A/N: Hey everyone, hope everything is going great for you. Again, thank you so much for the support, it's been utterly amazing. :) Also, total fan-girl moment incoming...Raiden's VA actually knows about this story, and has shown interest in it. Just...woah. Big woah...
Gradient
The first Viper clone only 'survived' for four minutes, before she proved to be spontaneously combustive, turning into a pile of ash, gently swept away by the wind coming from the open window at the head of the chamber.
The second's bones crumbled after five hours.
The third, whilst learning to walk ended up tumbling down some stairs, subsequently breaking her neck in the process.
The forth was a little more successful in her first endeavors. She learned how to walk, talk, and was beginning to flex her muscle in light, paced fights with her creator. It was Shao that killed her. He was confused, as to what this 'thing' was. She looked like Kara, but her eyes, her clothing...
He grabbed an arm, and pulled her around, until it snapped. She screamed, and he snapped her neck. He bellowed for Shang, who ignored him. The Emperor wanted, demanded an explanation.
Later that day, Shang explained that the Viper clones that was successful would be his new 'toys'. He could do with her as he wished. Once he mulled that over, a sadistic grin formed, accompanied by a vicious glint in his eyes.
Shang headed back to the dungeon chamber and cursed. The husk wasn't strong enough to take on Kara's abilities. He looked at the several large tubes, filled with husks in formaldehyde, and wondered where he was going wrong. Kara only had a little strength left. For all intents and purposes, she was dead. Her heart beat had slowed considerably, to the point where she would be declared dead. Her skin was ashen, snow, you could see the blue of her veins clearly, her skin now translucent.
He could not take any more of her strength or she would be killed. But, he had siphon more energy if he were to succeed in his endeavor. He needed Quan's help. The pale sorcerer had Scorpion on a tight leash and yet, his strength wasn't diminished when his soul was taken. He was a husk yes, but an immensely powerful one. If Shang could figure out how to imitate that, Viper would be unstoppable.
She would be the one to kill the Emperor. And then? Then they fight for who took the throne after him would begin...
And the black haired fiend wasn't about to lose that fight. An opportunity like that would not slip through his grasp.
Raiden's home
The Heavens
Sonya suited up, in a stab vest and holster. She put a knife in her back pocket, and a smaller one in her boot. Johnny and Jakal took vests too. None took chances. They couldn't afford too. They also took earbuds. If and when they encountered Sindel, she was guaranteed to scream. The three were not particularly fond of having their ear drums burst...
Raiden was solemn, quiet. Fujin patted his shoulder as he walked past. The elder barely acknowledged this. The wind god sighed, and walked over to Tiama.
"The palace is large and imposing. Knowing what is in there, we must exercise caution".
Raiden's quiet frayed quite a few nerves with his companions. They wanted his input, his wisdom. He was giving them nothing, no scraps. Even scraps would have helped. Outside, the weather wasn't too bad, but the ever darkening clouds only added to everyone's already flayed nerves.
Sonya and Johnny took one route, Jakal and Fujin elected to take the other route. Tiama and Raiden held back, to prevent anything coming through where they were.
They tried to walk as silently as they could, but the heels of their boots caused clicks on the stone floor.
Jakal and Fujin found Sindel, standing before a huge, ornate granite door. The door to Shao's chamber. Of course he wouldn't just let them waltz in. He would have a deadly diversion distract them, and perhaps kill them? She certainly could...
They quickly put in their earplugs, before the Queen screamed, a horrific banshee howl. Jakal squinted, and ran at her. Fujin backed him, whipping up a small tornado, successfully knocking Sindel off her feet. Jakal picked her up, and threw her far away from him. He focused on the ground, and placed his hands upon it. The stone started to crack and shift. A hand on his shoulder jolted him, stopping him.
"Bad idea, right?" Fujin nodded. "Sorry. Shit", Jakal sighed, "I''d bring the entire damn place down, onto us. I'm not thinking straight".
Sindel stood up, launching herself at the two. Fujin whipped another tornado up, but trapped her within it. Sindel's white eyes shifted into grey as she squirmed, shrieking loudly as she did. Jakal growled and grabbed the Queen by her neck. He snapped it, quickly ending her suffering. That was merciful compared to what he really wished to do...
He nodded in Fujin's direction, and the two walked out of the room, to regroup.
After what felt like a long time searching aimlessly, Johnny found Quan, who quickly fled into a pitch black tunnel. The actor was about to run over there when Sonya stopped him.
"I could have sworn I just saw something".
Johnny moved his sunglasses down his nose a tad.
"Eh? I didn't".
