A night, a year, a lifetime of love and betrayal, a Shang Tsung x Cassandra romance
Chapter 1: Cassandra
Shao Kahn the conqueror was a brave man, and fierce warrior and a sexually depraved bastard. He wanted more women around him even if he had a lot already. Shang Tsung was a servant to Shao Kahn, a accomplished and highly intelligent sorcerer and vassal to the Emperor, who sent him to missions including hunting woman to his collection. But the emperor did not overlook into Shang Tsung's true being, a human, He was indeed a handsome man (after consuming many souls that make him back into his twenties), with a muscular build and a sharpened and well-proportioned face endorsed by two deep, dark eyes, a high-bridged nose and thin but well-rounded lips. His hair is long and smooth, flowing down his back gracefully and he is dressed in a long dark cloak over a black decorated greatcoat over a red robe, the layers upon layers of clothing gives him a mystified beauty. Neither Shao Kahn nor his servant cared for Shang Tsung's appearance, for Shang Tsung acted without emotion and was no use of their crude sexual practice. Shang Tsung is forced to get Cassandra, though protesting in his hearts, Shang Tsung rode forth leading a group of Shadow priests, most trusted sorcerer for Shao Kahn.
Cassandra was the victim. She was the younger sister of Sophitia, and like her, Cassandra is beautiful. She has fine blonde hair cut to shoulder length and tied back using a bow. Her face is beyond beautiful, not as refined and holy as her sister, but instead a childish purity is shown through her large emerald green eyes, a small nose and mouth that looked just too sweet when she smiles. And under that face is a well-proportioned body with a perfect S shape to it, and under that milky pale and silky soft skin, it is hard to resist. She, however, does not have a boyfriend yet, for that compared to her sister who married rather early, she is simply too childish. But the real reason that many does not accept into their heart, is that she is simply too pure to be born into a baker's family, simply too pure to marry an artisan, a blacksmith or a farmer, she deserves a noble.
Cassandra is still asleep in the morning when a group of hooded man came in through the door, followed by Shang Tsung himself, raising his head in disgust of the simplicity of the place. Cassandra was still asleep until she was awoken by the sound, she was stunned by that there is people in her room. "My child, you are…" "I know, sexy, hot, I've heard of these things millions of times before" Cassandra clearly has seen many of praises from men, for that she is beautiful. "The word I'm looking for is nonexistent to either of our languages" Shang Tsung smiled at her, "even elegant, beautiful and divine is too tainted for you." "Let me guess, you are…that guy I met yesterday, c'mon, took your hood off!" Cassandra joked even as she was extremely shocked. "Then, as you wish." Shang Tsung unbuckled and let go of the cloak, which slipped off of his long, smooth, black hair. Cassandra was stunned, she had not seen any man with such faces, it was refined yet strong, it was mature yet still with a imaginative side; she found it to be beyond her dreams.
"So you are Cassandra, my lord requests you to be in his circle of prostitutes." Shang Tsung spoke, and sighed soon after, "but I do not approve it." And then he draws his sword, long and elaborately decorated with a golden dragon emblem, and in a sudden stabbed into the shadow priest next to him. The other hooded men take their fight stance facing Shang Tsung, whose betrayal was unexpected. Shang Tsung grinned and shoot series of fireball at them, they all missed. Shang Tsung never predicts it might hit anyway, he did not intent to kill them. He quickly called out, "Cassandra, take your sword and come." And all the sudden Shang Tsung holds Cassandra's hand and carries her out the house and onto two of their best horses. Shang Tsung then severed the rope and took Cassandra far, only shouting back to the shadow priests "let your foolish sexually depraved maniac know that I am no longer his servant!"
Chapter 2: Ceres
Shang Tsung knew that they cannot rode to his palace, for that Shao Kahn will putting men there, and he counted his bag, 550 coins, that would not last long. Only long into the ride did Shang Tsung notice Cassandra was still undressed and shivering of the cold. "Here" he took off his coat and handed over to her, "We must enjoy the few days we have, for that the emperor would extend his wrath unto us." "Why you pulled me away in the first place?" "I just cannot see you getting whipped and used as sexual plaything for that dirty old man…I just can't" Shang Tsung then suddenly burst into a shameful cry, " how foolish am I!"
