Chapter 4
With The Best Intents And Purposes, or
A Gradual Fall Into Sheer Sensation
One of the perks of entering the second round was that, from now on, the matches wouldn't be decided at random anymore, but predetermined and scheduled for everybody to see. And as the number of fighters had been cut in half, it would only take one day instead of two.
Kang was slated for the last fight before the intermission. That meant he didn't have to be by the arena until at least another hour; however, Sonya was fighting in the second match. So, everyone had gathered to watch and cheer her on – except for Jax whom Sonya insisted (and Raiden ordered) should rest in his room until his own turn in the ring came, right after the break.
The first fight was all set to commence. Two men – one tall and lean with shaggy, black hair, the other wearing a cowl and mask, power radiating off him – stood ready. Shang Tsung commanded the second round of the tournament to start, and the first man was forced to hurdle into the air in order to avoid the blast of ice that the second man shot from his hand. As the first man landed, the second slid forward on a trail of ice and proceeded to deliver two quick punches to the first man's stomach and face, followed by kicks to his legs and abdomen. Lastly, the masked man created a large sword of ice that he slashed across his opponent's frame.
Johnny emitted a drawn-out whistle. Lao hummed in agreement. Sonya's expression was mostly unreadable, though the corner of her mouth did twitch somewhat.
"So, do you guys know anything about this 'Sektor' I'm going up against?" she asked them a little bit too indifferently.
"He's from the Lin Kuei," Lao said.
She gave him an expecting look. After three seconds of nothing new being said, she inclined her head and widened her eyes pointedly.
"Which is…?"
"Elite assassins."
"He's from the same organization as that guy," Kang said whilst indicated to the blue clad Lin Kuei on the arena.
Sonya nodded pensively. "Outworld assassins, huh? Shouldn't be a problem."
"Oh no, not Outworld!" Kang said, causing Sonya to turn to him with a puzzled frown. "They're from Earthrealm."
"Why the hell would humans fight for Outworld?" she asked, her intonation notably irritable.
Just then, after the Lin Kuei had completely frozen the other man, he spun around and landed a kick so powerful it separated his opponent's head from the neck. It slowly rolled onward, off the arena, and stopped by some of the audience members' feet.
There was a moment of silence before Nightwolf peered down at Sonya.
"Why don't you ask them."
Sonya's glower right before she stepped out onto the stone ring spoke volumes.
The Lin Kuei she would be fighting wore a similar uniform, the same cowl, mask, and armor, but in red and black. He was also obviously shorter than both the previous assassin and Sonya. After some inspection, Kang noticed, with only a slight amount of schadenfreude, that the man could possibly be shorter than him too!
Sonya adjusted the equipment on her right arm, and looked up to meet Sektor's gaze. There was something about it. The blue Lin Kuei – Sub-Zero, Shang Tsung had called him – had been impassive. Fighting and killing another human was nothing to him. Even if it was, his eyes betrayed none of it. It had made him menacing, but Kang thought it was nothing compared to Sektor. His body and stance was equally restrained as his colleague's, but his eyes told a different story. They were eager – fervent, even – yet callous. Sub-Zero could have been thinking absolutely anything while he fought and Kang would've been none the wiser, but with Sektor it was apparent that he would enjoy this.
"Fight!"
An inferno shot out from Sektor's forearm guards; Sonya barely had time to avoid it. She threw herself on the ground, rolled and got to her feet again as fast as she could, the flames following her every move. She was leaping from pillar to post, out on the flanks where the audience was standing and then back into the arena. It was impossible for her to get closer than a few meters – Sektor used the fire to keep her at a precise distance all the time.
Sonya stumbled; she put her foot down wrong and lost her balance. The fire came dangerously close, looked to touch her head, but she flung herself down to evade it. It ended up merely singeing the tips of her ponytail.
She was standing on one knee, panting, face flushed and the ends of her hair smoldering. However, her eyes were focused and her muscles tense and ready to move again.
Sektor pointed the flamethrower at her, but nothing happened.
The Lin Kuei knitted his brows as he brought his wrist up to analyze it. After a brief moment, he shook his head and heaved an exasperated sigh. While he did, Sonya had gotten up, about to move towards him, but stopped when a small projectile shot out from Sektor's guard and he jumped back.
Kang couldn't see what it was, but luckily Sonya could – she sprung out of the way just in time for the projectile to zoom past her. It crashed into a pillar behind her with a loud blast.
She lay on her stomach, face down on the stone. She pushed herself up on shaky arms. Sektor began heading for her, using a leisurely pace. He tightened his hand into a fist; then loosened it again. Bolts of electricity were forming in it with a sizzling sound.
"Come on, Supergirl, get up…" Johnny mumbled as Sektor got closer to her. He was about two meters away when the red beam hit his thorax, knocking him back.
Sonya stood up, right arm with the laser directed at her opponent the whole time, hitting him over and over again while walking to him. He seemed to deflate some with each hit; he gasped and glowered as he reached out his forearm guard. Sonya rushed forward, driving her shoulder into his face, between the eyes where the mask didn't protect him. He staggered; she kneed him in the gut and kicked his chin. She attempted to punch him, but he blocked and elbowed her in the rib cage. He snatched her arm, twisting it, then tried to trip her. She got loose before he could, spun around and kicked him in the temple. She punched him twice, kicked him, and did a handstand. She propelled herself off the ground whilst kicking Sektor in the chest, launching both of them into the air. They flew up, up, up; after numerous quick kicks, she grabbed his torso with her legs, turned around in the air, and slammed him into the ground below.
Sonya landed on her feet, swaying a little bit before rising in front of the unconscious assassin. She smiled.
"Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about!"
Johnny began cheering, whistling, and applauding. It didn't take long before half of the audience joined him, some of them surrounding Sonya to shower her with praise. Her head darted back and forth, her eyes blinking in confusion.
"What are they on about?" she whispered.
"You beat a Lin Kuei!" Kang said, laughing. He felt like hugging her, but he was pretty sure she wouldn't appreciate that.
Sonya looked over the crowd again. She snorted quietly, locked her jaw and pressed her lips together, but nevertheless couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from curling upwards.
Hours later, after Kang also had fought – and won – the crowd dispersed like it did the previous day, and Raiden got off the podium to meet up with them.
"Good beginning for today. Well done, you two," he said to Sonya and Kang. She accepted the compliment graciously, but you could tell she was still feeling really proud of herself. Kang, on the other hand, didn't even try to hide that he was beaming with satisfaction. Lao ruffled his hair.
