Having been dispatched by the Emperor on her new mission, Skarlet materialised into blood and began to hunt down the Lin Kuei. She could smell a familiar scent of blood in the air…One that she had smelt before. But it was somewhat different. It smelt younger and therefor, more fresh.

She followed the scent of the blood into the Soul Chamber. The place was eerie. In it, there was a small bridge that people could walk across. Several spikes were around the edge of the bridge, and lava was beneath the bridge that would burn someone to ashes the moment it touched them. Behind the bridge was where the souls were stored, and guarding it was a peculiar creature with tentacles. Around the bridge were Shadow Priests that weren't animate. They just stood there, holding their spears in their hands, watching people enter and exit the Chamber.

Skarlet knew that this was where Ermac had been created. The soul-construct was created by the fusion of unfortunate Edenian souls being fused into one being. When the Emperor had claimed Edenia, he had claimed the souls of the Edenians that he had killed during the conquest. With all the souls that composed his being, Ermac was empowered with the dangerous ability of telekinesis, which was one using their mind to move objects at will.

As the young Lin Kuei continued to venture into the Soul Chamber, he could hear something move. Well shit. My positions up, Skarlet thought. "Who's there!" Kuai Liang shouted.

Knowing that hiding was pointless, Skarlet decided to give off her position. Materialising into her true form, the hemomancer stood before Kuai Liang. The Cryomancer was immediately captivated by her beauty. The young man was always around other men in the Lin Kuei, as no women were in the clan. Women were inferior to the Lin Kuei. So, it was nice to see a young, pretty woman for a change.

"What is this!" Sub-Zero shouted at her. "I am not here to fight you."

"Neither am I," Skarlet shot back. "You have a familiar look. Have I seen you before?" The man before her indeed looked familiar. He looked a lot like Bi-Han. They wore similar clothes, and the symbol on Kuai Liang's clothing was on Bi-Han's former uniform.

"I am looking for the killer of my brother, Sub-Zero. Or, as some people know him as, Bi-Han," the young Lin Kuei replied.

That's why, Skarlet said to herself. "Yes, indeed. I was allied with him before he died."

Oh shit. I've said too much again.

Kuai Liang quirked an eyebrow. "What do you mean? You are the enemy. Why were you associated with my brother?" The younger Cryomancer was unaware that his younger brother had gone to Outworld for the tournament. Bi-Han never got to say goodbye to Kuai Liang before he left with Shang Tsung.

"Your brother and I were great friends," Skarlet said. She looked down, as she knew she was going to cry. The red assassin always felt sad when she spoke of her love, even though he was back to life. "I was assigned to guard him during the tournament."

"Then why did he die? Did you let him die, woman?"

"No, I swear on my life. His enemy, Scorpion, took him into the Netherrealm to fight him. Bi-Han never returned. I couldn't intervene, as I would be breaking tournament rules. It breaks my heart that I couldn't do anything."

Kuai Liang liked how this woman cared a lot about his brother. He had a feeling that they had trysts. Well, he was sort of right about that, as it was only now that Bi-Han had returned to life that Skarlet and Noob Saibot, who Bi-Han had been brought back as, had been having romantic rendezvous at midnight every night.

"So you're saying that Scorpion killed him?"

"Yes. He came back with his 'prize,' which even though I've mentioned it, I'd rather not talk about it. What is your name?"

The young Cryomancer felt curious as to what the 'prize' was that the red woman was referring to. "My name is Kuai Liang. And yours?"

"I'm Skarlet. There is something else that you must know about your brother, Kuai Liang. I don't know how to tell you this without you probably breaking down, but that goes without saying."

Sub-Zero had been hurt many times before, so what could Skarlet do that would be worse? His whole childhood had been stripped away from him, and now that he was an adult, Kuai Liang still didn't have any freedom. The Lin Kuei were hunting him and Smoke down for their rebellion against the clan, as they had run away from the Lin Kuei.

Their reason for their betrayal to the clan was because of the Cyber Initiative. Sektor's father, the Grandmaster, had concluded that cybernetics were the best enhancements for assassins. As such, he had decided to automate the clan, starting with Cyrax and Sektor. Both warriors were willing test subjects, whilst Tomas and Kuai Liang still valued their humanity more than anything. Both men also valued free will a lot.

He sighed, "What happened to Bi-Han?"

Skarlet took a deep breath. "Bi-Han's soul descended into the Netherrealm. He was resurrected by a sorcerer named Quan Chi, who is Scorpion's master. Quan Chi manipulated Scorpion into killing your brother, as he knows that Scorpion will do anything to get revenge. The sorcerer even went as far as creating illusions about your brother conducting a massacre against Scorpion's clan. Your brother is now a wraith called Noob Saibot."

Kuai Liang shook his head. "That's impossible…"

"It's true. I would not lie to you. I see your brother every night, and it pains me to see what he's become. Noob Saibot remembers me, and is still very much your older brother. I promise that I am telling you the truth."

Sub-Zero knew that Skarlet was completely credible in what she was saying. He had had a feeling that Skarlet and Bi-Han had trysts every night, and he was right. The red assassin had even admitted it herself, though she had not used that word specifically.

"I suppose I can trust you, Skarlet, as you know more than anybody else that I have asked. We must go and save Tomas, my fellow Lin Kuei who has come with me."

As soon as Kuai Liang mentioned the clan's name, Skarlet remembered her mission. But she could not bring herself to attack Bi-Han's brother, as she would be doing him wrong. The red assassin loved Bi-Han with all her heart, and therefor would not do anything to harm him.

"Let us go. We must tell him about Bi-Han."

-Another short chapter. I'm sorry.

-I would hate to be the one to break the news about a relative's death. Wouldn't you? It'd be even worse if you cared for/respected the person you're speaking to/about.

-Skarlet's loyalty to the Emperor seems to be faltering. Uh oh!