They remained silent for the next hour of ride and after that reached another town, a peaceful one called Ceres. Shang Tsung found a shop and tailored a suitable cloth for Cassandra and after that they almost immediately took refuge in a small inn. Shang Tsung has never slept in an inn before, its peasant like condition and its simplicity looked disgusting to him, but with Cassandra there, he did not complain. Soon, the night came, it was a long night; Shang Tsung and Cassandra could not sleep quietly. There is too much to worry about, Shao Kahn's men, money issue and each other. Cassandra felt tense, she tried to cheer up, but couldn't. So she decides to ask about the stranger that sat in front of her. "So… who are you, why are you here to save me and what's going on this morning?" Shang Tsung explained everything, and Cassandra turns into sobbing, about what, she doesn't know, this is no sympathy, not guilt, not grief; it is something else, something deep in her heart.
After a moment of silence, they looked toward each other. "Do you think we are in… love?" they asked each other simultaneously, and by unknown amount of time later, they found only love was guiding their actions. Cassandra then leaned back and slowly turned her head toward Shang Tsung, who reluctantly surrendered into kissing her, and then holds her close to him. And in the process, both of them noticed the other smile out of some uneasiness and both of them noticed their faces became red-hot…
The next morning, they both noticed themselves to be underdressed and they quickly put on something to cover themselves up. "Well, it's very nice of you, serving you felt great, at least better than that emperor." Cassandra joked. "Considering how you behaves, perhaps you would rather want to be the emperor's little sex slaves." Shang Tsung replied in a sarcastic voice while dressing himself into more layers, and soon after, his word became complains "I don't know how you are able to live here, there is no baths, no servant, not even a decent breakfast being prepared in the morning."
Chapter 3:netherealm
They tried to act normal during the second day, stayed down in their room only to plan further escape. "So, Cassandra, you have known of Netherealm, do you?" Shang Tsung suddenly asked. "No." was Cassandra's reply. "Netherealm is the true term to call hell." "What does that have to do with our plans?" "We cannot succumb to him, but if we die, I will be in the fifth plain waiting for you." "But do you think I will go to that wrenched place? That's far worse than anywhere I can imagine!"
"I do not have intension to go there either, I even seen disgust in places like here, but I wanted to talk to you because if we ever end up here, there is a route to get out, and I am telling you of this route. I have known another sorcerer named Quan Chi that can help us, he had been gracious of great many help I've given to him over all these years. He will resettle us somewhere else, but if you do not find him, we'll never meet each other again" Cassandra frowned, she did not understand this, "So, there's somebody in hell, that may help us if we're dead, and I'm supposed to go to him with you?" She asked for clarification
"Yes, you would go to him, he is easy to find, a bald silver skinned man dressed in black, it would be easy to find him because nothing else in Netherealm looked even a bit resemble of human, and you would not need to find him as that he would find you." And after another hour of talking, the day has ended, they saw what comes is not just night, but a band of Kahn's man as well.
Chapter4: Baraka
The ten men were all armed with bloody long swords or axes, and buckled on their belt, a whip, whip that Shang Tsung had been so disgusted of. They grabbed men, woman and children, whipping and stomping them, "they're playing!" Shang Tsung exclaimed as he saw such event, "that will never happens if I am to rule! You crude bastard"
The men did not hear him nor did they saw him despite he is right across the wooden window. He looked different now, his hair had been cut to shoulder length, his face grew old into what appears to be in the late forties and he was dressed in coarse cloak. But what everything he done for disguise cannot conceal is his eyes, dark red by color but shone bright with brilliance, with great depth and wise. One of the men suddenly turned to Shang Tsung, walking slowly as if he found something, and Shang Tsung could notice his hideous grin even under his mask.
"Sorcerer, I recognized you even if you gone to hell!" he took off his cloak and the crude iron mask, the face was hideous, it is pale and fleshy, on it were two small, squinty yellow eyes and a huge mouth filled with razor sharp teeth, he was clearly not human. "Enough, Baraka!" Shang Tsung shouted and walked out of the shadow. "I knew it was you!" Baraka smirked and jumped down the horse, forcing a long curved blade out from his muscular arms. Shang Tsung did not wish to fight when Cassandra is by his side; for that it would be unwise, he was not the target, and Baraka's wish, is Cassandra, he was unimportant, he thought.
