Chapter 21: Target: Raiden
At the Sky Temple, Bo Rai Cho sat near the entrance as he took a swig from his flask. When he put the flash away, Raiden appeared before him with a flash of lightning. "Raiden! Raiden, my old friend." Bo Rai Cho said, greeting the elder god.
"Master Bo Rai Cho." Raiden said, greeting his friend. "I am pleased to see you. It has been many years."
"Too long, yes, too long. We old warriors need to stick together, eh?"
"Most certainly. I presume recent circumstances precipitate your arrival?"
"Yes, yes, I'm concerned that Shinnok may return. I've been trying to contact you. I feared the worst."
"When Kano misappropriated Shinnok's Amulet, he left behind a snare." Raiden said as the two went the Sky Temple and walked towards the Jinsei Chamber. "Disabling it required that I travel to many strange realms. I must retire to the Jinsei Chamber and regain my strength."
"You are close to recovering it then?" Bo Rai Cho questioned. "Shinnok's Amulet?"
"I do not know. Disabling Kano's snare demanded my full attention. Once I am rejuvenated, I will confer with General Blade."
"If only we could have destroyed Shinnok during the last war. If only he was mortal…" The two stood in front of the chamber's entrance as Raiden opened the doors. Once they entered, Bo Rai Cho widens his eyes at what he saw. It a pool of energy in the middle of the chamber with giant rocks orbiting around a large blue orb like planets around the sun. "Such beauty. Like gazing upon the Elder Gods themselves."
"I hold out hope that we can turn this crisis to our advantage."
"How so?"
"Quan Chi's magic binds the soul of many we hold dear." Raiden answered. "Capture him and we can force him to release them."
"Liu Kang and Kung Lao restored?" Bo Rai Cho said, thinking about his two former students. "I suppose it is possible…"
"As long as Quan Chi lives. I've long regretted losing our comrades' souls to Nether Realm's evil. Kung Lao and Liu Kang…they were like sons. I would move the Heavens to bring them back to the light." Raiden stepped inside the blue orb as energy began to return to his body as he remembers the time when he, Liu Kang, and Kung Lao free the Shaolin masters before the tournament against Shao Kahn began. Then the chamber started to shake as pieces of rumble fell the ceiling. Raiden looked up and saw a hole in the chamber's ceiling and an injured Bo Rai Cho began dragged back by someone. "Bo Rai Cho!"
Shinnok threw Bo Rai Cho to the ground and fired a blast from his amulet at him, knocking him unconscious. As Raiden came out of the Sky Temple, He saw Bo Rai Cho lying on the ground as the revenants surrounds the Thunder God.
"Yet another one of your allies falls to me." Shinnok said. "When he dies, I will claim his soul."
"You know not his power." Raiden said. "His soul cannot be subjugated."
"Shall we kill him, Lord Shinnok?" Liu Kang asked.
"Not yet." Shinnok said as D'Vorah took the captured Johnny Cage into the Sky Temple. "He will bear witness as I conquer his realm. Then I will imprison him as he did me."
"I would not boast of victory prematurely." Raiden said as Shinnok walks away.
"I have already won, Raiden."
The Sky Temple's door closes and the revenants started to circle around Raiden like a pack of hyenas as raindrops started to fall. As they stopped, Raiden kicked Sindel away and knocked Smoke back. Before he could press on with his advantage, Liu Kang punched him in the face and kicked him to the ground. As Raiden tried to stand up, Kung Lao punched him in the face and knocked him back down again. He kicked the Thunder God in the face as Liu Kang stomped on his back. Then Sindel and Smoke joined them as they all started kicking him. Then Kung Lao picked up Raiden and put him in a choke hold as Liu Kang cracked his knuckles, ready to get more shots in to the Thunder God. Raiden grabbed onto Kung Lao's arm as lightning coursed through his hands, shocking the former shaolin. Kung Lao released his grip and quickly jumped onto the roof behind him. Raiden put his hand down on the wet ground, channeling the electricity from the ground to the revenants and electrocuting them. Kung Lao jumped down from the roof as Raiden picked up his hat and put it back on.
"Kung Lao…desist!" Raiden shouted.
"I serve Shinnok and the Nether Realm." Kung Lao said.
"Because Shao Kahn murdered you..."
"It was something you allowed to happen. I will not be passive in your demise."
Kung Lao charged towards Raiden, throwing several strikes at the Thunder God. Raiden blocked some of Lao's strikes and connected with some of his own, knocking him back. Lao quickly recovered and threw another punch at Raiden but it was blocked as well. Raiden punched Lao several times in his gut and one more in the face. The former shaolin stood his ground and kicked Raiden in the face, causing him to stumble back. Then Lao started punching Raiden rapidly in the gut, pushing the Thunder God back. Lao leaped up in the air and kicked Raiden in the side of the head. Raiden stumbled back a few steps before felling to one knee. Lao ran towards Raiden, trying to strike him again. Raiden saw the former shaolin approaching and fired a bolt of lightning at him, electrocuting Lao and knocking him out.
