PRESENT TIME
"If you value the peace you started, do not attempt to convince me to stop!" Hanzo angrily yelled at his rival.
Subzero cast an ice replica of himself just before the incoming kunai, when the ice shattered, Hanzo was no where to be seen in the forest of Arctika. Scorched leaves against the trees suggested teleportation was used.
As though it was sixth sense, Sub Zero turned around and dodged a kick to the forehead, a part of Hanzo's foot still connected to the cyromancer's head. Kuai Liang was unable to adjust to his sudden shock to the head and felt a determined punch to the stomach. He managed to block the next few blows and came to an arm lock with Hanzo.
"Hanzo, calm yourself. Your thirst for vengeance is already quenched. We both sought to protect earthrealm, do not attack what you cannot guilt."
"Enough, you had your warning!" Snarled the yellow clad ninja.
Subzero blocked the incoming knee that would have connected to his stomach and he elbowed Hanzo in the jaw. Only to notice the full force of his blow did not make it through as Hanzo teleported. A feeling a fire still lingering on Kuai Liang's arm.
Before he knew it, he felt a sharpness behind his back then to the front of his ribs, the kunai connected. It dragged him into a tree. Everything when dark the second his head impacted with the bark.
WEEKS PRIOR
Kuai Liang mind drifted between the events leading to this present moment, it has been days of him pursuing his old rival, Scorpion. After the death of Quan Chi, it seemed a rumour has spread the the sorcerer had offspring, mostly illegitimate and unstable half demons limited to thrive within the Netherealm.
Outworld sources reported differently, Reptile had been watching D'vorah very carefully. The Kytiin was not a leader but a follower and now on the run from Kotal Kahn and Outworld. She had been hoping to find this one child believed to be capable of harnessing Quan Chi's revival sorcery. Reptile revealed this leak to the emperor of Outworld who in turn sought to earn favour once again from the protectors of earth realm. When wind got to Scorpion, Raiden had once again asked Sub-Zero to do what is right. It had been a three way race to find this individual.
Sub-Zero had followed the scorched earth and was tracing the path. He knew the man, Hanzo, well enough that he would tend to be single minded, focused entirely and stubbornly on one goal of what is in front of him. The yellow clad grandmaster swore to kill all these spawns of the sorcerer. That is when Hanzo always becomes more Scorpion than Hanzo Hasashi.
Although they have their truce, Hanzo chartered into Lin Kuei territory in pursuit of the Tengu clan. The lead passed to Raiden implied the Tengu at one point formed an alliance with Quan Chi but the sorcerer felt the warriors were less reliable and hence became involved with the Lin Kuei prior to the events of Mortal Kombat and the massacre of the Shirai Ryu. Before he abandoned the Tengu, he had left a child of his who is said to be healthy and stable more so than the rest of the demon spawns. Most importantly, someone capable of harnessing similar magic.
It was still protocol for Lin Kuei students to address trespassers whether they realized that was the Scorpion of the Shirai Ryu. Some of the students have been severely injured, Kuai Liang was in no mood to allow any more students to be killed or injured in his behalf. He will get to the bottom of this.
PRESENT
Kuai Liang lifted his eyes, he glanced as his wounds which should have stung but they did not and he looked completely healed without traces of scratches or scars. He can see from looking at the ground that is he still sitting up against the tree. He then felt something pressed on his lips.
"Drink," a feminine voice commanded, he looked up to meet a dark t-shaped line. A mask belonging to a woman who was kneeling in front of him, a long scythe seemed to be on her other hand but something was odd about the blade of the scythe as it glowed orange. He knew this was made of energy and not metal. She wore a long white hood but wore the signature Tengu face mask. The color of grey with a dark slit indicated she was an individual of rank. She was alone with him.
"It is not poison, I would not heal you just to poison you after," she said, her expression invisible. She pulled back the canister of water a few inches away only to hold his lips again. He decided to drink as the several days long pursuit and fighting finally caught up to him.
"Hmm…you realize the river is 25 minutes away of walk time," she comment, tilting her head back a bit as she observed the canister is now empty. "Stay here, I will get you some more."
"Wait," he managed to croak out, she seemed to ignore his plea, continuing to get up anyways and turn her back to him. Just as she took her first step away, he manage to grab her wrist.
She stopped and turned her head to glance at his hand that clutched on her wrist. "What is it?"
He let go of her wrist. He had the mindset that he was sit injured but he then he realize he risen up with ease likely to magic. "How long have you.."
"I have been here with you for 2 hours but I found you alone and injured, although not completely critical. Your lost blood has been restored," She said as she turned to faced him and found herself arching her neck up to look him in the eyes. It felt like a whole head of a height difference.
"This is bad," he uttered out loud to himself. This meant he is at least 2 hours behind in catching up with Scorpion. Heck, the man likely made already to the Tengu clan.
"Yes it is bad," she replied out of acknowledging his thoughts and being sarcastic behind the mask. As if she were debating of the right comment to say or right thing to suggest to a stranger she did not know.
"My apologizes, I spoke aloud my own thoughts. But you have my thanks," he replied and shook his head.
"You are here because?" She looked back up at him. He realized he may have already been in Tengu territory. Looking right at a small opening of the long hood she wear he can see glimpses of orange and black.
"I…I was in pursuit of a ninja of the Shirai Ryu who threatened to seek answers with…your clan," he said in phases in order to cautious in his response. "You have ranking within the Tengu."
