Sorry for the wait guys. I was busy and could not bring myself to write when I had the free time.

Here is the next chapter and hopefully it won't be as long until the next one.


The next week weighed heavy on Sub-Zero. First there was Frost's funeral. A very somber affair, it was held in the lowest level of the temple. She was placed in the room reserved only for the temple masters, having well earned her place among the greats. Next came the fortifications of the temple itself. Never again would that creature, that Predator as it came to be called, ever scale Lin Kuei walls. Spikes were lined around the wall's edge, making any climb impossible without injury. Traps were placed within the wall itself, traps that would at least seriously injure any intruder. Nothing was getting through that.

A heavier guard was placed around the walls as well as the infirmary. It was clear now that it hunted only for sport and the trophies that came with the hunt. It had sought Wanda out even though she was far out of its territory. If a kill ever escaped that creature would hunt it down until it had its trophy. All Lin Kuei were told to never engage this predator on their own and to keep a close watch for any unusual shifts in the air raising the alarm every time they suspected something. One would think many false alarms would be raised many times but the Lin Kuei were disciplined enough to keep themselves under control.

Sub-Zero oversaw all of this, his grief at Frost's death giving him the strength to go on. He would have worked himself to death had it not been for Jade. She was able to calm him down as well as remind him that unless he allowed himself rest he would be of no help to anyone and the Lin Kuei could not lose a temple master and the grandmaster in the same week. During this time Jade had sought opportunity to tell Sub-Zero she was pregnant but his dedication to his work kept her from it. He did not need another distraction on his mind.

During this time there was not another Predator sighting at all. It seemed to disappear into the forest and there was no sign of it anywhere. This greatly disappointed Sub-Zero who desired to find it and avenge Frost's death. He would just have to bide his time and wait for the opportunity to strike. He doubted that the Predator was done with them. It would be back and when it returned they would be ready.

The weeks passed until Sub-Zero and Jade had been there for a month. Still the Predator did not show itself. This began to wear on Sub-Zero's mind. Where could it be and what was it waiting for? It came to the point where he was anxious all the time and he did not trust anyone or anything. It wasn't until Jade suggested that he was beginning to worry her that he did anything about it.

One day he called together a council of himself, Jade and a man by the name of Alec. Tall and strong, Alec had been Frost's right-hand man from the beginning. He had jet-black hair bright green eyes that showed an inner wisdom. He knew every ninja within the temple by name and had their respect. He had volunteered to take Frost's place until a more suitable master could be found. However, Sub-Zero could think of no one better for the job. Alec had secured his place as master of this temple.

"What do you have in mind Grandmaster?" Alec asked as they sat down around the table in the council room. "We haven't seen hide or hair of the Predator in a month and have been given no further reason to attack it. Do you think it's gone?"

Sub-Zero shook his head. "Far from it. That thing lives for the hunt and the trophies that come with it as well as the challenge itself. There is no better place on Earthrealm than a Lin Kuei temple. What I think is that the Predator is waiting for the moment to strike. Waiting until our guard is down and we have been lured into a false sense of security."

"Then what do you think we should do?" Alec asked.

"I think we should hunt it down ourselves before it has that chance," Sub-Zero replied. "We know its tactics and how to counter them. Plus, if we take our dragons along, they will be able to detect its presence and give us fair warning to when it is close. This time we will be ready."

"No!" exclaimed Jade. "That is exactly what it wants us to do. Think about it for a second. We may know its tactics and have dragons that can detect it but it still has every advantage. It probably knows the jungle inside and out, having lived in it for so long. There is also its technology with the ability to warp the light and become virtually invisible along with the weapons that thing has which are made of a metal that is not found on Earthrealm. And lets not forget its strength. Remember Kuai Liang that it could toss you around like a baby. Very few beings can do that.

It also likes to collect trophies. Out of every member of our clan you would be the most prized of them all. Think how it was willing to attack one of our temples for one ninja who escaped it. The Predator would want nothing more to collect your head."

"That raises another question Jade," Alec said. "Why did it not kill you? A warrior of your skill would make an excellent trophy. From what you said it sounded like the Predator should have finished you quickly."

At first, Jade was hesitant to answer. But then she noticed the looks both Alec and Sub-Zero were giving her. There was no way she was going to hide it now.

She took a deep breath before she began. "Kuai Liang, this is not the way I wanted you to find out but the way things have been happening I couldn't tell you. I know exactly why it didn't kill me. It's because I'm pregnant."

Stunned silence followed. Alec just looked mildly shocked. In fact, it wasn't long before a small smile spread across his gentle features. However, Sub-Zero was furious.

"What!" he exclaimed. "How long have you known about this?"

Jade hung her head at his anger. "I found out the night before we left. I didn't tell you because I knew that you wouldn't let me come."

"And why would I?" Sub-Zero continued. "This is a dangerous war zone. You risking your own life is one thing but the life of our child is another. Jade, why would you take such a risk?"

"Because I knew that you would need me," she said. "Not only that but I can't just sit back in the arctic and wait to hear whether you had died or not. It kills me."