"So, your bastard would try to get a girl for but a while of his sexual pleasures with all cost, how crude and foolish." Shang Tsung taunted and suddenly swung his blade to the masked guard; killing them one by one with graceful swings, soon, all it left in the room is Baraka, Shang Tsung and Cassandra. "You're outnumbered, barbarian, go before I kill you." A word came out Shang Tsung's mouth, but Baraka fiercely launched himself toward Shang Tsung, he had no interest in words, but the blade pierced only the back door, what comes after that is a fly kick right into Baraka's belly, launching him up into the air. Baraka knew the move, it was the demonic impersonation Shang Tsung uses to change his form, and judge from the hit, it was a form of Liu Kang, he can only judge it because he cannot see the being, for it was too fast. Baraka, in panic, swings his blade around wildly, it all missed, but right before Shang Tsung could be ready from the last attack, a spark flied across the air, and on Shang Tsung's left cheek suddenly a line of red running down. Shang Tsung groaned and turned back, and Baraka delivered another strike, but before it hit, a hit was delivered by Cassandra, Baraka was pierced by the thrust, and then Cassandra punted him with her shield, forcing Baraka flying into the air. Baraka fell down on the floor, wounded, incapable to move. He watched, with eyes squinted and fist clenched, as Shang Tsung left with Cassandra, leaving behind only with a few words faintly engraved into his mind "Soon this would end, Cassandra, soon this will all end."
Chapter 5: Quan Chi
The ride lasted days and nights, and at the last night, they arrived at Shang Tsung's palace. The place was built long ago, it consists of an elaborately decorated structure of eastern architecture with dragons and phoenixes emblems made of gold and jade shone, a beautifully done garden where the most exotic plant and animals were kept and tended with greatest delicacies, and Outside the three gates leading to the palace, a wide courtyard where Mortal Kombat tournament was announced, and all of it were all on top of a mountain, high and majestic, surrounded by beautiful but dangerous forest where the most noble creature as well the most wretched demon dwelled, and everything was inside the most cultured and prosperous land in Outworld, Shang Tsung's personal empire.
Shang Tsung had an army of men completely loyal to him, not Shao Kahn to guard the place, the only place he can take refuge from the wrath. " Prepare the army, defend all our land from Kahn's force, make sure nothing goes in, our out." Shang Tsung commanded to his army, he knew this might save him a few days, how long would the army stop the emperor, he cannot say.
After the war broke out for three days, Shang Tsung heard a sound through the door of his study, it was a fight, fearful, he ran out the place only to see his longtime ally, Quan Chi stood before him and in the pool of acid deep below, the body of an assassin. "I propose an alliance." Quan Chi said boldly, holding out his large, gloved hand. "What for? And how did you even get out of Netherealm?" Shang Tsung asked in panic. "I escaped through a portal toward Outworld, I found an army, the legendary army of the dragon king, but I need help revive them with your talent of transporting souls." Quan Chi replied, in the same bold voice. "So the world would be in your hand…I see, I agree, under one condition." Quan Chi cut in, as if he knew what Shang Tsung would say as a request, "I will open a soulnado for you to consume as much souls as you could, I really need your help" unlimited souls to preserve youth and power were for long a desire for Shang Tsung, but to this time, it was not that to be the condition, "That would be a useful bonus, I suppose, but what I really want is that you to help me to eliminate Shao Kahn." Shang Tsung said while thinking. "That's for you, Cassandra." And he held up his hands to Quan Chi.
Chapter 6: request
The next day Reptile came, a creature resembling a man, a ninja to be specified, but the nature of his look were mostly reptilian, with green-scaled skin and yellow eye with a slit for the pupil. He had knew not of the treachery of Shang Tsung, but only to deliver a message for Shang Tsung to help the emperor. Shang Tsung was frightened; Reptile was a powerful assassin, and a threat to himself and Cassandra. Reptile looked toward the mammal the Shang Tsung looked toward the lizard, they do not recognize each other as hundred years past both of them looked so dramatically different: Shang Tsung had shed at least 40 years from his former self, the old man reptile had recognized. And reptile became somewhat more reptilian than his previous more humanoid form. They posed into fighting, mistaking the other as an assassin.
Reptile attacked first, flinging his fist toward Shang Tsung's heart, but Shang Tsung spun out the way and draws his sword to cut into reptile, but the blade missed and on it's edge was reflection of Reptile agilely flipped up into the air and spat acid at Shang Tsung. The sorcerer jumped and gracefully dodged it and fires a few flaming skull to reptile. Reptile dodges most of them, but the last one hit him direct on. The flame burned Reptile's body, and reptile falls down from the roof and hit the floor with a "thud". "Now what do you say, creature?" Shang Tsung demanded. "You filthsssssssy human! Emperor needed to ssssssee SSSSShang Tsung!" Reptile hissed in pain. "Is that so? I am Shang Tsung, now for what reasons?" "Sssssssorry, I do not know. He wanted you to supressss a rebellion, yesssssss. Masssstah Shao Kahn needed you there." "I will be right there soon. Leave now, Lizard!" Shang Tsung ended the demand with the following word while draw his sword and impale Reptile straight in the heart (but reptile survived and moved onto serving Nitara).
