Thank you all for the reviews, please keep them coming. I been trying to kep up with updating consistently. Juggling several fics is tough work but I manage. Anyways here's the next chapter, enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own mortal Kombat
The Tarkatan wastelands was as hot at the Sahara dessert, for a second Takeda had believed they were actually traveling through the Sahara. Though he never been there so he wouldn't know for sure. What he did know was his phone was lying about the temperature. It read 93 when it clearly felt like over 100, hotter than scorpion on a good day. Just 15 minutes after making it out of the dead woods and into the searing heat Takeda was already starting to sweat. His outfit was probably a contributing factor which is why he stripped off his top and stuffed it in a bag that Torr had hooked to his waist. To keep the sun out of his eye's he wrapped his yellow scarf around his head and neck.
Jin on the other hand wasn't really bothered by the heat as much. He just removed his head piece and let his hair down. And Ferra/Torr, they were use to weather like this. They literally lived in it for a few years before Kotal khan found them. They been traveling for an hour and there was no stable or any building in sight. Just sand, small animals and bones. Jin had to double check the map to make sure they were going the right direction.
"You see any buildings from up there Ferra?" Jin asked. Ferra was sitting on Torr shoulders looking bored. She patted the top of Torr head making him stop walking. She balanced herself on top of Torr shoulders, Torr right arm instinctively reached up to hold her waist. Ferra looks around, using her left hand to shield the sun from her eyes. She instantly spots a small wooden house in the distance, the heat waves almost making it hard to see but it was definitely something. She lowered herself back on Torr shoulders and pointed in the direction of the wooden house. Jin squinted in the direction Ferra pointed, barely making out a shape. "Alright, at least it's something."
"I hope they have water, ice cold water." Takeda licked his lips as he dreamed of diving into a pool of ice water. His body had slight shade of red, least he was getting a tan. They finally arrived in front of the small wooden house and looked at the surrounding area. Just a simple one level wooden house with no glass windows and a chimney. Jin was the first to step on the porch of the house. He stared at the small sign above the door that read 'Cearul Stable'. "I don't see any stable, just a house...is this some kind of joke." Takeda stood next to Jin looking at the sign as well. Jin shrugged and knocks twice on the door. A moment passed and Jin looks at Takeda, both of them looking a bit weary.
"I think Erron pranked us." Jin snarled and knocks on the door three times. Takeda closed his eyes in concentration, he sensed a presence behind the door. He and Jin took a step back as the door opened wide, a near seven foot tall tanned man wearing black leather shorts with a gold necklace hanging around his neck. He had short red hair with wolverine like side burns. His eyes were not human, white pupils with red surrounding them instead of the usual white. Almost like Torr red eye but in reverse. He looks between Jin and Takeda, than at Ferra/Torr in the back ground.
"Can I help you fellas?' the man spoke with a deep Irish accent, something that caught the two young men in front of him off guard.
"Umm Mr. Ceal...rule, did I say that right?" Jin looked at the sign, he always valued his reading skills even when it came to foreign names.
"It's pronounced kar-ul." Cearul corrected him.
"Cearul got it." Jin nods "Me and my friends here are looking for transportation and we were told by Erron Black to come here."
"Black aye." Cearul looked Jin over than at Takeda who was wiping the sweat off of his body with his scarf. "You came to the right place but first let me get you fellas a cold drink." he stepped aside gesturing for Jin and Takeda to enter. He looks at Ferra/Torr standing out side. "You to lass but ya friends stay out here, he's to big to fit through me door." he says. Ferra tells Torr to wait outside before going in the house. The inside of the house had log cabin feel to it. All the furniture was made from wood or stone. The heads of strange creatures were mounted on the walls. There was also a staircase that lead under the house.
"Nice place." Jin commented. His eyes landed on a the head of what looked like a mix between a white tiger and lion with fours eyes mounted on the wall. It's large sharp teeth looked like diamonds. "Is that real?" he points out.
