Chapter 5 – Netherrealm Battle Arena

After Fortran recalled his time when he was alive prior to the waylay by Hideyoshi and later N26, the guards pushed their prisoner through the arena tunnel.

At the end of a narrow passage stood a low rounded arch, through which he caught a glimpse of movement. Something very copious with jumbles of shouts. The guards shoved Fortran towards the exit. He stepped cautiously along the dark passage, the sounds growing louder as the spectators came into view.

"I don't like the looks of this," he thought grimly.

The guards pushed the thirteen years old teenage boy into the harsh light of the Arena, a place constructed for combat and sport. The guards pushed Fortran into the Arena.

The Arena was a wide circular pit, surrounded by terraces with the audience arranged above a high wall. The Arena was covered by the summit of the mountain. A huge circular lava pit at the centre of the dusty ground might serve as a spot for the fallen victims that had no doubt met their fate here. Gates on the arena floor were firmly shut, and the walls spiked with obstacles and traps. Spikes had skeletons and rotten corpses impaled. It had never been part of the design of this place that any should escape the killing floor. At one side was a high watchtower with Thai architecture and massive spikes on the roof. The watchtower's observation deck had handrail surrounding it. A ladder led from the watchtower to a large balcony terrace where a huge red-skinned demon with long black horns and yellow eyes on a chair was set. Pterodactylus circled warily above the killing ground.

"What is this place?" Fortran wondered.

A rough voice signalled his presence.

"SILENCE! You are in the presence of Lucifer, ruler of the

Netherrealm. Everyone who enters my Battle Arena will fight. Whoever loses meaning you will submit to me. Whoever wins…"

There was a vast moment of silence. Fortran, the guards and the participants expected for the outcome. The spectators waited for him to finish his sentence. The oni looked at their cruel master.

"… will still submit to me which of course you will do."

"Hey, that's not how rules work. The ru…" Fortran wailed.

"SILENCE! I make the rules. In this realm, you are mine. You do exactly as I command you to do. No questioning. No wavering in your answer. No refusal. Loyalty. Blind utter loyalty. Do I make myself clear? And no silence! Silence means a huge no. And no ums which I'd still take as a huge no." roared Lucifer.

"Can someone just tell me what's going on?"

"Awww, little mortal doesn't get what exactly is going on. Shall we show him what exactly is going on?" Lucifer laughed.

The crowd laughed.

"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?! You are in my arena. MINE! Do you get that? Of course you do. You are meant to fight. I hope you understand that or do I need to repeat again? Open your ears and hear this! You will fight, you will win. You will submit even if you've won." roared Lucifer.

"If that's the case, might as well forfeit myself." sighed Fortran.

"Not so fast! Quitting a fight so quick? Where's the entertainment in that? Aren't you going to entertain a custodian of the Netherrealm? You know what happens when someone gets bored. Baphomet!" Lucifer called.

A bluish-black humanoid body with long ugly claws and a goat's head shoved his claws through a man's chest. He gave a blood curdling cry before Baphomet decapitated him.

"Now, about the part you said?"

"Bored? Who said anything about making it boring?"

"Are you calling me a liar? ME?! That does it. It's time you make this up by showing me what you can do. Show me! Impress me! Let's start with the easiest one!"

From one side of the arena, he noticed an African American man with black beard.

"Terrafaux? You look like you've aged." Fortran wondered.

"I am aged."

"How long has it been since you came here?"

"Long enough. How is it you ended up here?" Terrafaux admonished.

"I could ask you the same."

"I died in the massacre when Shujinko left the village."

"Massacre?"

"This is no room for guesses, but a room for combat. Lucifer granted me powers. When you lost to Hornbuckle, you were just a learner. Now, fight!"

Terrafaux may had had power granted to him from the Netherrealm upon his death, but Fortran's fighting abilities along with Anansi's powers prove to be superior in hand to hand combat. After a fierce fight, Fortran managed to defeat Terrafaux.

"I wish I could have saved you. Ok, thanks for the entertainment."

Fortran headed towards the exit only to be halted by Lucifer's voice.

"NOT SO FAST! You're going nowhere, mortal. You will stay here. You will entertain us. Holding back will make me hold you back. You will serve me without any forms of refusal. Refusal makes me angry. And you do NOT want to make me angry. That was the easiest. Next one. Toisarus!" Lucifer called.

"Brontosaurus, Chasmosaurus, Ferrisaurus, Tyrannosaurus, but, Toisaurus? What kind of dinosaur is this?"

Fortran noticed a man dressed in a traditional Byzantine outfit including a Thraex helmet, approaching him with grim determination.

"A Byzantine? Here?"

"I am Toisaurus. I should have fed the Shaolin monk to the lions."

"What's with Romans and lions? Lions are cute, but Romans and Byzantines are savage."

Fortran and Toisarus fought. Even though he'd faced down Kano's son, the fight with the former participant of Mortal Kombat ended up being one of the toughest of Fortran's life. Toisarus was faster, stronger and more skilled in wrestling, swordfights and magic than Fortran was, but his willpower, determination and a few dirty tricks allows him to gain the upper hand. An ethereal spear materialised in the Byzantine's hand. He launched his ethereal spears at Fortran who made a sheet of webs, shielding the projectiles. After a mighty back and forth battle, Fortran finally managed to defeat the Emperor of the Netherealm.