Sub-Zero sighed. "I understand that but it was still foolish. We were just lucky that thing doesn't kill everything in sight. However, the fact that I have a child on the way makes it more imperative that I kill it."

"Speaking of which, what is the plan?" Alec asked.

It was a moment before Sub-Zero answered. " I have no doubt that it is watching the temple, waiting for us to send out more prey for it. It won't attack the temple again in a hurry due to the butchered attempt to reclaim its trophies. So, I think we should give it what it wants."

Jade was about to interject with her previous protest but Alec cut her off.

"Are you sure that is the best course of action?" he asked. "I mean, it decimated our last few scouting parties. What makes you think another could stand up to it."

"It's the only way," Sub-Zero responded. "It won't come to the temple, knowing we are ready for it and its tricks. The only way to draw it out is with bait. Do you have any of the secret doors constructed yet?"

"Yes," Alec said. Each Lin Kuei temple had to have at least three secret exits around the temple in the chance of a siege. These allowed for escape roots or ways to flank the enemy.

"Alright, here is my plan," Sub-Zero began. "We will send out one scouting party with their dragons where it can see them. Then, after a an hour we send out a second one through the secret door and we track the first. Hopefully we can catch up before the Predator makes its move."

"Will this work?" Alec asked.

"It had better," Sub-Zero said. "And just to ensure it does I will go with the second."

Jade jumped out of her seat at this. "If you go, then so do I."

Sub-Zero gave her a hard look. One that made her sink back into her chair.

"You will not," he said firmly. "You are to stay here with Alec and wait for my return. I will not endanger the child. Alec, make sure she, and the temple, are safe. If we are not back by tomorrow night, we will have failed. If that happens, leave here and find another location for the second temple. I am trusting everything to you and my second in command Wolfrick."

Alec nodded. "You can trust me Grandmaster."

"I know," Sub-Zero said, nodding.

The next morning, Sub-Zero was in the tunnel with five other Lin Kuei, Gywn, Dust, Edward, Eli and Kazaki. Each one of them was a full fledged Lin Kuei and also had been given technology to control the elements.

Gwyn was a red-haired, fiery young girl who was also a pyromancer. She had been the first to volunteer having been close friends with Frost. Dust was a quiet, mysterious woman who was a terramancer, or had the ability to manipulate the earth elements. Edward and Eli were twin brothers gifted in aeromancy. Being peaceful souls it was a surprise that they had joined up at all. The only member of their group who had been drafted was Kazaki, a volatile hydromancer with cold, blue-grey eyes.

When Sub-Zero had asked Alec to select the five best Lin Kuei for the job, he had requested that they be individuals who had been given elemental technology. In response, Alec gathered every elemental Lin Kuei, there not being many of them, and first asked for volunteers. Gwyn, Dust, Edward and Eli were quick to do so, eager to both prove themselves to the Grandmaster as well as avenge Frost. However, no fifth member volunteered. As a result Kazaki, being the most powerful of the ninja left, was drafted despite his obvious refusal. Now the six of them were about to head out on their dangerous mission.

"When are we getting out of this tunnel?" Kazaki complained for about the fifth time. "It smells like rat."

"Shut up Kazaki!" yelled Gwyn. "Honestly, I have no clue how you even completed your training with patience like that."

"I am a man of action, not sitting around waiting for things to happen." Kazaki retorted. "I am sent to battlefields, not reconnaissance missions. This is not my strong suit."

"Quiet, both of you!" Sub-Zero snapped. "Kazaki, you will have your battle but we have to wait for the Predator to take the bait. It is a smart hunter and probably assumed they were bait. That is why we wait. We have five more minutes until we move."

Once they had emerged, they took the path laid out by the previous team. Dragons did not accompany them because they needed absolute stealth. It wasn't hard to track the others. Dragons were not known for stealth and they had made no effort to hide their tracks, the Predator was suppose to follow them.

For thirty minutes the six of them followed the path. No sign of the creature turned up and the lead team did not come into view. After a while they took a break to replenish themselves. It was then that it happened.

The Predator had sat outside the temple day and night just waiting for that mysterious human to emerge. He only moved from his spot to hunt for food and the other necessities of life. It would not do him good to be weak when he engaged the man. It wasn't until a week later that things began to happen.

First, a small group of Lin Kuei accompanied by dragons emerged and headed out into the jungle. The Predator completely ignored them. Though he would have liked to have added those dragons' heads to his wall, he had better prey in mind. That strangely cold signature was not with them. Plus, he had no doubt that they were decoys.

For another hour he sat in the tree watching the temple. Suddenly, right below his tree, a secret door opened. Out of it spilled six humans and then the Predator got excited. There he was, that strange, cold man who controlled ice. Now the real battle could begin.

He followed them into the jungle for about thirty minutes until they stopped. His target walked off a ways to examine the ground and take in his surroundings. The Predator could have killed him then and there with his shoulder cannon but relented. He wanted a fight with this human, one on one with no tricks. He first had to get rid of the five humans who had accompanied him.

Without hesitation, the Predator struck.