"Now," Raiden said. "We must to prepare Jax, and you," he looked at Nightwolf, "will be fighting Scorpion."
Nightwolf drew himself up to level his gaze with Raiden's. He crossed his arms.
"I know."
"You need to be vigilant. It will-"
"I know."
Nightwolf promptly turned around and walked to the dining area. Raiden sighed as they watched him leave.
"Soo… Who's the scorpion?" Johnny asked.
"Just 'Scorpion'," Raiden said. "He's a wraith."
"A ghost?!"
"No. A wraith is… an undead."
"A zombie then," Sonya said dryly.
"No!" Raiden scowled at the both of them. "It's when a mortal is reborn in the Netherrealm due to the soul's regrets preventing it from moving on."
"Wait, you'll be reborn if you die with regrets?" Johnny asked, his expression making Kang imagine cogwheels in his head turning in worrying directions.
"Of course not," Raiden said with a scoff. "Everyone dies with some sort of regrets. It's when they are so potent that the soul cannot bring itself to pass on before the regrets have been taken care of that a wraith is born."
"So they're strong?"
Raiden's face grew solemn. The lines around his mouth deepened and a crease formed between his eyes.
"Dragging yourself out of the Netherrealm isn't a simple task," he said. "Only the most resolute succeed. The rest transform into monstrous creatures; they forget themselves and their regrets. They become lost souls." He tilted his chin up, turned his white eyes to the sky, and clasped his hands behind his back. "Yes, they are very strong. Pray you do not come between one and its goal."
A few seconds passed, then Johnny shuddered. "Wow, forget I asked…"
Sonya rolled her eyes.
"Fascinating," she said, starting to back away. "I'll go get Jax. Meet you by the pillars?"
Raiden concurred. Johnny started to follow her back to the bedchambers.
"I'll go with you!" he said.
"I don't need-"
"Hey, Jax is a big guy and you still look beat. We have to make sure he doesn't injure himself further, right?" he said, smiling while walking past her. Sonya's face turned blank.
"Right…" she said as she went after him.
Raiden in turn wasted no time standing around. He began moving towards the food, indicating for Kang and Lao to follow. Lao fell into place by the god's left side.
"Lord Raiden, how big do you think our chances of victory truly are?"
"Difficult to say," he mused. "Every tournament I have expressed the most hope in seems to bring the greatest losses, but…"
"Will you shut up!"
Kang was walking on Raiden's right, listening to the reply, but the loud voice from far to the side caught his ear, causing his attention to fade and his steps to slow down.
The Lin Kuei assassins were standing by the gates leading out from the courtyard. Sektor appeared to be in a heated argument with his third and last comrade – a sturdy, dark-skinned man in a yellow uniform. Sub-Zero stood next to them, silent and ostensibly apathetic to the squabble.
"I'm tired of you and your opinions! Shut up!"
Sektor sneered at the other assassin, speaking in a perfect and rapid Mandarin. His companion crossed his arms over his chest. He looked to be calmer, but his movements were taut.
"I am just saying that-"
"I know what you're saying, Cyrax. I don't care!"
The Lin Kuei named Cyrax brought one hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"Sektor, please. Listen; it-" he said, but stopped himself mid-sentence when Sektor laughed. It was a low, chilling sound. Bottomless.
"Know, Cyrax, that I long for the commencement of the Initiative," he said. "To finally be free of whatever useless thoughts and beliefs of yours will be wonderful!"
Cyrax removed his hand from his face to stare at Sektor. It was obvious the smaller man was smirking behind his mask. What could be seen of Cyrax's face tightened in anger and contempt. He shook his head before storming off the courtyard.
Sektor scoffed and left in direction of the combatant's lodgings. Sub-Zero remained for a while, contemplating the pathway Cyrax had taken before leaving as well.
Kang lingered where he had stopped to listen, brows furrowed. He probably should have felt more shame for not ignoring exchange the moment he begun overhearing it, but he was too intrigued. He bit into his cheek as he considered what they'd said.
Initiative… What did they mean by that?
"Kang!"
"Huh?"
His head twisted forward; he discovered that Raiden and Lao had by now gotten over thirty paces ahead. Lao gave him an amused look.
"Are you planning to stand there all day?" he asked.
Kang scurried after them.
"No!" he said. "Sorry, sorry, I'm coming!"
They went on to gather what food they wanted, then proceeded to the stone terrace that overlooked the front of the garden. Nightwolf was already there, sitting at the border whilst leaning against a corner pillar, plate empty and eyes closed. Soon after they joined him, the other three arrived. Jax looked much better today, but he was still hobbling and needed to have one hand on Johnny's shoulder to steady himself.
"How are you feeling?" Kang asked after everyone greeted one another and sat down.
"Better, thank you," Jax said.
"But not good enough," Sonya said. She examined Jax's bad ankle with a scowl. "It can take weeks for a dislocation to heal."
"I'll be fine," Jax said, calmly biting into a piece of seasoned fowl. "Don't worry, Lieutenant."
"If you overexert yourself now you might not be able to use that foot later!"
"Yeah, but if he doesn't fight today there might not be a later," Johnny said.
Sonya sent him a glare, seemingly to be on the verge of lashing out at him when Jax cleared his throat.
"I will be fine," he said with emphasis. "End of discussion."
Sonya clamped her teeth so tightly it must have hurt. She took the bread off her plate and tore it in half, stiffing the smaller chunk into her mouth and turned her head to stare at the garden.
The atmosphere hung heavily around them. Kang was certain he had experienced more disagreements during these three days on the island than he had his whole life in the monastery.
"Jax," Lao suddenly said. "Has Sonya told you about her match?"
Jax's face instantly perked up.
"Only that she won," he said as he looked over at his colleague, who stubbornly kept her eyes on a copse of poplars.
"She beat a Lin Kuei!" Kang said. It could be repeated a thousand more times and it still wouldn't be enough, in his opinion.
Jax looked at him in the same manner Sonya had done with Lao, an unspoken inquiry about what the Lin Kuei was present in his eyes. They quickly enlightened him.
"If a body turns up and there are neither any clues nor real signs of it being a murder – other than the cause of death – it's most likely the work of a Lin Kuei agent," Lao said, wrapping up the explanation.
"I see…" Jax said. "That is impressive."