"I suppose," she replied looking down slightly at the opening of her hood realizing he must have noticed the color scheme hidden behind the long hood that covered her feet and of course, the obvious face mask. She turned her head to look at his again, based on her physical gestures alone, it expressed calmness and confidence much like how he was brought up. "Should my clan concerned, warrior of Lin Kuei?"
"He is one of earthrealm's deadliest kombatants. He seek a vengeance he has already carried out. Even after he sought his justice, it was not enough for him. He is a reasonable man seeking peace, but I am afraid reason has been lost to the history involving a sorcerer by the name Quan Chi who once allied with the Tengu. This has set my friend's rage a flame…There is more, I am afraid there are enemies of earthrealm interested in locating a capable child of Quan Chi's sorcery." He cautioned.
"My clan, they…they have a outpost…about an hour away, he may have arrived there already," she fidgeted. "I need to go."
She started walking in the direction toward the output but then stopped and turned to face him. "It has been a long time since the Tengu has whispered of that sorcerer. All that remains with the Tengu is some blood."
Subzero quickly put two and two together, he could not have healed this way without magic or sorcery, here was a being alone with him associated with the Tengu, this may be the person he is looking for. "Who..are you?" He asked.
"I am Rae," she said, "And I would expect that only the best of Lin Kuei warriors would dare roam to this territory. You seem more than that."
"I am known as Sub-Zero," he responded.
"Ah.. I have at least heard of your name, you are a grandmaster. You have my welcome, but I cannot linger," she bowed slightly and raised back to full height which was a pale comparison to his height.
"I would like to accompany you to the outpost, should you allow," he requested as a slight sense of guilt loom over him should he find the warriors at the outpost heavily injured.
She tilts her head at him as if making a judgement call on his character and then finally said, "Do not fall behind….even though you take larger strides."
They walked briskly together. Both seemed quiet. The longer they walked, the more sure Sub-Zero was sure he has confirmed her identity. Since he has already met the target he sought to assess, he could not shake his memories of how he had been negatively impacted by sorcery and demons in the past.
"You…are experienced in magic? It is not customary of the Tengu to specialize in that area," he finally broke the silence, more out of curiosity then for confirmation. He knew his allies back at special forces eagerly wanted some alternative to free the enslaved revenants.
"I am self taught if that is what you mean. Tengu focus on developing physical skills." She turned to face him and stopped. "If you cared about your friend's goal, you would have aided him in his quest. What is it about 'MY' blood ties are you after?"
Secrets and agendas now became less transparent. Kuai Liang cleared his throat and looked slightly away. "You knew…." He started and paused briefly. She nodded but not taking her eyes off of him. He saw a flying inspect out of the corner of his eye that seemed unnatural to earthrealm, he quicks grabs her arm and runs towards a less open area of the forest.
"Um,… alright, I also admit to being scared of flying insects," she replied when he let go casually not quite understanding they were in danger.
"Now is not the time for your enthusiasm, " he assessed as he analyzed his surroundings.
A hive of wasps swarmed them, splitting them apart briefly. Sub-Zero casted ice walls to freeze as much as he can in air. He spots two giant Krawlers now too close to him on the ground and jumps back defensively allowing an ice replica to block the explosive blast of the Krawlers reaching the supposed target.
Rae turns to dodge but then found herself dodging which looked to be a giant leg of an insect. She gives a small shout of surprise only to smack lips with an vile creature.
She then knew something is wrong with her mask and likely her hood so she backs up, rips the mask and her hood right off. Her hair now loose without the mask holding it in place. She looks in horror as her discarded armour melted into a yellow puddle full of grey insects.
"This one suspected you fit the description," entered D'vorah who analyzed the pale face with dark brown hair. Rae was shocked and did not expect to have her personal space invaded so suddenly.
"You will finish what your father started and restore Lord Shinnok," the Kytiin demanded.
"The Tengu gave in to the sorcerer's desires once, they became less for it. I will never surrender," she placed herself in a defensive stance and readied her scythe.
The stingers charged at her and dodged them then find herself now trying to dodge blows. The Kytiin was far more aggressive then she could ever be. She does what can only make sense for her and finds the opening to jabs the blade end of her scythe into the Kytiin's foot right at the ankle down to the earth. A fiendish cry emits in the air.
Rae backs up as wasp hive shot at her. D'vorah, rips her foot off in pain but the shell of her skin forms back instantly and she is about to charge, only to be shot by a strong blast of ice. Sub-Zero runs up and smashes the creature into bits.
"She may recompose herself," he commented. He begins freezing the ground around, but it would be impossible to stop every insect into the area.
"Oh…I can try this," She placed her hand on the ground and uttered a few whispers and the ground became black, she motioned him to get off the ground where she casted her spell, Finally they get to an area Rae identifies as safe. "About that…you have my apologies."
"It is alright, but it concerns me that I have fallen behind to reaching the Tengu," he said.
"All the reason more why I need to return," she then finishes her sentence. He turns to look at her, now feeling he has met someone for the first time, unprepared a rather innocent face to be looking back at him despite her sarcastic front. She had some long bangs framing the bottom of her heart shaped face. She had pale skin, not to Quan Chi's demonic level. Her eye shape, doe with straight eyebrows.
"Agreed," he nodded after realizing he should not be looking that long at anyone's face for the matter.