Shang Tsung decided it is a perfect moment for eliminating the emperor, and after a brief discussion of plan, Shang Tsung led Quan Chi toward the fortress. The fortress was dark and ominous, it had a look resembled a skull on top of a huge tower, which seems to be also made of numerous of skulls. Shang Tsung admits he hates the place, it was crude and inhuman, the sound of torture would be heard, and whips and axes decorated the bloody walls. While Shang Tsung creped in fear, however, Quan Chi is smiling and making jokes, he had been used to that setting, it was what his fortress was like, and what Netherealm was like. In such settings, most mortals would cry out the in terror, forgetting love and hate, but even this could not erase Cassandra's image in the sorcerer's mind.
Chapter 7: Emperor's demise
They ascended the tower, followed by a group of shadow priests. And an hour of climb later, they arrived at Shao Kahn's chamber, the darkest corner of the dark tower. As they ascended to the throne, the shadow priest left. "Have you got her? Shang Tsung." Shao Kahn demanded, but Shang Tsung would not dared to speak, the emperor can hear his thought whenever he speaks. The corridor's green torches and skulls on the wall make the place seem to be in a void, but neither Shang Tsung nor Quan Chi looked panicked. He approached the emperor and took a solemn bow with Quan Chi, but after the bow, he did not speak. Instead he charged full speed alongside Quan Chi at the emperor.
Quan Chi attacked first, a fist that knocks Kahn off balance, and then, a barrage of fireballs. Shao Kahn was stunned, yet boldly he grasped his hammer and landed it onto Shang Tsung. Shang Tsung quickly raised a magical shield and drew his sword, long and decorated, and stabs it right into the eye socket of Shao Kahn's skull helmet. Shao Kahn gasped in pain and swung his hammer again, smashing Shang Tsung's armor, it crumbled into dust and the sorcerer flew into the wall from the force. Then, Shao Kahn turned toward Quan Chi and smashed him hard in the face, disfiguring the already disfigured face, and in a sudden the hammer turned and smashed on the demon's back.
Shang Tsung got up, dazed and wounded, but quickly regenerate himself by stealing the soul of a nearby guard and then shot a fireball toward the emperor, it missed, but distracted Shao Kahn so Quan Chi could have a slim chance of counterattack. As Shang Tsung expected, Quan Chi got up in and struck the emperor's arm with a quick open palm, forcing the hammer out of his hand and then cut the hand off in a quick draw of his broadsword. Unarmed and weakened, Shao Kahn knew his end is near, but he retaliated nevertheless. But the effort is proven futile and soon, a scream was heard and the emperor fell from his throne. Shang Tsung had cut off the emperor's head, and while he did that, he recalls, "This blow, my lord, is for Cassandra." The lifeless Shao Kahn laid on the floor, and as his helmet rolls off the severed head, it reveal a grotesque sight, a face of a glutton with double chin and a face so inhuman, mouth deeply bloated from syphilis and a eyes so piercing that all would scream at sight of it.
And finally, as the emperor died, the slaves ran out into the hall cheering. These women, once beautiful, were becoming grotesque of sight, with mouth deformed as Kahn's and body emitting revolting stench. "At least I saved you from this, Cassandra, you will not become of them." Shang Tsung walked down the corridor surrounded by hideous freaks that were once extraordinary beauty he brought upon the emperor. And again, Shang Tsung found it revolting while Quan Chi, a form of twisted pleasure. He traveled back to his palace; he knew he doesn't have to run anymore, neither would Cassandra, Quan Chi would keep them safe, keep them protected from such horrible fate, as long as he was proven useful, as long as he could make Quan Chi felt grateful.
As the sorcerers returned triumphant, Cassandra embraced Shang Tsung with a lovely smile on her face; she knew they wouldn't have to run anymore, she knew they could finally be together, spending together a night with dreams, a pleasant night. And gazing at the sight, Quan Chi raised his head and walked away.