"Everybody keeps saying that." Sonya, whose mood seemed to have brightened, turned from the garden with a shrug. "He wasn't that tough," she said, bringing her cup to her lips to sip the sweetened liquid. "It was the fucking fire that made things difficult!"
"But it looked awesome!" Johnny said. "When you grabbed him in the air, and then he smashed into the ground…" He leaned back whilst snickering to himself. "Awesome."
Sonya raised her chin and clamped her mouth shut, which to Kang had become a telltale sign that she was making an effort to keep herself from smiling.
"Okay, that's enough. There's more interesting things to talk about," she said.
Everyone became quiet for a moment. Then Lao chuckled.
"You want to know what Kang did last night?" he asked.
Kang couldn't stop the tiny gasp from escaping. His head whirled in Lao's direction, inaudibly begging for him not to say anything else. It only made his cousin's eyes twinkle with even more mischief than before.
"Ooh, yes!" Johnny looked between the cousins with interest.
"Sure," Sonya said cautiously.
Lao's eyes thinned into creases.
"You see, he woke me up in the middle of the night after he'd been out taking a walk…"
"Where nothing happened!" Kang cut in.
"…he was staggering around in a stupor and stepped on me…"
"It was an accident! And I wasn't!"
"…so I asked him what he was doing, and can you guess?"
"It was nothing!"
"He'd been in the garden…" Lao made a prolonged pause, looking over at Kang with a maddening grin, "…where he'd been talking to Princess Kitana!"
Raiden choked on his drink. Sonya stopped in motion as she was about to take a bite out of a peach. Johnny whistled and rubbed his hands together. Jax's eyes widened and he changed position to lean forward. Even Nightwolf took an active interest in the gossip by turning to look at them.
Kang was just about to burn up. He drew up his knees and leaned his forehead against them, his hair draping around his face and obscuring it from sight.
"I'm not sure what they talked about," Lao said (Kang could hear him smirking). "But judging by his behavior, it must have been something pleasant."
Johnny started laughing.
"You dog!" he said. "Well, can't blame ya. She's a pretty little thing. Bit too young though."
"Actually," Raiden said, voice croaky after the coughing-fit, "Outworlders have longer lifespans than humans. She is more than a few thousand years old."
Johnny hummed. "A bit too old, then."
Kang shifted slightly to glimpse at the people he called friends. They were all either simpering or sending him expecting looks. It wasn't that interesting…
"We just bumped into each other," he muttered. The warmth spread down to his neck. "Nothing else."
"But what did you talk about?" Sonya asked, sounding strangely invested in the answer.
"Nothing!" Kang said, a small whine creeping in at the end. "Some about the tournament, and then… nothing!"
"In other words," Nightwolf unexpectedly spoke up, "Both of you became tongue-tied."
Kang's blush intensified at the older man's words; he dove back into his hiding place. Immediately the others began cackling at his expense.
Someone – he suspected it was Lao – slung their arms around him and chuckled close to his ear. Kang wanted to shove him away and pretend he was mad, but it would be difficult since he was absolutely positive that, whenever he'd look up, he'd start laughing too.
The group stayed on the terrace, eating and talking (though thankfully not about Princess Kitana), until there was roughly half an hour left until the matches would begin again and Jax would fight. As they were entering the courtyard, Kang excused himself, wanting to slink away for some peace and quiet before they were to assemble by the arena.
He left through the gates and took the path to the beaches, thinking of going to the pond and the Shrine. However, halfway down a gust of wind swirled past him, rustling the leaves, causing him to notice a mostly overgrown trail that went straight into a bush. Curiosity piqued, he instead chose to investigate where it led.
Behind the hedge – which was a lot thinner than it looked – was a large area of flat, grassy terrain that ended with a precipice where the sea continued into the horizon. And it wasn't empty.
A figure dressed in black and yellow stood near the edge, looking out over the scenery. Kang lingered by the bushes, trying to decide whether he should continue onward or not, when the person turned around and looked at him, causing him to start.
It was Cyrax, the third Lin Kuei. He had taken off his cowl and mask, uncovering short dreadlocks that framed his face as well as a precisely trimmed goatee. Kang was actually a bit surprised – he looked much younger than he sounded, maybe thirty or so.
They stared at each other for a couple of seconds. Cyrax never blinked. Kang gulped; his hands and neck became damp. He was just going to retreat back into the shrubs when the assassin took a step to the side, seemingly making place for him on the rim. Kang dithered some more; then he carefully trod forward.
The crag was steep, but not as tall as he first thought. Still, it would be a long fall to the water surface.
Kang cast Cyrax a quick look.
"I didn't mean to disturb you," he said.
"It's all right."
"I can leave if you want."
The corners of the Lin Kuei's mouth tugged upward.
"Not my island."
There were no clouds in the sky, only birds squawking in the distance as they flew into the sun. Below, the waves crashed against the rocks, foam spraying upwards and stacking against the wall. Around them the wind repeatedly got caught in their hair and clothes as it zoomed past. The grass rustled. The birds sang. The sea surged with a hushed murmur. When he closed his eyes, Kang was awed by nature's voice, and when he opened them he was blinded by the bright, rippling water.
"Nice view."
"Yes."
Kang chewed on his lip. He didn't know why he was attempting to make conversation. Generally, he didn't mind silence (and if he was looking to talk he'd have stayed with the others), but right now it made him uncomfortable. He rummaged through his head, trying to come up with a topic, but the only thing he could think of was that word Sektor used previously.
The "Initiative".
It could be anything, absolutely anything, and Kang found himself bursting to know what.
So why don't you ask?
Nightwolf had obviously been sarcastic when he told Sonya that, but perhaps he'd had a point. The only way to find out would be to ask a Lin Kuei, and what better opportunity was there? Of course, there also wasn't a better opportunity to anger a Lin Kuei and be killed without any other person knowing.
Kang grimaced. That's right – stop it. This was a bad idea. He should just forget about it, smother his curiosity, and not say anything else, at all.
"What's the 'Initiative'?"
Oh, for heaven's sake…
"Pardon?"
After a prolonged stillness where he gazed out over the glittering ocean in an almost trancelike state, Cyrax flinched back to life and stared at Kang with huge eyes. It was a bit odd, if truth be told. You didn't expect to witness a masked killer look so shocked.
"Um, your friend mentioned something about an 'Initiative' before?" Kang fidgeted on the spot. "I didn't mean to pry, but you were talking kinda loud-"
"It's Lin Kuei business."
His reply was curt, but told the monk everything he needed to know. Cyrax returned to looking at the sea, with a frown this time. Kang did the same, mumbling a virtually inaudible "Oh" as answer.
