Mortal Kombat is property of Netherrealm Studios and WB.
Once Upon a Time is property of Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis.
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Chapter 1. "A Death in the family"
SOMEWHERE IN NORTHERN CHINA
Kuai Liang sat semi-lotus in the main dojo of the Lin Kuei headquarters, his mind in deep meditation. Without compromising his concentration he shuffled his feet into zazen so that he was now sitting on both feet with his knees shoulder-with apart. He allowed to breathing to go deeper; sharp inhales contrasting with relaxed exhales. To the casual onlooker it would have looked like standard Zen, save for the fact that each exhalation came colder then the next.
He rose to his feet; a broad-shouldered man in his mid-twenties. His straight black hair, high cheek-bones and slanted blue eyes pointing to an ancestry mixing east and west. Shifting his back foot to a cat-stance, he began the Nijushisho kata – twenty-four movements combining Chinese dragon-style with Okinawan fighting, consisting of punches, elbows and kicks.
"Shi-Yarr!"
The shout resounded throughout the hall, thus completing both the exercise and the meditation.
"As a acolyte who has successfully passed the trials, your form should not have been so… shaky," a voice said.
"Smoke, sempai." Kuai answered.
Tomas Vrbada materialized in front of Kuai; an ability that the younger ninja still found unnerving in spite of years spent under the mentorship of the grey-haired "senior brother."
"Your meditations have been getting shorter and shorter, Tundra," Smoke stated, addressing Kuai by his assigned designation. "You worry about your brother, don't you?"
Bi-Han. "The stories we've heart about Mortal Kombat," Tundra/Kuai replied. "When I heard that Bi-Han, Sektor and Cyrax have been given the quest to compete and kill Shang Tsung…" his voice trailed off. "They left here a week ago. The fact that we're still here, alive, must mean that Earth-realm has won!"
As if on cue, the doors to the dojo opened as two other Lin Kuei – one dressed in red, the other yellow – entered.
"Sektor! Cyrax! Where's-" The two other acolytes obviously didn't share Kuai's celebratory mood. "-Bi-Han?"
"Tundra," Sektor started.
Cyrax produced a long object wrapped in silk, unveiling it to reveal a long, two-handed saber.
"Bi-Han's miao-Dao" Smoke said.
"Kuai Liang, we're… sorry for your loss," Cyrax stated.
"This sword has been in my family since the Qing dynasty. Bi-Han would only take it on a mission if he knew death was imminent…" Kuai tried to suppress the sob in his throat as he received the miao-dao. "Was it Shang Tsung?"
Cyrax shook his head. "He was defeated by the last member of the Shirai-ryu clan. Hanzo Hasashi."
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THE WU-SHI ACADEMY
"So I take it the debrief didn't go as you would have hoped?" Johnny Cage asked.
"If you mean being honest about sorcerers, hell-ninjas and inter-dimensional tyrants," Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs answered. "I don't think the President believed half of it."
"Luckily his Science Advisor happened to be in the Oval Office at the time" Lt Sonya Blade added. "There's been a lot of funny stuff happening around the world while we were stuck on the island."
"Like what?' Johnny asked.
"A weather Satellite recently picked up a blizzard in a town in Maine," Sonya replied.
"At this time of year?!" Johnny exclaimed.
"But get this," Jax said. "The satellite showed zero cloud cover or any precipitation. The blizzard seemed to start on the ground from a central point in the outskirts before spreading across the whole town. But that's only the start of it – the town was surrounded by an inland glacier wall."
Johnny frowned. "That's just… freaky. You don't think it could be-"
"Quiet," Kung Lao whispered. "Raiden's about to start."
The remaining Earthrealm warriors sat in the front row of an amphitheater filled with Buddhist monks. Lord Raiden, looking as sage as ever, gestured for Liu Kang to step forward.
"Liu Kang, champion of the tenth and final Mortal Kombat, on behalf of the residents of Earthrealm I present to you this token of achievement and gratitude." Raiden presented Liu Kang a gold medallion.
"Thankyou, Lord Raiden." Liu saluted.
"No, Liu Kang, it is you we have to be thankful for-" Raiden stopped mid-sentence as he appeared to be staring into blank space before he clutched the sides of his head and let out a groan of deep pain.
"Raiden!"
Everyone rushed to surround the protector of Earthrealm as his mind was flooded with visions and voices. A coastal town surrounded by a purple mist. A green skinned woman riding a broomstick. A girl in a red cloak turning into a wolf. A young boy embracing a troubled mother.
"Henry!"
"Not evil… Wicked!"
"Listening to you has been enough suffering for all of us."
"I will always find you."