Sonya rolled her eyes and huffed.
"Of course you didn't. How the hell you see anything on here with those on. Why are you wearing them in here anyway?"
Johnny smirked. Blond brows rose, and the woman stepped away from him.
"Urgh, forget I ask"..
Johnny butt in. "Might get blinded by something hot, you never know".
Sonya groaned. He laughed.
"Oh for the love of...hang on".
Someone was slinking around in front of the pair.
Sonya lowered her voice.
"You are seeing that, right?"
This time, Johnny nodded.
"Er, yeah. Friendly?"
The blond shook her head. "Not getting that from her. She looks like...shit!"
Whoever the woman was, she flew at them, and had Sonya pinned in seconds. The blond's face smacked the floor, and she cried out. Her arms were twisted behind her back. She swore at Johnny, who spun around and kicked the woman off her.
The woman in black landed and ripped off the mask she wore. Johnny did a double-take.
"Kara? No..what the fu"...
He didn't get the chance to get his profane word out.
Johnny saw a flash of black, before howling, as his arm was scratched. The wound hit deep, and began pulsing, aching immediately. He slumped onto the floor, as his vision blackened. He struggled to see properly, and the urge to vomit was increasing with each passing second. Sonya threw in rapid fire punches, attacking the thing that attacked him, and it slunk off into the darkness of the corridor. She ran over him, looked him over, and the lines creasing her forehead were more prominent than ever.
"Don't you die on me Cage"...
Tiama located Kara's telepathic signal, and though weak, was able to locate her. She sped off towards the room, blasting through the thick metal door with a wave of telekinetic energy. Nothing would stand between her and her child. Nothing, no one.
She ran into the room, quickly spotting Kara. She couldn't just run over to her however. Another, ratherarrogant man stood between them.
"Ah. I did wonder what all the commotion was about. And when Quan informed me that Sonya and Johnny found him, I knew you would soon follow. Raiden? I know you are there. When did you become a mouse, hmm?"
Raiden walked into the room, lightning flaring from his hands. He wasn't about to play any game the snake had in store for him. Shang knew this, and walked into the middle of the chamber, still taunting the Elder God.
Raiden and Tiama walked straight over to the stone slab when he moved. Kara's life hung in delicate balance. Shang wanted to kill her. Raiden wanted to kill him. Lightning fizzled in his veins, trickling into his very core. If he had to commit one of the most heinous of crimes, murder, he would. Protecting Kara's unconscious form was his top priority, Everything else came after that. He waved his hand at Tiama to leave the room. He did not wish for her to fight, or to see what he was about to do. She stayed, until the look he gave her, one of determination mixed with rage scared her into doing so.
Raiden would apologise to her, he owed her that much. But he couldn't have her witness what he had in mind.
There was a reason he was deadly quiet, a devious reason, one that had crossed his mind a few times, but he had never acted on...
Until now.
Raiden's fury struck Shang, causing him to scream. His body convulsed, eyes rolled back into his head. Retaliation wasn't an option, Raiden made sure of that. Sparks crackled in his eyes, sheer power flowed from his form.
When he stopped, Shang was unconscious, bleeding profusely from several lesions that had opened up on his body. He did not realise the extent of the sorcerer's injuries. They were mortal. The man lay dying on the floor of the corridor, just outside his chamber. Raiden ignored this, and turned back to Kara. Tiama ran into the room, closely followed by Fujin and Sonya. The blond was white as a sheet, bruises covered her face and arms.
"Johnny's he's...something that looked like Kara attacked him. The wound was oozing green...pus?"
Tiama, once she saw her daughter's state froze, her form unable to move.
"Raiden...her soul. She hasn't got a soul! It's gone!"
Sonya's eyes widened. "Shang took her soul and made whatever the hell that thing was back there with it?"
She went to swear, but was interrupted, by a small voice.
But that small voice dripped with hatred.
"We cannot move her. Her life is tied with the runes in the fabric of this chamber. It is not unlike the Jinsei chamber. If we move her..."
Jakal walked in, with his arm around Johnny. He hauled the man up as spluttered out the contents of his stomach. The wound on his neck was bright green. The toxin inside him rapidly paralyzed him. He could not walk anymore, and his sight blurred. He felt woozy, hazy, he slipped in and out of consciousness.
"We have to leave her here, don't we?"
Raiden nodded, Tiama sobbed, and her husband growled.
"Why?!"
His confusion only served to whittle away at Tiama and Raiden's mind...
The Elder God took as calming a breath as he could.
"Because her life force is tied to this room. And this 'clone' of hers, if we move Kara, she will die, and her remaining energy will be transferred into her".