The mood became strained, but not as strained as Cyrax. His posture was rigid, he kept clenching and unclenching his jaw, and simply appeared restless whilst he glowered at nothing in particular. Kang shuffled his feet. Perhaps it was best to go now, or-
"The Grand Master, our leader, has decided to take the clan in a new direction."
Kang nearly jumped into the air. He assumed the exchange to have ended. If he'd expected the other man to do something, it'd be leaving in a huff, not continue talking.
"Oh?" he said once more. "And you don't agree with this?"
Cyrax quieted again. With his face screwed up in displeasure he looked down at his feet, rubbing his neck.
"It's not a simple matter. There will be benefits, but it'll also be restrictive, possibly even destructive! And it will violate the values that we've had since the creation of the Lin Kuei. I am…" He paused to take a breath. "…uncertain about my stance."
Kang raised a brow whilst folding his arms.
"You don't seem very uncertain," he said.
Cyrax sighed, his features grew older. There was a hint of dejection in his tone as he spoke.
"I must show respect to the ways of the clan. I have sworn eternal loyalty to the Grand Master."
"Isn't that impossible?"
"What?"
The Lin Kuei blinked, noticeably bemused. Kang wetted his lips and shuffled some more, hunching over a little as he tried to explain himself.
"You need to respect and follow the clan, and be loyal to your leader?" he asked.
"Yes." Cyrax's brow knitted in confusion.
"But your leader is going against the clan, and if you follow him you will too," Kang said, waving his hands around in nonsensical gestures to strengthen his reasoning. "You-you can't do both."
Cyrax stared at Kang again, without saying anything. Then he groaned faintly, turning back to sea whilst pressing the palm of his hand to his face.
"What is this?" he said. "I am being lectured by an outsider…"
Kang forced an awkward cough and averted his eyes to the ground.
"I, ehm, didn't mean to… be insolent, but…" he mumbled, but cut himself short when Cyrax started sniggering. He brought his hand down to watch Kang in a rather mischievous manner.
"I'm joking," he said with a smile, instantly looking young again. "You make a good argument."
Kang cautiously returned it. He realized, out of the blue, that he still didn't know what the Initiative truly was, but after hearing Cyrax's description and witnessing his distress, maybe he was better off not knowing.
Cyrax looked at the sky, using one hand to shadow his eyes.
"It's almost three o'clock," he said.
Kang squinted up in the same direction, quickly understanding that they were observing the sun. Cyrax pulled up his cowl and fastened the mask, then they proceeded to accompany each other back to the courtyard and the arena, where the second round was minutes away from resuming. As they were about to part and rejoin their respective groups, Cyrax made a slight bow.
"I wish you further luck, Liu Kang," he said.
Kang put his palms together as he bowed back.
"And I to you."
He hoped he and Cyrax wouldn't meet again in the ring. Not for the reason that they were both from Earthrealm, or the fact that Cyrax was Lin Kuei, but simply because Kang didn't want to fight him. Perhaps it wasn't wise to take a liking to another person so quickly, but it couldn't be helped.
Kang zigzagged in the crowd, careful not to accidentally step on someone's foot, and squeezed himself in between Johnny and Lao.
"There you are!" the actor said. "Where've you been?"
"Here and there…" Kang replied. "I found a nice outlook."
"Oh yeah?"
"Mm. How's Jax?"
"Still in pain – despite his own claims," Lao said.
Kang studied the arena. Jax was positioned on one end, the toes of his left boot scraping the ground. On the other end stood Baraka. He was smaller than Jax – in stature, and only by half a head.
"If Fangtooth is smart, he'll use the injury to his advantage," Johnny said and received an elbow to the ribs courtesy of Sonya, of course.
Kang wiped his hands off on his pants, praying Baraka wasn't smart. The other Tarkata hadn't been; why would this one be any different?
"Fight!"
With that sickeningly pleasant clinking, Baraka unsheathed his blades and charged at Jax, attempting to stab his head and thorax. Jax dodged, pulling a huge knife from his belt. He caught Baraka's wrist in his hand, and stopped the other blade with his knife. There was a short struggle. Baraka trashed around to break away from both Jax's iron grip and the knife's serration. (He tried kicking at the legs, but Jax shoved him off, after which he hobbled a step back. Baraka snarled and attacked again. Jax ducked for one blade, deflected the other with his weapon, avoided one, deflected one…
Then, a shrill clang and a clatter. Baraka had sawed the knife in half, separating the edge from the haft. He snickered, until Jax threw the handle at him. It bounced off his head. Baraka grunted, taking a step forward. Jax lunged, punched the Tarkatan's flat nose, his temple, and finished with an uppercut. Baraka let out a roar and stampeded forth. He swung wildly, and Jax threw himself out of the way. He rolled ahead to the other end of the arena. Baraka pursued, but as soon as he got close Jax hurled himself to the side again and tumbled away. He got up at his own end, wavering a bit. Baraka screamed gibberish and followed; Jax evaded by tumbling to the side.
It was almost like a farce, Jax tumbling from side to side and Baraka endlessly chasing him. Some of the audience members had begun to laugh. On the podium, Shang Tsung was furiously gnashing his teeth together. Raiden was monitoring the hunt with palpable delight. Princess Kitana was trembling, forcing her posture straight. Princess Mileena was applauding and shouting at them to go faster.
After several minutes of the chase Jax stood up and wobbled, and suddenly Baraka caught up. He hit him, blades retracted, in the stomach, the head, then stomped on his left foot.
Jax screamed, an unbearably loud howl. Something dangerous flared in Baraka's beady eyes.
He punched Jax again, kicked his bad leg, and swept his blades across Jax's face, leaving a trail of dark crimson. Jax rammed his elbow in Baraka's face, grabbed his neck, lifted him up and punched him. Baraka drove his knee into Jax's chin, stepping on his foot again when Jax let go of him. He slashed the blades across Jax's torso, and stabbed his abdomen. Jax produced a deep rumble. He seized Baraka's collar, raised him above his head, then slammed him into the ground. He picked the Tarkatan up again and did it two, three, four more times, ending by tossing him outside the arena.
Baraka got to his feet wheezing. He hung back for a few brief seconds, before unsheathing his blades and leaping. Jax took a stance, readying himself to block. A meter and a half away from his target, Baraka plunged the blades into the floor, hoisted himself up, and kicked Jax in the chest with both his feet. Jax flew backwards and hit the ground with a thud.