"That be the diamond tooth Liger, caught that lass on a hunt, rare beaut isn't she?" Cearul smirked, admiring the mounted head. "Well make yourselves at home." Cearul motioned to the sofa and chairs in his living room before going down the steps under the house. Takeda sat on the sofa and Ferra sat down crossed legged next to him. Jin walks over to one of the chairs made of stone and sat down, surprised to find it comfortable.
"You getting any bad vibes from this guy?" Jin whispered to Takeda.
"So far none, I can't read his mind, I think he's blocking me." Takeda whispered back. He sat back on the sofa and sighed, glad to be out of that heat. Cearul came back up the stairs carrying a large try. Two large pitchers filled with ice water and three cups. He placed it on the table and filled each cup before handing one to each person. He than grabbed the other full pitcher and steps outside handing it to Torr who happily took it with a grunt. "So umm not to sound rude but I thought this was a stable?" Takeda asked after drinking his water in three gulps.
"But it is lad, it's just different." Cearul grabbed the first pitcher off the tray and walks over to Takeda refilling his cup. He placed the pitcher on a coffee table and sits down in the largest chair. "You know Mr. Black?"
"He's an associate of ours." Jin took his time with his water, taking small gulps. Mostly to wet his chapped lips. "Thanks for the water."
"No problem fella." Cearul smirked. "So where ye be headed to?"
"The cobalt mines of Shokan." Takeda said out loud.
"I been there a few times, got some good merchandise from there." Cearul shifted in his chair. "Say if your all heading there mind if I tag along?" Cearul stood up. Takeda and Jin exchanged looks.
"What do you think?" Jin thought, knowing Takeda was reading his mind.
"Your the one in charge." Takeda said out loud, Jin sat up straight running a hand through his slightly sweat damped hair.
"Yeah, sure we don't mind as long as you don't interfere with our mission." Jin finally says.
"Good." Cearul grinned, the pupils in his eyes flashed blue. Everyone except Cearul jumped at the sound of Torr startled roar. Ferra jumped off the sofa and ran outside to see Torr standing near the porch looking wide eyed at a large topless wooden carriage being pulled by four large six legged black horses. Ferra stood next to Torr looking at the carriage in awe. Takeda and Jin stood on the patio looking surprised as well. They snapped out of there trance at the sound of a door closing behind them, Cearul standing behind them now wearing a gray vest with two rifles on his back. "I'll take the lead, since I know the fastest way to get to the mines." Cearul stepped pass them toward the carriage.
Jin looks at Takeda a bit confused. "Some sort of summoner perhaps." Jin said with a shrug.
"This is just like underground New York, just a bit more med evil" Lucia looked at her surroundings. The cobalt mines of Shokan was actually an underground cavern with a network of tunnels, an underground city. The entrance was a large stone statue of a Shokan head with the mouth a gape. A large black gate guarded by two huge red skinned Shokan and one female Shokan. Thanks to Ermac powers he was able to get them access inside. He was also able to find the location of the Yellow Bill from the female Shokan as well. "For a race with no one to lead them, they seem to be quite organized."
"They may have a new leader, we are not entirely sure." Ermac said under his breath. He walked right alongside Lucia keeping a watchful eye. They passed several openings that served as housing or businesses. "You should eat something." Ermac stated as he clearly heard the small growl coming from Lucia stomach. The only thing she had to eat was an apple so she was due for a meal. Ermac stops in front a large opening, the inside had a bar/restaurant. Customers of all walks of life filled the place. The smell of roasted meat and alcohol wafted through the air. Ermac grabs Lucia hand as they entered the restaurant, a middle aged human man dressed in red shirt and pants with a red collar around his neck approached them. "We want a private table."
"That's going to cost extra." the man says. Lucia just gave him a nod and he leads to the back of the restaurant to a half den with a small table. It was as private as it can get, and Ermac chose to sit with his back to the entrance. The waiter hands them each a menu written on a brown tapestry like paper. Lucia stared at the strange lettering, it looked like a mix between Japanese and Russian. She knew both languages but she didn't trust herself to understand it. She looks up at Ermac who was staring back at her, not once did he even look at the menu. "What did you want to eat?"