"You deserved a better fate." Raiden said. Liu Kang snuck up behind Raiden and hit him in the back. He tried to hit him again but Raiden blocked it. Raiden tried to hit a few strikes of his own back Liu Kang blocked and dodged them with ease. Liu Kang struck Raiden in the gut several times and kicked him in the face, knocking him down to one knee. Raiden got back on both feet and looked at his former ally. "This is not your destiny, Liu Kang."
"More visions, Raiden?" Liu Kang taunted bitterly. "Do you still see the future?"
"The visions are gone. But I know what should be."
"I was put here by your hand."
"An accident that haunts me to this day." Liu Kang charged towards Raiden, trying to punch him in the face again but Raiden in the lightning. Raiden appeared behind Liu Kang and struck him in the back this time. Liu Kang tried to throw a punch at the Thunder God but Raiden blocked it and kicked him in the gut, knocking him back a few feet.
"I should thank you." Liu Kang said, getting him to his feet. "You freed me. The Elder Gods you blindly serve? I will help Shinnok end their rule."
Liu Kang launched a fireball at Raiden, who responded by firing another bolt of lightning. The two attacks connected and cancelled each other out. Liu Kang took advantage of this and charged towards Raiden, punching him in the face and knocking him off balance. Raiden tried to strike back but Liu Kang caught it and punched Raiden in the face again, knocking him back a few inches. The former shaolin kicked Raiden in the face, knocking him to the ground. Raiden used his arms to push himself up but Liu Kang kicked him in the gut, knocking him on his back. Liu Kang slowly walking towards the Thunder God as struggled to pick himself up off the ground. The former shaolin balled his fists as Raiden managed get to one knee. Liu Kang's fist was engulfed in fire as he threw it at Raiden's head but Raiden disappeared in flash of lightning. Raiden appeared behind Liu Kang and hit him with an open palm strike, sending his lighting into him. Liu Kang yelled in pain feeling the electricity coursing through his body and fell to the ground.
"I regret that our paths have led us here." Raiden said as he prepares to head back into the Sky Temple. As he took a step, he wrenched in pain. He looked down at the wound on his side and saw blood coming out of it. Raiden ignored the pain and continued towards the Jinsei Chamber.
Inside the Jinsei Chamber, D'Vorah was covering Johnny Cage's body with sticky fluid coming from her mouth as Shinnok stepped closer to the Jinsei itself. Shinnok put his hand into the orb of energy and a red-orange aura began to come out of it. Raiden walked inside the chamber in saw what the former elder god was doing.
"You will defile the Jinsei, Shinnok!" Raiden shouted. Shinnok looked at the Thunder God approached him as he brought his free hand and closed it. Then a skeleton-like hand popped out of the ground and grabbed Raiden, causing him to cry out in pain. Shinnok closed his hand again, bringing more pain to him.
"We have battled for eons, Raiden." Shinnok said. "Now finally, it ends." Shinnok stepped inside of the Jinsei as the red-orange aura covered his whole body. Then the Jinsei turned a red-orange color as the energy coming from it went through the roof of the sky temple and reached for the sky.
At the Lin Kuei temple, Sub Zero quickly ran to the outside of the temple and saw the clouds quickly turning red-orange with widen eyes. At the Refugee Camp in the Special Forces base, the refugees from Outworld saw the sky changing color and started running for their lives. "C'mon!" One of the soldiers shouted. "Let's go! Move it!" Inside the base, Kitana watched in shock at the sky changing, knowing terrible is about to happen.
Inside the Jinsei, Shinnok laughed as his body started to change into a more demonic being with his amulet inside of his stomach. "Yes…" he said. "Tremble before me, Elder Gods, as I absorb Earth Realm's power."
"No, Shinnok…" Raiden said weakly. "Even now…others will come to defeat you."
To be continued…
Interactions: Ichigo vs. Raiden
(1)
"You need something?" Ichigo asked, drawing his zanpakuto.
"I wish to study your powers." Raiden said as lighting coursed through his hand.
"When did I become your test subject?"
(2)
"Why are you here, Raiden?" Ichigo asked, drawing his zanpakuto.
"I'm here to protect Earth Realm." Raiden said as lighting coursed through his hand.
"Then it's time that it got some new protection."
(3)
"Your training with Kitana is complete?" Raiden questioned as lighting coursed through his hands.
"She taught everything I know." Ichigo said, revealing his hollow mask.
"Then this will be your final test."
(4)
"You confront me, Ichigo?" Raiden questioned as lighting coursed through his hands.
"You're going too far Raiden." Ichigo said, revealing his hollow mask.
"Impossible if Earth Realm is in danger."
Hey guys, hope you like this chapter. I'm taking a little break from The Huntress of Fairy Tail to finish up this story. And just a little spoiler, there's going to be more Bleach character coming to this story soon. Make sure you check out the poll on my profile and vote. Until next time, see ya.