Sonya inhaled sharply. Kang wasn't breathing at all. Jax didn't move.
"Finish him!"
Shang Tsung sounded more zealous than Kang had ever heard him. He beheld the scene, feasted on it, yet his visage was still that of a ravenous man.
Baraka whetted his blades against each other so they sparked. He took one step. Then another. Then he groaned indignantly as he dropped.
Not even a heartbeat's worth of time passed before Sonya sprinted onto the arena and knelt by Jax's unconscious body. Kang wondered, as he and the others went after her, if this was according to the rules. On the other hand, Shang Tsung probably wouldn't notice – he was so busy scowling at the knocked out Baraka that Raiden was required to declare the match over and order the guards to clean up. Sonya hissed at the ones that approached Jax.
Together they dragged the major out of the ring. The stone slabs had his blood splattered all over them. In the courtyard, far away from the crowd, they laid him on the ground, Nightwolf checking his pulse and Sonya softly calling his name over and over again.
"Johnny, you are fighting next," Lao said quietly.
Johnny's head tore between Jax and the arena. He made a frustrated noise before spurting back to the ring, yelling for everyone to get out of his way.
Kang craned his neck for a better view as Nightwolf tore Jax's shirt open to look at his wounds. How much time had passed? A minute? Two minutes? More? He knew being unconscious for too long was bad, but he couldn't remember how long the limit was. Lao squeezed his shoulder gently, and started rubbing his back.
Right then, Jax eyes fluttered open. Kang drew a slow breath.
Jax tried to sit up, but didn't argue when Sonya pushed him down again.
"Whu happen?"
"You lost," Nightwolf said whilst he probed the back of Jax's head for injuries.
"Huh… m'not dead?"
"No!" Kang said. His legs and arms prickled; he had a hard time not shouting whilst jumping up and down. "Baraka passed out right after you did!"
A large grin spread across Jax's face. He chuckled in a mellow, clucking kind of way. He said something, but it was garbled and Kang couldn't make out what it was.
"Are you feeling dizzy?" Sonya enunciated each word clearly and slowly as she leaned over her superior officer.
"Naaah… Mebbe."
"Headache? Nausea?"
"I don… don't think there's one inch not hurtin', Lieutenant…" Jax mumbled, shutting his eyes tightly. "But no nausea."
"Is he awake?!"
Kang nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden exclamation. Johnny had managed to sneak up behind him and Lao with neither of them noticing, as evident by Lao's equally shaken appearance.
"Weren't you going to fight?" he asked.
"I did!" Johnny jerked his head in the direction of the arena, where a new pair was fighting. "How is he?"
Kang made a longwinded exhalation, and willed his heart to stop pounding. There had been more than enough excitement today for his taste.
"Okay, but a little bit… confused?"
Johnny's face screwed up with concern. He pushed his sunglasses onto his forehead.
"Hey Jax," he said. "What's your name?"
Jax opened his eyes, straining to look up at Johnny the best he could without changing positions.
"Jackson Briggs."
"And where are you?"
Jax knitted his brow thoughtfully.
"Heck if I know," he said. "An island somewhere. Magical one."
"What just happened?" Sonya asked.
"I got my ass beaten by some teeth…"
Sonya gave Nightwolf a look from the corner of her eye; wordlessly they decided that Jax was lucid enough and all right to move.
They helped him up and brought him to the accommodations – except for Nightwolf who stayed behind, since he would soon be fighting. To everyone's relief it appeared that Jax wasn't so severely injured after all; by the time they arrived at his chambers he was as articulate as normal, showing no cognitive problems. It was actually mindboggling how fortunate Jax was. All of the cuts he received were superficial, and the damage to his abdomen turned out to be literally only a flesh wound. However, his foot was incredibly swollen and it was obvious he was in pain. Kang felt sore just looking at him.
Kang, Lao, and Johnny stayed to assist Sonya in making a platform for Jax's foot to rest on and dousing some towels, but after that she practically kicked them out, stating she'd take over from there and that they should return to the arena.
"What do you think is going on between them?" Johnny asked in the corridor, out of earshot from Jax's room.
"They're friends?" Kang said. He didn't really see the point of the question.
"Seem pretty close, don't they…" Johnny mumbled, mostly to himself.
"I'm pretty sure relations in the military aren't permitted," Lao said amusedly. Johnny snorted.
"Just 'cause it isn't allowed doesn't mean the feelings won't be there!" he said, but didn't discuss it further as they entered the courtyard.
In the arena, Cyrax was in the process of entrapping his adversary in a net that shot out from his armband. As the other man wriggled around to free his limbs from the rope, Cyrax got behind him and swiftly stuck a knife into his head. The display made Kang feel a bit peculiar; the pressure in his chest lessened as abruptly as it had settled, and simultaneously his stomach pulled itself into a tight knot.
They made their way through the mass of spectators just as Cyrax and Nightwolf traded places in the ring. Nightwolf's opponent was nowhere to be seen.
Then, an intensive flash and extreme heat. A great bonfire had been ignited in the middle of the arena, right in front of them. A hooded figure stepped out of the flames, completely unharmed. It was a striking arrival, even after you became aware of how diminutive the man was compared to Nightwolf.
Scorpion. Clothed in dusty black and yellow, a mask covering his lower face, with two swords overlapping on his back, and cloudy white eyes that glowered out at the audience and one person specifically. At first Kang thought it was Cyrax, but then he quickly gathered that it was actually Sub-Zero whom the wraith was staring so intently at.
The Lin Kuei met the wraith's ferocious gaze with a raised eyebrow and his chin tilted up. Scorpion's muscles tensed, his fingers arched and brushed something metallic that dangled from his belt.
"Fight!"
Scorpion reluctantly rotated to face Nightwolf. They stayed for nearly a minute observing one another. Nightwolf hunched over a bit, standing at the balls of his feet, all set to move.
Scorpion vanished.
Flames rose up around him and he was gone. He reappeared behind Nightwolf, making his presence known with a fist to the jaw. Nightwolf stumbled but regained his balance, jumped back, and raised his arms. Something materialized in his hands – a bow made entirely out of light. He pulled the string back and arrows drizzled down over Scorpion. He sidestepped, but one still hit his shoulder. Two more hit his upper body. The barbs dug into his flesh before evaporating, leaving open wounds. The fire emerged to shield Scorpion once more before he teleported, but Nightwolf was prepared this time. He dodged the attack, swiveled around and chopped one hand to Scorpion's neck. He landed another punch to the face, then two kicks to the stomach.
