Kuai Liang sat at his desk, looking through an old journal he used to keep during his younger days. Many of his deepest secrets - most of which Tomas or even his older brother did not know - were scribbled onto the fine pages. Most of his innermost thoughts were misunderstood by many, which is why he preferred to write them instead of voicing them aloud.

The Cryomancer had been in an emotional rut these past few days, and he didn't want to talk to anyone about it. He feared that if he confronted the issue with the male vapor demon, he'd lose a lifelong friend. Furthermore, he suspected a romance going on between his best friend and Zeleve. The way both Enenras acted around each other... It wasn't normal.

Not by Sub-Zero's standards, anyway. However, time would only tell. He still hadn't conferred with the thunder god regarding the mysterious woman. Kuai Liang needed to ensure that Zeleve wasn't a danger to his clan, but all these swirling emotions he felt were overwhelming.

"I need to relax," he said quietly, burying his face in his hands. "It's highly unlike me to act and think irrationally."

Sub-Zero wondered if it had something to do with Zeleve's presence after all. But what he didn't know was that she had played an important role in the fate of his best friend.

Again, time would only tell.

Right when the Grandmaster was about to read the first few entries from his long-completed hardcover journal, he heard a distant grunt. A hollow thud was soon followed by an unearthly chuckle. It was unexpected, really. No one (with the exception of the sentries) was usually awake during nighttime hours. A primal urge to investigate prompted Kuai Liang to tense up.

Something's wrong, he thought, slamming the journal shut and rising to his feet. He quickly strode over to his nightstand and grabbed several kunai from the top drawers. Silently making brisk steps toward his door, he made sure to twist the intricate bronze doorknob without making any noise.

Whoever is snooping around my temple will surely have their very last fight, Sub-Zero promised himself as he stepped outside his chamber.

Zeleve was sleeping much more peacefully while Tomas kept a close eye on her. They had since tidied up the quaint chamber, while having short conversations in the midst of their bonding. Smoke had opened up a lot more to his estranged cousin since, and she had done the same. For a woman who'd grown up alone throughout her afterlife, she sure seemed ever friendly and charismatic with Tomas. It was uncommon for two long-separated relatives to become attached so quickly to one another, but with these two vapor demons... It was bound to happen. After all, their souls were intertwined forever, even if they didn't know it.

A part of the male Enenra enjoyed having a female relative around, but he also worried about her safety. Zeleve was resilient, having had several battles throughout her afterlife. Her powers may not have been as strong and honed as Tomas', but she was a force to be reckoned with.

Smoke smiled at the thought of Zeleve beating an enemy senseless. She was agile enough, and she didn't seem malnourished. Her incredible speed was also something to be admired. Smoke had never seen Zeleve fight, but in due time, he'd get to see for himself just how powerful she was.

Tomas did not know if it was Fate that led Zeleve to the Lin Kuei temple, but he was wondering how in the Elder Gods names this had all happened. Several weeks ago, Smoke didn't know he had a lost cousin. He knew most of his past, but evidently not all of it. So, to know that the woman he'd occasionally have nightmares about during his childhood was actually a real person... It was indeed something.

Zeleve's chest rose and fell with every sleeping breath she took, and Smoke appreciated the fact that no panic attacks interrupted her peaceful state. Soon enough, once he felt that he could get some rest, Tomas' eyes started to flutter. He fell asleep within moments; he and his cousin completely unaware of Bi-Han's form creeping around the corner just outside Zeleve's chamber.

Sub-Zero stealthily stalked throughout the empty halls of his threshold. His blue eyes widened in shock as he noticed the decapitated corpses of several sentries scattered around the floor. Their severed necks gushed with blood, with dark purple energy wafting from the bodies. The only beings possessing such powers were evil, and clearly they had a good reason to infiltrate the Lin Kuei stronghold.

The stunned Cryomancer also noted that most of the mutilated bodies had several shuriken sticking out from their eye sockets and other body parts. As he crouched beside one of the dead guards, Kuai Liang studied one of the star-shaped blades. An unusual insignia was carved into the center of it: a tribal design he recognized. It belonged to the Brotherhood of Shadow.

It hit Sub-Zero just then; he knew that there was only one person who'd been highly skilled in the use of such deadly projectiles. He'd grown up with this deadly opponent.

It was Bi-Han.

Panic set in immediately, but Sub-Zero kept it under control. He knew that if his undead brother was around, then it was for a reason. Noob Saibot was a very dangerous wraith, and despite not having encountered him in many years, Kuai Liang was still not ready to confront him.

But to protect the lives of his clan - a clan he'd worked very hard to reform - a dangerous decision had to be made. Sub-Zero thought about reasoning with his corrupted brother. But as he made his way toward Smoke's chamber, he realized that it would serve no purpose; Bi-Han was far from redemption now. As much as the Cryomancer denied it, he knew that it was true.

He allowed his inner grief and resentment for his brother manifest itself into his veins. Ice soon started wafting from his palms in a frenzy the more he thought of his anguish. All of the depression he lived with ever since Bi-Han's death, all of the loneliness he felt that not even his best friend could quell... He wanted to get rid of the source that caused his heart to encase itself in ice.

The thoughts soon stopped once Kuai Liang channeled his emotions and inner energy into one. As a result, a sharp, deadly Kori blade sprung into his palms. The blue-garbed Grandmaster clutched the hilt with his strong hand, ready to confront his spiritually unstable sibling.

He was going to end his brother, for once and for all.