"Romani ite domum!"

"Very amusing. Next one, Mabasen!"

Fortran noticed a slim yet muscular African man with shoulder-length African cornrows, reddish-brown trousers, approaching him.

"One after the other."

"That vile sorcerer took my soul and now here I am, a prisoner of the Netherrealm."

"I don't wish to fight you, buddy. I don't think we have a choice." said Fortran.

Mabasen and Fortran fought each other. The African man's fights were emulated tiger-like moves while Fortran's fighting skills were based on that of a scorpion and a spider. Despite his incomplete training with Master Cho, Fortran learned it the hard way and subdued Mabasen.

"What an outrageous thing to do this to you." Fortran lamented.

"There's no room for soft spots."

Fortran was punched from behind and noticed a ninja in yellow.

"You're dressed in blue. But you certainly don't serve Lin Kuei." growled Scorpion.

"Who are you?" asked Fortran.

"I am Scorpion. I will hunt you where you stand."

"I have no idea about Lin Kuei. So your name is Scorpion. My fighting style is called Scorpion. And your fighting style isn't called Scorpion. Scorpion vs. Spider. Which one has the advantage?"

One way to find out. Scorpion's fighting style was as every bit as powerful and deadly as he was when Liu Kang fought him in the Mortal Kombat tournament, but even with Quan Chi fighting alongside him then Liu Kang prevailed, and without the sorcerer in play, the battle ended much quicker, and in the favour of Master Cho's youngest student.

"Yellow Scorpion uses fire? Noted. What about a Black Scorpion?"

He noticed a black figure with blue eyes in a black hood, black mask, black vest with buckles across the front. His trousers were completely black over black boots and shin pads.

"Who exactly is this black guy?" Fortran wondered.

"I am Ruutuu. I serve the Brotherhood of Shadow by orders of Quan Chi. That was fun harassing that Native American's ancestors. And you are the next one to face one."

"A black guy serves under white guy? Am I really seeing things or is it just me?"

Ruutuu may had had power granted to him from the Netherrealm upon his death, but Fortran's fighting abilities along with Anansi's powers prove to be superior in hand to hand combat. After a fierce fight, Fortran managed to defeat Ruutuu and left him unconscious.

"Still standing? It's just what I've wanted. Bring in the prisoner!"

Fortran noticed a muscular American man with short blond hair and cybernetic arms. The appearance was familiar for him. He recalled a woman with flaxen hair consoled him for the death of his mother. He also remembered she showed him a picture of the man whom Kano murdered, leading to the long time antagonism between her and Kano.

"You?"

"I was killed by Kano and now Jax replaced me. I am Lieutenant Lance of Special Forces."

"Ah! So that's where the whole hostility between Sonya and Kano came in. I was born in the slums of Cambodia and raised in a Japanese looking village. I wanted to get revenge on Kano's son, Connor."

"What did he do?" asked Lieutenant Lance.

"He killed my ma and my Malaysian neighbours."

"Sorry to hear that, kid. You must have been through a lot."

"The sooner we get out of here…"

"THERE'S NO WAY OUT! DO NOT KEEP US WAITING!" Lucifer interrupted.

"Yes, jeez, I get it. Lucy Foul."

"What did you just say? Did you just mock me? I thought I told you to submit to me. No, problem. Perhaps I should intensify the challenge." said Lucifer.

The guards and Baphomet threw a girl in black dress with blonde hair.

"Where am I?" asked the girl.

"You're in the Arena." said Lieutenant Lance.

"Arena? Last time… FORTRAN!"

"Fortran?" Lieutenant Lance pondered.

"Lori?"

"He and Kung Lao ruined everything." the girl was outraged.

"You loved Kung Lao. You remind me of myself, stubborn, arrogant, always rushing into things…"

"I will win this thing in no time."

"Same old, Lori. Never learn a thing since the tournament you took place was a scam."

"NOT ENOUGH! How about an extra one?" Lucifer grinned.

The guards and Baphomet threw another girl with blue eyes and blue hair.

"Blue?"

The girl groaned as she got up and noticed a familiar presence.

"Fortran?"

Fortran's spider vision allowed him to look at the surroundings. Those highlighted in green were his allies. Those highlighted in yellow were either in a panic state. Those highlighted in yellow and red were mentally unstable or conflicted. Those in highlighted in red were his enemies. He noticed Lieutenant Lance, Blue and Lori highlighted in yellow.

"Blue? You were once an inmate of a mental institute."

"After I rescued Raiden, I'm free of this mental institute." said Blue.

"How did you end up here?" asked Fortran.

"I was murdered." said Blue.

"By who?" asked Lieutenant Lance.

"An Arab Red Dragon." said Blue.

"Al Tahdeed ibn Moundibit." Fortran pondered and realised.

"You know him?" asked Blue.

"He has a habit of imposing his violent creed and worse of all his reputation of chopping heads as execution. Now, he's Red Dragon, he would act like Mavado's enforcer." said Lieutenant Lance.