Scorpion emitted a muffled growl and threw himself at Nightwolf. He punched twice, spun and landed a kick to the temple, then jumped up and brought the heel of his boot down on Nightwolf's head from above. He gripped his swords, slashed diagonally across Nightwolf's torso, then vaulted backwards and kicked his chin, flickers of fire trailing his feet. Nightwolf fell but got up again, launching himself at the wraith. A bright object took shape in his hand, a knife similar to the bow. He cut Scorpion's neck and face, gouged his abdomen, cut across his shoulder and throat, then thrust the knife into Scorpion's chest, leaving it there.
As the knife disappeared, two more weapons manifested in Nightwolf's hands – small axes. He bashed them into Scorpion's face, causing him to stagger backwards, buried them in his shoulders, and kicked his back so he plummeted forward.
Scorpion trembled as he pushed himself off the ground. His rib cage rose and fell frantically; he had a frenzied look in his eyes. The fabric of his shirt was torn in the places where Nightwolf had cut him, but beneath it were no wounds. There was only skin and, around the most recent incisions, a glowing orange and black complexion that was slowly stitching itself back together into ordinary human flesh.
The taste of bile climbed up Kang's throat and settled in his mouth. Suddenly he comprehended Raiden's worry from before lunch.
How do you defeat someone who is already dead?
Scorpion got up on unsteady legs. He looked at the worn out Nightwolf, and pounced. Fire engulfed the wraith's fists as he overwhelmed Nightwolf with blows to the entire body. He snatched something from his belt – a kunai with a chain attached – and tied it around Nightwolf before kicking him away. With the chain still in his grasp he yanked, causing Nightwolf to jerk to a stop and return. When he got close again, Scorpion punched him in the gut and face, knocking him to the ground, then stamped on his torso.
Scorpion drew one of his swords and raised it above his head, but he didn't strike. He stood petrified, gazing down at his blistered opponent.
"Finish him!"
Scorpion breathed in. He looked at Shang Tsung and, in an almost defiantly sluggish manner, sheathed the sword. He sent Sub-Zero one last heated glare before teleporting away.
Nightwolf coughed. He rolled over onto his stomach and shoved himself up. Kang, Lao, and Johnny hurried to aid him, but he recoiled whilst shaking his head. Groaning weakly, he got into a kneeling position.
Raiden hauled him to his feet by seizing his arm and draping it around Raiden's own shoulder.
"Haokah…" Nightwolf grumbled.
"No," Raiden said as he continued carrying Nightwolf to his chambers, the others quietly trailing behind.
Kang honestly had difficulty telling whether Nightwolf was in a worse condition than Jax or not. Jax was harmed by his sprain and had gotten more cuts, but Nightwolf had taken more blows to the head as well as having sears all over. The blades of Scorpion's swords alone were so hot they burnt the vessels before any blood could be spilled.
The next hour and a half went to dabbing Nightwolf with wet towels, cleaning off the dead skin and dressing the wounds. Johnny filled the time with talk about actors and stuntmen he knew who'd acquired burns on the job. While his chatter kindled much annoyance for Nightwolf as it went on, it did prove a good distraction from the pain.
They left him to rest in peace when it was done, stopping at Jax's door and carefully knocking. Sonya opened, straightaway pressing one finger to her lips.
"He's asleep," she said after smoothly shutting the door. "Where's Nightwolf?"
"He lost to Scorpion," Lao said seriously.
"Dude's burnt to a crisp!" Johnny said, pulling a face.
Sonya was visibly taken aback by the news. Then her demeanor became dark and she gave Raiden the dirtiest look imaginable. Raiden clasped his hands behind his back and briskly walked down the hallway in the direction of Kang and Lao's bedroom. Sonya was hot on his heels, wearing a hard-set expression.
As soon as they got to the cousins' room, the argument began.
Kang thought he had seen Sonya angry before, but now he understood those instances had only been samples of her temper. This time she didn't raise her voice, or shout, or hiss; she used her indoor voice, possibly making it a pitch lower. She also didn't clench her hands, or point, or gesticulate at all. Her whole body was stiff, her palms ironed against her hips. Her breaths were measured and deep. Her eyes were enlarged, severe, and blazing with rage.
She was a terrifying sight.
"You have no right! Trick us into coming here, make us risk our lives! Who do you think-"
Raiden's only reply was a weary look; he sat down and rested his cheek against his fist.
"Do you even know what you're doing? The people who came here willingly don't seem to! Everyone's dying left and right!"
"Death is a part of life, Sonya," the Thunder God said. Kang had never heard him sound so detached before. "Just like this tournament."
"We didn't ask to be sent here!"
"Neither did you ask to be conquered. Occasionally, sacrifices must be made."
Sonya bared her teeth. "So, you admit we're just the means to an end?"
Raiden straightened up and folded his arms. He looked at Sonya with vacant eyes.
"Yes."
One of Sonya's eyelids twitched. Her face contorted into a sneer. It seemed as if she had a lot more on her mind, but instead of saying it she spun around and stormed off.
Without delay, Johnny got up and ran after her. Kang looked at Lao. Raiden had walked over to the window and was staring out. Lao glanced at Raiden, then at the door, then back at Kang, and nodded.
In the hallway outside, distant footsteps echoed farther down. Kang followed, in hope it would be either Sonya or Johnny. When he reached the courtyard, he saw Sonya pacing back and forth, ranting feverishly, with Johnny listening by the side.
"Sonya," he said. "Sonya, ease up."
"Ease up?" She was spitting and hissing like she normally did. "Didn't you hear him?"
"Sure, and I didn't like it either, but he has a point. Think about it," Johnny said. He raised his hands with the palms up, mimicking a scale. "The entire world versus an island's worth of people. Who lucks out?"
She stopped marching to and fro, stood akimbo and looked at him fiercely. Kang stayed hidden behind the outer column in the corridor.
"Yeah, it sucks that it's us, but I don't think Raiden likes it any more than we do. Might as well make the best of it, now that we're already here."
Her shoulders slumped. She wrapped her arms around herself more tightly, digging her nails into her own flesh.
"How can you be so… unfazed by all of this?" she asked, her intonation husky with fatigue. Johnny pointed at himself.
"Actor!" he said with a grin. "Am I happy? Am I spooked? Did I even understand any of what you just said to me? No one can tell!"