"Something close to steak, well done and lightly seasoned...also something to drink that doesn't have alcohol." Lucia placed the menu on the table and takes out her communicator. Takeda hasn't contacted them back yet. Surely they were busy with something, hopefully it wasn't anything dangerous. The waiter returned to take the orders which Ermac gave in a language she never heard of but he spoke quite fluently. "So how many languages do you speak?" she asked though she had a pretty good idea he knew everyone in existence.
"That is correct, we do speak all languages known in existence." Ermac answered her question."We know a lot of things that even the average being wouldn't know."
"Someday you will have to tell me everything you know." Lucia smiled at Ermac who returned it with a small smile of his own. "You never answered my question earlier?"
"What was your question?"
"Who is Fujin?" Lucia really wanted to know what Ermac was talking about earlier. When he looked into her dreams while she slept. And yet the memory was still a blur. Ermac gave her a questioning look than blinks with a tilt of his head.
"Do you not know your own gods?" Ermac asked.
"Of course I know who my god is, thunder god Raiden." Lucia felt kind of offended by his assumption.
"Fujin is Raiden older brother, the god of wind."
"Wow I must be slipping up if I didn't know that fact." How could she miss something like that in her studies about the greater beings.
She only met Raiden once when he came to visit Kuai Liang. She never really got to talk with the god much, he just greeted her as he made his exit. It never occurred to her that Raiden had a brother. She was surprised to learn that the mad elder god Shinnok was Raiden father. She really had a lot to learn. The waiter returns with her a plate and mug, setting it down before her on the tale. A large piece of cooked meat on a bone with green paste and vegetables. The mug was filled mixed fruit juice that smelled quite good to her. "So you say Fujin was in my dreams?" Lucia picks up her fork and began to eat.
"We looked into your mind while you slept, we only saw a glimpse than we were forced out." Ermac almost sounded angry at the end of the sentence. A magic that was powerful enough to block out his telepathy was not good in his book. Not to mention he was feeling a bit of jealousy towards Fujin, wondering how long the wind god had invaded Lucia dreams. And why she always forget about it when she wakes, things were just not adding up.
The beeping of Lucia communicator almost made Lucia choke on her drink. She quickly set down her mug and wiped her mouth with a napkin. She picks up her communicator and hands it to Ermac.
"Hello." Ermac sounded a bit confused when he said the greeting.
"Hey Error Macro, Lucia with you?" It was Takeda on the other end.
"She is with us." Ermac sneered wanting to berate Takeda for calling him out of his name. "We are at the cobalt Mines, Lucia wishes to know your location?"
"Hold on a sec." there was a long pause with muffled voices in the background. "We should be there in about 30 minutes, we need to meet up."
"Hmm." Ermac went silent as he placed the communicator down on the table. Another pause and this time a different voice speaks.
"Aye Mac, remember me fella?" the voice says. Ermac raised an eyebrow and picks up the communicator.
"We remember you hunter." Ermac says. Lucia gave him a strange look wondering who the strange man was.
"Good, meet us at the Tiger Bar, that's close to the Yellow Bill." Cearul went silent. There was shuffling as the communicator was passed around.
"I guess will see you two there then." Takeda said than ends the call. Ermac slid the communicator back to Lucia.
"Who was that irish guy?" Lucia asked.
"He is a hunter born in chaos realm but raised in earth realm, he is also a friend of Erron black." Ermac explains. "His father is a chaos realmer warrior, his soul is within us."
"So I guess your kind of related in a way "
"We do feel some connection."
Lucia nods and continues eating the rest of her food. She finished her meal in less than five minutes. Ermac paid the waiter a small bag of koins, more than the initial amount because Lucia insisted the waiter deserved a tip for good service. They left the small restaurant and headed for the tiger bar that Cearul told them to meet up at.
Author Notes
I know this chapter was a it boring and slow but I promise you the next one will better. Once again leave a review and stay tuned for the next chapter. Also follow me on Tumblr, name Crimsoiwolf.