Chapter 1-It was unclear as to why Shao Kahn wanted to speak with me, yet here I am, kneeling and awaiting the emperor as he looks down on me from his throne. Without rising he says,"I assume you are aware of your comrades calling you a hero"."No emperor, I returned to my home in the valley after the battle,"I said,"even if I did...any other soldier would have done the same, and he would be called a hero too."he scoffed at this and rose from his throne saying,"Any Tarkatan that climbed out of the pit deserted you all; later facing my judgment"."You killed them?" I asked, "I have no need for a deserter and neither do I have need for a coward". Feeling uneasy that I may be his next victim I say,"Am I to fall from your judgment?"he shakes his head at me and says,"You are an honorable man Nathan, I have heard of your heroism in the pit, but I have yet to hear your story". He sits on his throne and gestures for me to rise,"Start at the beginning,when you first fought the demons."I get up and look at Shao Kahn,"We were traveling on foot around dawn," I said,"that's when we first encountered the creatures".
Chapter 2-My feet are aching, but I don't dare show weakness around my Tarkatan comrades, we march in three rows, with one-hundred tarkatans in each row. Marching with one soldier at both my sides, with Baraka, our general in front of me, we continue our trek through the desert. It's my first day on the field and they have me in the front, not because they think I'm a good fighter, because they think me to be a weak Edenian, they just want to get rid of me. "Hopefully the creatures don't scorch him entirely," I hear Barnabus say as he marches behind me," I like my meals raw.", most of the soldiers laugh at this and continue talking about who gets my arm or leg, as if I wasn't there. Baraka lifts his hand and we stop marching behind a hill,"We will attack at midnight,"Baraka says,"gather your strength!". We all find a place on the ground and begin to rest, as I close my eyes sand covers my head and face, I raise my head and see Barnabus laughing as he walks by me. I shake all the sand off my head and lay my head down on my arms, with my back to the sky. The ground feels warm and soft, it seems to be getting hotter, puzzled at this I sit up,the ground cracks open all around us, revealing the demons, clawing through the surface.
Chapter3-I Swing my katanas slashing at human-like demons coming at either direction, ash and fire covers the ground and I run to avoid it, tripping on a headless tarkatan in the process, one demon jumps on me, I stab through it's forehead and its blood drips on my face burning me. Startled I drop the katana in my left hand and wipe it off, a rhino-like demon charges at me and I manage to roll out of the way, The battleground was filled with demons devouring soldiers and blood splattered on the ground, stenching the air. I see Baraka fending off two demons with his arm blades and another one tackles him from behind knocking him over."Baraka!"I get up and run toward two of the creatures slicing their heads off with one quick swing of my blade, Baraka manages to kick the demon off him and it tackles me from my right side, thrusting its clawed left hand in between my ribs, I scream in pain and slice its head off making sure to avoid it's blood. I get up weakly and blood starts dripping from my mouth, the creatures suddenly start to retreat and the remaining soldiers start cheering, making us oblivious to the sudden earthquake opening a ten mile crater beneath our feet.