Sonya pressed her lips together, but couldn't stop the smile from tugging at the corners of her mouth or the tiny snort from escaping through her nose. She rolled her eyes at him.
Kang backed away, slinking towards the exit that led to the garden rather than the courtyard. The last thing he heard before rounding the corner was Johnny asking if she wanted a hug, and the last thing he saw as he glimpsed back was Sonya boxing him in the shoulder.
Kang didn't know why he proceeded to the garden. At least, that was what he told himself when he entered the castle grounds. The greenery was like a rainbow of petals in varying shapes, sizes, and colors. They looked even more spectacular than it did the previous day since the sun still hadn't set and the majority of the flowers were still in bloom. In one of the garden corners was a cluster of tall hedges that resembled the foundation of a maze. Behind the first curve, sitting on a bench in whitest marble, was she.
She had one leg crossed over the other, her skirt riding up so that one more centimeter of her smooth thigh was exposed, and her back was somewhat arched. Ample, brunette locks flowed to her waist. Her eyes were closed and her face tipped up with the aim of catching the last of the sun's rays. Her veil was lying neatly folded next to her. She turned to look at him, and her whole being lit up with joy.
"Hello!" Princess Kitana said, her inflection unbelievably happy.
"Hi! Y-your highness!" Kang knew he reddened well before she became aware of his presence, but it got even worse after he heard himself clumsily stumble forth.
"Do you wish to sit?"
She moved to the edge of the bench whilst looking at him expectantly. His legs were already buckling; he quickly sunk down on the stone.
"Th-thank you, your highness…"
She cocked her head to the side, causing a few curls to escape from behind her ear. Her eyes were glittering like precious metals.
"You never told me your name, yesterday," she said.
"Oh, it, it's Liu Kang!"
"Liu… Kang…" she repeated, sampling the words. "How curious. Do all Earthrealmers have two names?"
"Um, m-most do. Some have more. Most have a name and a surname."
"Sur-name, what is that?"
"Um, family name?"
"Oh, I see! We have parental titles." She elevated one hand to her chest. "I am Kitana, daughter of Shao."
"Some of our surnames are a bit like that. We have a given name and some have second or third names if it's tradition or if the parents want them to and then there's the surname," he blathered on, pausing only to take a quick breath. "But in China, where I'm from, we reverse it. We put our surnames first."
She puckered her brow as she absorbed the new information.
"Then, I should call you 'Kang'?" she asked.
Kang's face flared up again. His heart throbbed so loudly it was drowning out his own voice when he ultimately found it again and managed to answer her.
"I-if you want to!"
Her dimples showed when she leveled her gaze with his.
"Well, in that case, you must call me simply 'Kitana'."
"O-okay!"
Kang bashfully returned her beam. His eyes darted from her face to his hands resting on his knees. He wanted to say something else, but the courage from yesterday was lost and he couldn't think of anything. Again.
In the background, the birds twittering and the insects droning only rendered their quietness so much more obvious. She cleared her throat, averting her eyes to the sky. It hard turned into an intense orange that reflected off the few clouds that drifted by. Kitana uncrossed her legs and changed her position to look at him again. Kang watched her in anticipation, inaudibly begging her to speak.
"I have noticed a young man in your party who does not fight…?" she said, or asked, or perhaps purely filled the silence.
"That's my cousin, Lao," he said, possibly too quickly. "He's… not supposed to be here, but he came anyway."
She smiled knowingly and didn't completely roll her eyes.
"I see. Are you close?"
"Um, yeah, pretty close. We've been together for as far as I can remember. He's two years older than me and has always taken care-"
"Two years?!" Her interruption took him by surprise, and seemingly herself as well. Her eyes widened as she covered her mouth with her hand. "Ah, forgive me! I forgot time moves differently in Earthrealm."
He couldn't help chuckling a little. She giggled nervously, her cheeks gaining a rosy hue.
"Uh huh. I'm 22, and I'm considered a young adult. How old… um, are… you?"
It was his turn to go red (again). He mentally kicked himself, what was he thinking?
Kitana pursed her lips, and waited a long enough time to make him sweat over his phenomenally foolish question before responding.
"I am 4,032," she said, not sounding particularly affronted, "which is considered a young adult as well."
"Oh, wow… W-what about your sister?"
"She turned 3,216 not long ago. She is still a child – in more ways than one…" A small sigh slipped out as she trailed off the sentence.
"And your friend?"
"Jade? I am not sure," she said, frowning. "I know she is past 4,800, but not the exact age. We have never spoken about it."
"How old do Outworlders become?"
"It is most common to be between 16-and 18,000 at death."
"Eighteen… thousand…" he breathed out. The oldest Outworlders still alive were born before the first human civilizations existed. How unsophisticated Earth must seem, especially to royalty. Kitana giggled.
"My father is past 10,000," she said.
"Uh huh…"
Kang's shoulder slumped; he diverted his eyes to the ground. He had erased from his mind the fact that the Princess in fact was Shao Kahn's daughter. It was so difficult to believe when looking at and talking to her!
"Is something the matter?"
She leaned slightly forward, giving him a worried look. He chewed on his lip. He would have preferred not to talk about the Emperor, but now that she'd already mentioned him…
"Y-your father… why is he doing this?"
She drew herself back up and laced her fingers together in her lap. Her expression became solemn.
"You must understand, he is not a bad man," she said quietly. "He merely wishes to help."
"Help?"
Kang briefly wondered if he was hearing things, or if she was trying to lighten the mood by pulling his leg. But her face was earnest and had no humor in it.
"Yes. He sees Earthrealm and its struggles – the wars, crimes, and the famine. He wants to put a stop to it. In Outworld there is peacetime, and has been for millennia. He wants Earthrealm to share our good life, and the only way he knows how to do it is… to have it join his empire."
She exhaled slowly, dismally. Cast her gaze down to their hands that were resting on the marble with only a few centimeters between them. Had they been sitting this close to each other the whole time?
"But, but earth never asked for him to save it!" Kang said, although he wasn't sure why; she could hardly do anything to change the current situation. "We don't want him to rule over us!"
"I know; I am not fond of all of his methods. But I know his intentions are good."
She turned to observe the shrubs and the blossoms, some of whom were about to close in the fading daylight. She bent forward, resting her chin in her hands. Her bracelets tinkled with movement.
"Outworld will win," she murmured. "I wish Earthrealm would accept that and submit. Then, there would be no need for Mortal Kombat, or the violence it begets."