"She… must… win…" Raiden muttered. The visions ceased and the elder God regained his composure.
"Lord Raiden, what was it?" Liu asked.
"A vision," Raiden replied. "A coastal town immersed in magic where the realms overlapped and merged."
"Do you think it could be Shao Kahn?" Kung Lao offered.
Raiden shook his head. "No. This place felt… different, yet familiar."
"A coastal town, you said?" Johnny began, turning to Jax and Sonya. "You don't think it has anything to do with your 'ground-blizzard' does it?"
"I was thinking the same thing," Jax answered. His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his cell-phone. "Excuse me. This is Briggs…"
"I must speak with the Elder Gods," Raiden said. He turned to Sonya. "It would be worthwhile to examine this town in Maine. Find out who or what is behind it."
"Yes, Lord Raiden." Sonya answered. By now Jax had finished his phone call.
"That was from Langley," he said. "The Boston office just spotted someone matching Scorpion's description making his way to Portland."
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THE LIN KUEI HEADQUARTERS
A normal day for a resident of the Lin Kuei stronghold would typically involve chores, meditation, training and scholastic activities. Not so for Kuai Liang. Upon hearing of his brother's demise at the hands of the Shirai-Ryu assassin, he retreated to his personal chambers.
A knock on the door. "Tundra?"
"Enter," Kuai replied.
Cyrax stood in the doorway. "The Grandmaster requests your presence in his office."
"Be right there."
Kuai Liang made his way through the corridors of the Lin Kuei headquarters to the Grandmaster's offices. He reached a large door with the Lin Kuei symbol: A circle with a triangle at the centre and three crescents at each corner.
"Tundra, please come in," an elderly voice said.
Kuai entered the large chambers to see the Grandmaster, an old ninja in an ornate maroon robe, seated behind his desk.
"Master," Kuai bowed.
"Kuai Liang. The Lin Kuei shares your grief over the loss of your brother."
Kuai said nothing in response.
"Speak your mind, young one," The Grandmaster said.
"That would not be best," Kuai responded.
"I must have your thoughts," The Grandmaster commanded. "Especially with regards to the information I have to present you."
Kuai hesitated. "I feel anger not just towards my brother's loss. But towards the one who took his life." Scorpion. "Bi-Han was the only family I had."
"Good," The Grandmaster answered. "Bi-Han was one of our most adept and cunning operatives. A prime example of all that we teach and strive for. Competing in Mortal Kombat was his fifth mission. Had he survived and succeeded In assassinating Shang Tsung, he would have easily fulfilled the qualifications for a master and be able to take on his own students."
"I should have went with him," Kuai offered.
"You have only just completed your own training!" The Grandmaster proclaimed. "You are still yet to test your skills and powers outside the confines of these walls. That being said however, I believe current circumstances warrant you being granted your first quest."
A quest? "What would you have of me?"
The Grandmaster produced two black and white photographs. "We intercepted these two images via CIA sources we're currently hacking." The first image showed an alley in a downtown area. In the foreground was someone dressed in typical ninja garb. Scorpion.
"This photo was taken in Boston. He seems to be making his way to Maine."
"You want me to pursue?" Kuai asked.
"No, that is not your quest. Though a confrontation may not be unexpected." The Grandmaster pointed to a second photograph, this one an infrared weather picture. "This is where we believe Scorpion is headed. A small coastal town. Nothing immediately significant, though it is not on any map. And blizzards usually don't happen during summer, nor do inland glaciers."
"You're saying…" Kuai's mouth suddenly became dry.
"Yes, Tundra," The Grandmaster answered. "Another cryomancer. Like yourself and your brother. Your mission is to investigate what – or who - caused this anomaly. And if possible, rescue and recruit." The Grandmaster produced a set of forged documents. "Visa and a ticket to Bangore via New York. Cyrax is preparing the helicopter as we speak to take you to Beijing."
"Will he and Sektor be accompanying me?"
"No. Sektor is still committed to Project Tekunin. He's about to start mass production."
Project Tekunin. Or "Operation: 'Tin-Man'" as some of the younger initiates called it.
"One more thing," The Grandmaster added. "I must ask that you leave your acolyte uniform behind, as well as your designation as 'Tundra'."
"Leave it behind?" Kuai was puzzled.
The Grandmaster leaned forward. "Your brother's reputation still precedes him. And many of our enemies are still not yet aware of his death. I must ask that you take his place."
Kuai bowed. "More stealthful than night; more deadly than dawn!"
The Grandmaster returned the salute. "Good luck, Sub-Zero."
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A/N: I wrote this chapter (as well as Ch2) under the premise that something like the ice wall would be too hard to conceal in broad daylight, magic or no magic.