Chapter 4-Im too weak to rise, never fealt the precense of death, "No," I think to myself,"get up."opening my eyes I see nearly every soldier unconcious from the fall, lifting myself from the ground with my arms, my arms were covered in scratches and my right side had been bandaged, Baraka then lifts me up by my right arm helping me keep my balance, covered with his own bruises and scratches."You were nearly dead," he said,"we managed to find medical supplies amidst the rubble."looking up at Baraka I say"Thank you general". He nods and walks off saying,"I had to stop one of the soldiers from eating you". I couldn't help but scoff at this, that seemed like the least of my problems considering what I've been through today, fighting a battle with no armor just regular soldier uniform, Tarkatans don't fight with armor, they think that makes them stronger, I just find it idiotic. I hear a sudden scream and turn back to see a soldier fall from the wall of the pit, he became a pile of flesh and bone upon hitting the surface. The seven of the remaining fifty-three soldiers rush toward the pile and began fighting for the meat, with Baraka having to separate them and split the portions, I look up, grasping the thought of how deep the chasm was. The walls must've been over one-hundred-fifty feet in length, I walk up to the wall and grab a part of it only to have it crumble at my touch, the soldier fell consequently from the ground being burned, parts of it were extremely unstable. I could try to climb it, if I wasn't so weak, I must rest in order to conquer this wall. Barnabus pushes me to the side saying,"We will eventually make it out and you will be the only one left in the pit."great Barnabus made it, perfect,"Elder gods have mercy on me,"I say,"how could this idiot survive."he snarls and one of his blades come out of his left arm. Barnabus notices Baraka watching him and he instead turns to the wall,"I will climb out of this pit, for I have the strength of a Tarkatan, not a filthy Edenian."he jumps on the wall stabbing it with his blade, only for it to break apart dropping Barnabus on his back."You are at a disadvantage Barnabus,"I say,"you need intellect to climb out of the pit."he gets up snarling at me and walks away.
Chapter 5-Its been six days and a few Tarkatans managed to climb the wall, we haven't seen those two in three days, there are thirty-one of us left, I survived from scavenging food in the rubble, eating stale bread, and drinking hot water flasks, the others survived from eating the soldiers that fell off the wall. Most of my scratches and bruises have healed, not entirely, but to the point where it didn't hurt to lift my leg. I tied the peices of rope from the soldiers' uniforms' together, it may be enough for everyone soldier to climb out of the pit, all I need to do is make it to the top. I tie one end of the rope to my katana and wrap the rest of the rope over my soldier and around my waste, leaving three meters of the rope holding my katana. I walk to the wall and grab onto a rocky surface,"Don't be foolish,"Baraka says,"our strongest soldiers couldn't climb the pit, what makes you think an Edenian can?"I grew frustrated and turn back to look at the laughing soldiers,"If I don't climb I'll die of starvation and you all will eat me,"I say,"if I fall ill die and you all will eat me, no matter what I do you will get your meat! I'd rather die trying than die a coward's death!"the tarkatans grew silent at this, even Barnabus was speechless. I turn back to the wall and throw my katana at a part of it, the katana finds a hard surface, lodging itself into the wall, I grab on to the rope and climb up the wall, I repeat this process of throwing my katana and climbing up the rope, sometimes it would find a hard surface, mostly it would drop scorched Earth on me and I would have to dodge it as it fell, the katana nearly grazed my neck on one of my attempts. I eventually make it to the top, covered in sweat and laying on my back. After a brief period of rest I stab the katana into the ground so it's hilt is touching the surface and I throw the rope into the pit. Holding my katana in the ground, I await the soldiers, one by one they climb out of the pit, many of them thanking me when they reached the top. Barnabus and Baraka were the last ones out, Barnabus walking past me still speechless, but Baraka apologizing for his actions and thanking me,"He is like a child," Baraka said,"he'll have to thank you eventually."I brush off my blistered hands and Baraka helps me gather the rope, I untie my katana and put it in it's sheathe behind my back. Turning toward the general I say,"We must regroup back in the city, long way back general."Baraka then says,"Quan chi will pay for this, Shao Kahn will have his head". We silently march toward the city, my first week on the job could've gone better.
Chapter 6-"I returned to my home village, Odayakana, for two days,"I said to Shao Kahn,"Baraka then came to escort me to the temple, and that's where my story comes to a close."the emperor took some time to process the information,"You pass the test,"he said rising from his throne,"your story corresponds with Baraka's version, I now know you are qualified for an important task".I felt pride in myself, I passed Shao Kahn's test, he also sees me as an honorable man, I only wish my mother was alive to see this. I ask Shao Kahn,"What is this task?"He takes a while to respond, but when he does, I wish I wasn't the honorable man I am today."You will be a guardian for my daughter Mileena."upon hearing this I am speechless"Yes emperor..."I bow to him and walk out of the temple, I probably should've stayed in the pit...