changed from the masterful combatant he had become under the tutelage of Jinn. No he was an entirely new breed of animal now.
As the blood of the Israeli wet the sands and Mando circled his pray, his machete in hand, Jinn was reminded of a scene he'd watch play out years ago. Jinn was in Africa working on destabilizing the government of a militarized zone and while out on the hunt for a general who had gone to ground he'd witnessed a solitary male lion. The beast looked hungry as if it hadn't eaten well in weeks. It's muscles appeared tired yet resilient. It's once kingly mane now was little more than patches of overgrown hair. It's entire body covered in scars and dried blood. Yet it was the beasts eyes that appeared in the fore front of Jinn's mind for he saw the same look in Mando's eyes now. The beast and the man had a crazed look to them, their mind fleeting leaving behind only feral savagery. Jinn remembered the look of the beast, eyes full of madness, it's jaws dripping frothy saliva. Sick with rabies the animal had wandered from it's pride and now found itself surrounded by a pack of ravenous hyenas. Instead of running for it's own survival or fighting carefully the beast was mad with a blood lust. It cared not for it's own safety but only to feed on the blood of whatever unfortunate creature ventured too close. Jinn remembered the lion, covered in gashes and bite marks as blood dripped from it's countless wounds fight on with a viciousness that gave the hyenas pause. The pack hounded the sick beast again and again, each time drawing more blood yet with each wave more hyenas fell to the mad beast. The lion lashed out with claws and teeth as Mando now lashed out with blade in hand. A roar in the throat of the beast, a curse in the throat of the man.
Jinn was unmoving as he watched the final moments of the duel, his hands holding his vest as his eyes followed the animal that now was his pupil finish the mercenary. He hacked off pieces of the man before setting to the nasty work of carving out the eyes of the man. The image of the lion being eaten alive as he continued to bite down on the throat of one final hyena flashed in Jinn's mind. Mando Ortega was not the man he once knew. That much was certain yet that didn't mean he was lost. On the contrary for...
"...even animals have their uses."
Jinn murmured under his breath, his voice so low none heard his words yet the sentiment rung truer than the clearest bell.