Kara's Father bristled. "I can't leave her here".
Sonya took hold of Johnny's arm, and wrapped hers around his shoulder. Jakal knelt down by the slab, and put his head in his hands.
"Gods...", he looked at the thunder god with pleading eyes, "Please Raiden. There must be something we can do".
The white haired man nodded, the thought he had sparked a little ray of hope in his mind.
"We must defeat this 'clone'. When we do, Kara's soul will return, though we need to return her her power slowly. We can do that in the Jinsei chamber. It will keep her in stasis. She will regain her life energy, and cannot be harmed there. I advise she trains there too, after all of this".
If she survives this...
Raiden looked away and held his tongue.
No. She will survive this.
"Where is Quan?"
Jakal cursed. "He fled, bastard".
No one cared for the crassness, they had to find this Kara clone if they stood any chance of bringing Kara back.
Fujin chimed in, to try and calm the atmosphere. "We will rescue your daughter, and we will save her Tiama".
The goddess nodded, giving him a grateful smile.
"I know. Thank you". She looked at an ever paling Johnny. "I will find a remedy to save you too. Don't worry Sonya. He'll be okay".
She gave the blond a knowing look, which she blew off, but Tiama knew.
There was something there, she just didn't want to admit it...
As they left the chamber, Raiden had shooting pains in his chest. He hated this situation, it roiled the acid in his stomach, and created a bilious feeling. Unconsciously, he had held his breath. These combined caused him to have a dizzy spell, and he stopped walking abruptly. Only his dear friend turned and saw this. Everyone else was heading back to the portal room. When he had regained a modicum of balance back. the Elder God looked disturbed.
"Where are they going? We must find this clone".
Fujin shook his head. "We cannot do that right now. We must recuperate. Johnny need the antidote to the poison in his veins. Without it, he will die. We must wait for another time to strike. Shao is alone, Raiden. Quan has fled and Shang will need time to recover after his loss".
The older man felt something akin to mourning, he knew this from mourning the loss of the warriors, in particular Liu Kang and Kung Lao. The two were like family to him. He did not have children. The Shaolin monks took the place of that in his heart. No, they were his family, and they were taken from him.
They would be avenged. Shang was gone, but Shao and Quan still remained.
This feeling he had, it was similar to what he had felt for their loss, but differed, not only in the sense that he knew they wouldn't lose Kara.
They couldn't lose Kara. If they did, the already large rifts which threatened to split the already fractious group would only serve to open them further.
This could not be allowed t happen.
They would rescue Kara. He would rescue Kara. That was what would happen. That was the plan, and he would stick to it. No deviating no matter how much he wanted too. He was fast becoming reckless in his endeavors and this concerned him, and his friends no doubt...
Shang crawled into the corridor, after seeing Raiden, Fujin, Tiama and the last of the Earthrealm warriors leave the chamber. He propped his back up, against a thick stone pillar, as he felt his limbs fail him. He started to feel hazy, began blacking out, giving in to the pull of death, when in the corner of his vision, he saw a person. He dismissed it as the work of a suffering, collapsing mind. He shouldn't have, this was a grave error.
Before he shut his eyes or the final time, he saw her. The woman whom he had poured his magic into, giving it his all, everything he had was put into her creation.
And by the Gods, she was perfection. She bent her body at an awkward angle for a human, though, she wasn't entirely human, and cocked her head at him. She bowed, and quickly spied the gem Shang had on his person. He could not stop her pale, nimble fingers plucking it from his pocket.
The last thing he heard was laughter...
The last thing he saw were her eyes. A brilliant white sclera, and a vivid purple iris. Thin black slits were her pupils, abhorrent, devoid of life.
Utterly evil...
Viper wandered through the halls of the fortress without purpose, the small green power gem in her hand. She rolled it around on her palm, seeing small waves of magic, her ears hearing their hiss. She saw the magic was travelling up her palm, and onto her wrist. They began shining, her veins a dull green, gradually growing brighter, until emerald. This surge of energy made the clone feel incredible. She simply had to have more.
And she would...
She hid the gem, the soft, flowing fabric of her top easily concealing her 'prize'. She stopped walking and frowned. It was freezing, and the hall smelt musty, the floor caked in dust. The walls hadn't fared much better either. Cobwebs were everywhere, though their creators were nowhere to be seen. The hairs on her arm stood on end, prompting an annoyed hiss from the woman. She needed something to warm her up. After some deliberation in her mind, the clone decided she wanted some tea.
Two things crossed her mind, as she strolled throughout the palace:
How big is this place?!