Kang stared at her distress. Either she truly wasn't Shao Kahn's daughter, or she was right. She ought to know him better than anyone else.
"It would be nice if we could solve all this without fighting…" he said. She looked back at him, appearing almost reassured.
"Yes! Exactly!" she said. "I am so glad you understand!"
Kang shrugged casually. He couldn't conceive fighting another living being with the sole objective of harming them, and enjoy it. Her mien intensified.
The image of her at the day's end, surrounded by vivid shades and with such a warm and tender air…
He knew he was blushing yet again, and she was too; the tinge spread delicately over her features. They watched each other, like they had done the day before, not saying a word. All he was required to do was delve into her eyes, among the shimmering colors, and it wouldn't matter if-
"Kitana!"
Both of them flinched at the same time.
One way or another, Princess Mileena had come up on them without either noticing. She stood in front of them, looking as blasé as she could with the veil still on, one hand resting on a protruding hip. Her hair – which Kang remembered had been tied up elegantly during the matches – now hung loose and tousled around her shoulders.
"M-Mileena!"
Kitana was shocked and more embarrassed than Kang had seen her before. Princess Mileena quirked one brow, but didn't give the impression of being any less indifferent. She brought her other hand up to scrutinize her carefully manicured nails.
"Shang Tsung will be expecting us for dinner soon," she said. "Jade wishes to know if you want to wash up beforehand…"
"Oh! Yes, of course!" Kitana scrambled up from the bench, taking her veil and fastening it as well as she could whilst Princess Mileena grabbed one of her arms and began tugging at it. "I, I need to go!"
She sent Kang a regretful eye as her sister pulled her out from the small maze and towards the castle.
"Good bye, Kang!" she called right before they disappeared behind the corner.
"Yes," Princess Mileena echoed in a much more coquettish tone. "Good bye, Kang."
Kang breathed out. If Kitana and Mileena's relationship was anything like his and Lao's, Kitana would never hear the end of this. And neither would he, he guessed, if they ever happened to talk again.
Speaking of Lao…
Kang got to his feet and jogged back to their chambers. It was long ago he was supposed to speak to Sonya, and the sun had now set – the others might be wondering where he'd gone off to.
"There you are!" Lao said when Kang crept through the entrance. He was sitting on the bed, with Raiden standing in nearly the same spot as when Kang left. "How's Sonya?"
"Fine, I think. She and Johnny were talking, so I thought I'd give them some privacy…"
"So where have you been all this time?"
Kang grinned impishly.
"In the garden," he said. Lao grinned back whilst making some very meaningful humming noises.
"Don't get too caught up in all this, Kang," Raiden said with his back still turned to them. "It will not end happily if you do."
Kang walked over to the bed and sunk down into the mattress next to his cousin.
"Lord Raiden," he said. "I've been thinking…"
"Ooh; should we panic?" Lao said, nudging him in the side. Kang ignored him, still looking at Raiden.
"Yes?" the Thunder God said.
There was a loose thread coming from Kang's blanket; absently he twined it around his index finger. He wetted his lips.
"There should be better ways to handle things here…"
"What do you mean?"
"What if…" Kang took a breath. "What if Shao Kahn isn't as bad as we believe him to be? What if, if we stopped fighting and started communicating, he could be an ally?"
Raiden carried on staring out the window for perhaps another half minute. Then he turned to Kang, a deep wrinkle between his eyes.
"What has gotten into you?" he asked.
"Perhaps he is trying to help us! Perhaps it's a… a misunderstanding that can be solved by diplomacy instead of fighting?" Kang said.
He rambled on as Raiden marched up to him and stopped to stare, arms crossed, with a deadpan expression. To Kang's left on the bed, Lao was gaping. Raiden put one hand against his forehead, and slowly slid it down his face.
"You are hereby," he said, pointing at Kang, "forbidden to speak with that girl!"
"Wha- but, Lord Raiden-!"
Kang sprung from the bed and ran after as the god strode towards the door.
"She's putting nonsense in your head, and we don't have time for that!"
"But what if she's right? It might-"
"Liu Kang!"
Raiden gyrated; Kang almost collided with him. He put his hands on Kang's shoulders and made him look straight into those empty eyes.
"I have been Earth's protector for millennia. I have known of Shao Kahn for longer. I know what he is capable of. If he could be quelled with peace negotiations, you would not be here today. And that is final."
Kang bit down on his tongue. He was confident Kitana wasn't lying, but Raiden seemed certain as well. He didn't want to defy the god – not at a moment like this.
Raiden sighed, and patted his shoulder.
"Make sure to get some rest," he said whilst stepping out of the room. "Tomorrow will be a big day, for all of us."
The door closed behind him with a thud.
Kang returned to the bed, plopping down with a groan.
"He's right."
Kang looked at Lao. His cousin was staring out into thin air, before suddenly getting up and wandering back and forth.
"I know I might've encouraged you – but I shouldn't have. You need to be focused, you have an important mission," he said. "This is about the fate of the world. You have to win this!"
Kang wiggled where he sat. He pulled in his chin to his chest, drawing up his shoulders to his ears.
"I'm not the only fighter from Earth left…"
"But you are the one who's going to win."
"You can't tell for sure-"
"Hey!"
Lao glared at him, eyes narrowed and teeth gritted. His breathing was getting heavier. His hands were balled into tight fists. Kang had to force himself not to wince.
"There's a reason why Master Yao and Lord Raiden and… all the masters chose you. Why you were sent here!"
Lao expression had turned into a sneer. He was spitting out his words with something behind them that Kang didn't ever want to identify.
It appeared that Lao recognized it, too. He relaxed, to some degree, looking away in guilt. He swallowed.
"It's because you're the best," he mumbled as he sat down again. "And you will win."
He wrapped his arms around Kang and held him tightly.
"I didn't disobey our masters and travel around half the world to see you lose, little cousin."
Kang rested his head on Lao's shoulder. With a muted sigh, he closed his eyes and nodded.
Changed Kitana's age, and quite a lot in general about wraiths. I have my reasons for doing this, but the explanation will be long-winded. If enough of you really seriously wants to know those reasons, I'll post them. If not, I won't have wasted your time with a wall of text.
Jax is slowly becoming my favorite character. He is just so mellow and nice!
Oh, and I promise this is the last time I'll tell you what Kitana looks like unless it's actually important to the story. Or, I promise to at least try.
Thank you for reading, and please review. Positive or negative, it will be appreciated.