"Yeah, that's him. On the plus side, I'm free of being mentally unstable. Which one is worse being in mental institute or this Hell hole?" asked Blue.

"If you, four, are done talking, can we resume this? We've wasted enough time." asked Lucifer.

"We'll find a way to get out of here. And souls like us deserve to be free." Lieutenant Lance promised.

"I hope you haven't lost your fighting skills." said Lori.

"Who said anything about being rusty?" asked Lieutenant Lance.

"We don't want to fight. There's got to be a way out of here." said Blue.

"Easy, Blue, we'll find a way out." said Lori.

"Ok, Ok, I don't want to be trapped in another place!" Blue insisted.

"THIS IS NOT A MEETING PLACE. IT IS AN ARENA." Lucifer reminded them.

Lucifer's fist glowed red, overriding the trio's senses. Their minds were no longer their own.

"This is not over, boy!" shouted Lieutenant Lance.

"What the…" Fortran could not comprehend this.

"You ruined everything, Fortran." shouted Lori.

"Lori, that is NOT what Kung Lao wanted. He already lost you, his girlfriend."

"Kung Lao slowed me down, denied me my chances to compete for money."

"Ok, now you're pushing it, ugly devil… demon… fiend." said Fortran.

Fortran was forced to fight Blue, Lieutenant Lance and Lori who too felt the same. Fortran was forced to fend off Lori's assault. As she went down, Blue and Lieutenant Lance and Blue attacked. Fortran defeated them.

"I did not want to do that."

Back into the Prison of Souls, Fortran and the defeated prisoners were inside it.

"Great, back in the prison." sighed Fortran.

"Are you alright?" asked Lieutenant Lance.

"No. Listen, I'm sorry about what happened in the Arena. I did not want to do fight any of you. Lucifer made…"

"It's no big deal, boy. I should be the one apologising. Lucifer made us…" said Lieutenant Lance.

"We're sorry too." said Blue.

"And me." Terrafaux added.

"I did not want that either." said Mabasen.

"I'm not."

"Lori?"

"Why not, girl?" asked Fortran.

"You ruined everything."

"Why? What did I do?"

"Don't play dumb with me! You and Kung Lao are the same. You denied me."

"Lori, this is NOT some contest to win a prize." said Blue.

"No, but I'll teach him what it means to ruin my chances."

"Excuse me, I don't see why you should compete? Lucifer will make use of the souls of the losers as his pawns."

"I thought for one minute Kung Lao would be generous. Training is one thing, but he could have let me take part in this competition." Lori huffed at Fortran.

"I'm telling you this is not a competition for winning prizes."

"Yeah, you said the same thing at the Festival of Death."

"Lori, Fortran, stop this!" Terrafaux urged.

"NO!" both of them shouted.

"Just think for one minute! What will you do when craves over your head? Do you think damn celebrities enjoy their success just because of heaps of money, cars, mansions and bombardments of damn journalists? Are you that stubborn?"

"Yeah, well at least they're having a great time." Lori insisted.

"Do you think that happiness is going to last?"

"YEAH. I'VE BEEN LIVING IN POVERTY." said Fortran.

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT POVERTY." Lori fired back.

"I HAVE. YOU DON'T." shouted Lori.

"I WAS RAISED IN THE SLUMS OF CAMBODIA. YOU HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT THINGS MORE PRECIOUS THAN MATERIALISTIC STUFFS."

Lori jumped onto Fortran. Both wrestled and broke apart. Kung Lao's girlfriend punched Fortran who grabbed her by her neck and sealed her mouth with his webs. Lori beat him to which Fortran threw her against the cell door.

"You still haven't learnt a thing before your death during the Festival of Death."

This argument led to another fight between Lori and Fortran. He had no hesitation in beating some sense into Lori.

"I hope you learnt your lesson the hard way."

"Fortran, I know that there are some issues between you and Lori, but there are plenty of more things at stake." said Blue.

"Yeah, the nerve of Lori…" said Fortran.

"Can we worry about this later? I mean we need to think about getting out of here." said Blue.

"We were all forced to fight each other. Listen, kid, I've seen you emulating spider's moves. This should prove advantageous to us. We will need your skills to free distressed prisoners if we're to get out of here." said Lieutenant Lance.

Fortran's eyes were lit on a jug of water. He was hopeful to gain it.

"Water?"

Due to his exertions in the Arena, Fortran had no chance for food or refreshment. He took this opportunity to drink a little water. However, the water was surprisingly boiled. It caused him to spit out and cried in agony. He felt as if his organs were melting.

"FORTRAN!" Lieutenant Lance called.

The prisoners (except Lori) noticed and desperately tried to find means to alleviate his agony.

"So that's what the water is in the Netherrealm. Serves you right, spider living in slums." said Lori.

"LORI, that's enough!" shouted Terrafaux.

"Don't drink water! And certainly don't eat the food there since they are heads of devils." said Lieutenant Lance.

"Heads of oni?!" they were in shock.

"Don't you know? Eat it and you'll get boiling oil."

This even made them even more uncomfortable.