Where in the Netherrealm are the servants in here?! Surely the Emperor has a few...
She stopped with a start, her heart began beating faster, as she heard footsteps coming her way.
She held her breath, and hid behind a pillar...
Shao had gone for a wander, when everything had gone quiet. He quickly located Sindel's body, all shriveled up, her sharp features now gaunt. Shao felt a twinge of sadness pull at his heart. That lasted a second or so, before he decided he did not care. Sindel had failed him one too many times. She should have stayed dead in his opinion. It wasn't his decision to bring her back in the first place. She was good for company, and other things, but she bothered him far too often. She'd want his attention constantly, and would rarely leave him in peace. As he stood in his war room, preparing for the assault on Earthrealm when he won the ninth kontest, (He knew he would. They hadn't put up much of fight before then. Why would they start now?) Sindel would walk in, and want to speak with him.
He appreciated that she cared enough to seek him out. Though his urges were not hers. She wanted love, companionship, He wanted a much more physically relationship. She didn't. For years, Shao would act as if this did not phase him, when she declined his offers, to join him in bed, or their large bath. It did however, hugely. He was becoming bitter, wondering why she didn't wish to be with him. Yes, he had murdered her husband, Kitana's Father, Jerrod, and took the throne forcefully. But that was many moons ago. He thought Sindel would have forgiven him for his hastiness, his foolish, brash youthful days, when he listed for glory, and all the perks that came with that...
She hadn't, his logic chimed in that she wouldn't. How does one forgive murder? Kitana despised him, only posing as if she cared for him during the kontests. As his forces obliterated Earthrealm's each consecutive year, he saw the fear in her eyes, when he glances over. Creating Mileena? That was the final straw for the Princess, so he had to have her restrained, so she could not run away. He didn't want to have to do that, but, she left him no choice...
He regretted hurting her. She was a child when he took her Father's life, far too young to understand what was going on. A sweet little girl, corrupted by him, his evil, a powerful toxin. It kept her and Sindel quiet, kept behind a barrier. That barrier was his war hammer. If they spoke out, told anyone what he had done, or what he planned? That barrier would come crashing down upon them...
Ten minutes into his walk. He found the body of Shang, blood seeped from his mouth, and he looked...
Fried? Frazzled?
Shao scanned the sorcerer's lifeless body over as he took his soul, the peridot wisp gliding effortlessly through the air, into his body.
His brain worked away, as he wondered who killed the man before him.
As he finished looking over Shang's wounds, the splits in skin...the skin was charred around it.
His eyes widened when he had a revelation.
Raiden? He was here? If he were, it must be for Kara.
Kara...
He quickly walked off to the stairway down to the dungeon.
He found the young woman's body still there, clinging onto life desperately. At first glance, she appeared deceased. However, upon another glance, Shao saw her chest rise and fall slowly. Her pallor concerned him. If she died, he would have to find this 'Viper' and kill her, to take her soul.
The orb...
Kara wouldn't have it...
Raiden had a need for it, but would not take that and leave Kara's body here...
Viper must have it...
Shao all but stormed off, heavy footsteps creating dust clouds in his wake as he did so.
The Emperor heard shuffling in the east wing. He had not found Quan, but knew it wasn't him. He would not shuffle around. He wouldn't hide. Whoever this was was scurrying around like a rat. This made him want to rage, but he swallowed that urge, keeping it in.
Viper flinched, her shivering did not help matters. She spared a quick peek around the pillar and jumped.
All she saw were carnelian eyes, and a hulking shadow looming over her. She had to think quickly, on her feet. The shadow before her was huge, it terrified her.
"Your master is dead Viper. Look at the Emperor when he speaks to you, insolent woman".
Viper quirked a brow, before realising the man was right. She was alone, free to do as she wished. This thought pleased her.
"Ah, yes. I don't need another. I can handle things on my own".
Shao disagreed. "Do not argue with me girl".
Viper felt the urge to roll her eyes. She curtsied mockingly. Shao strolled forward and put an arm under her chin, pinning her against cold brick.
"You need a new master, Say it".
Viper couldn't speak. Her throat was constricted. She merely mumbled, digging her nails into his bicep.
Shao let her down, his eyes boring holes in hers. Viper dusted herself off, and bowed, properly this time.
"I need a new master, Emperor", she purred his title, and smirked at the surprised upturn of his mouth, "Forgive my insolence. I should be more grateful that you found and picked me to assist you".
Shao gestured for her to follow him, turned and smirked.
He had a feeling she would be an excellent asset to him, giving him a great advantage in future battles.
There were some Earthrealm survivors that needed to be silenced after all...