Epilogue: The breakoff
Shang Tsung had proven many use to Quan Chi over the next year, the forces of light was soon defeated under their hands, that moment, Shang Tsung had realized, he was no longer useful, he was no longer needed. In that realization, he sent Mavado, his best assassin to assassinate Quan Chi, a failed attempt as Quan Chi had escaped. But the event would not be so fortunate for Shang Tsung, however, as Quan Chi was too deceptive to openly challenge the strengthened Tsung. Instead, he attacked Cassandra, killing her in her sleep. Shang Tsung, unaware of the murder, was almost victorious, he had defeated all heroes even Kung Lao, the monk who had been seeking vengeance ever since he friend Liu Kang's death at Shang Tsung's very hand.
All standing in his way, now, is Raiden. Shang Tsung and Quan Chi dropped their weapon as respect for rules of Mortal Kombat, and in return, Raiden would relinquish immortality as to the same rule: the battle must fought hand to hand, mortal to mortal. Quan Chi first charged at the thunder god, but Raiden evade him and knocked him backward with his fist. Then it was Shang Tsung's turn. Fighting hand to hand is the strength to Shang Tsung with much knowledge of nearly every fighting style, but it was still not enough fighting a god with millennium of knowledge, Raiden simply teleported behind Shang Tsung and sent a charge of electricity shocking him from behind, then turned to zapping Quan Chi with charge after charge.
Shang Tsung laid on the ground, weakened, and from the immobile eyes, he saw through the slit of the door, the severed head of none other than Cassandra, he wished to challenge Quan Chi in seek of vengeance, but the fight with Raiden prevented him from do so, for that if he betray Quan Chi now, he would surely be dead at the hand of the merciless thunder god. Quan Chi, knowing Shang Tsung had seen the trick, grinned toward Shang Tsung while landing a powerful punch at Raiden, but Raiden, catching the opportunity, quickly evaded the punch and zapped Quan Chi back. Quan Chi was stunned; he raised a wall of green colored skull attempting to stop the lightning, but soon was blast back once again. Shang Tsung knew if Quan Chi lost, he would be dead; so in attempt to end the fight quickly, he suddenly stole a soul from the soulnado and fired a flaming skull at Raiden, forcing him off balance. Just as then, Quan Chi used magic to grab Raiden's body off the ground, and signal Shang Tsung to deliver the final blow. Shang Tsung was disgusted, but formed a flaming serpent in the air nevertheless and with it, blasted Raiden back to the ground, knocking him unconscious. Knowing it is the time, Shang Tsung raised his fist again in a gesture to challenged Quan Chi. The fight was intense, as Shang Tsung fought bravely, but he was not strong enough, weakened by the last blow he gave Raiden, the sorcerer had lost, and was knocked unconscious by Quan Chi, who almost chocked him to death and disfigured his handsome face with a blow. Quan Chi stood amidst the body of many, allies and enemies alike, and he manically laughed.
And just by the time, Onaga came in, the dragon king's majestic step shook the very floor of the palace, and Quan Chi's fireball simply bounced off of his great body covered by scales. While Quan Chi futilely resist, Shang Tsung had awoke, and soon got up again, he was in panic to see the dragon king, and was still enraged of Quan Chi's betrayal, but he realized to be destroyed right after the death of Quan Chi is not rational, he cannot act of brashly, Cassandra is only a lady, after all sooner or later she would die, perhaps it is even better for her to die than suffering under Quan Chi. Shang Tsung thought while fired his most powerful blast at the dragon king, and soon, Raiden joins in, but even the three cannot destroy the dragon king, it is simply futile. And soon, Shang Tsung had become blown away; he is killed by Raiden's last blast.
The sorcerer knew he will descent to hell, he will suffer, his long life would end in the place horrifies him the most, the place he tried to avoid for thousand of years. With the realization, Shang Tsung struggled, but was soon unconscious. As he woke up, instead of Netherealm, he found himself in a paradise with Cassandra sanding next to him, purer than ever before, with white wings sprout out of her back and her whole body glowing so ever brightly-----she is now a guardian angel, his guardian angel. But as the dark cloaked sorcerer struggles to grab hold of her, he became dragged further away by another force, and then even further, until Cassandra is but a faint light in the sky. He woke up only to find himself in Shao Kahn's chamber; everything seemed to be back before the formation of deadly alliance, before his betrayal, before Cassandra. The world runs on without Cassandra, but for the sorcerer, he would still see the very smile that warms him the most every time he dreams, and every time he gazed at the sky, he would know the exact star that Cassandra had become, the most beautiful of them, the one that burned the brightest in the sorcerer's eyes, for the rest of his eternal life.