Chapter 7 – Ashrah & Cilene
Cilene approached the cell door where the prisoners were. A horned guard rushed at her from the shadows of an alcove. Taken unawares, Cilene leapt aside then moved to block. From nowhere a blast of light blinded it, allowing a magnesium white glowing sword. She turned to find her saviour in a white kimono Abaya with gold embroidery, white hat with a long veil that trailed behind it and white trousers.
"Couldn't come at a better time, Ashrah?" said Cilene.
"You could say that. Raiden said Lucifer was defeated." said Ashrah.
"Let's go and free the prisoners!" Cilene advised.
At the top of the stone stairs they heard the sounds of the spinning spiky poles, grinding relentlessly along grooves in the floor, ready to slice any person foolish enough to brush close. Vicious spike traps flanked each.
"What have I done?" groaned the Cilene. "Why did I listen to Quan Chi?"
They knew at a glance that he had not to tread on tiles with slits, or they'd be skewered in an instant. They had to wait as each pole went spinning by, and then carefully nudge their way along its path to wait on a safe tile area before the pole returned. Having dodged the two spinning poles, Ashrah and Cilene noticed that the ground ahead was blocked by a row of darts firing at the walls. They scurried over as the trap beneath them spat out their steely surprise. On the other side of the doorway was an illuminated Netherrealm symbol, much like those they had just seen, only yellow instead of white. The lever was of the pull variety.
All along the corridor ahead of them a series of mechanical traps had sprung into operation. A loud steady ticking was his clue that the lever had set off a timed response mechanism. They headed up a flight of steps at a run, and swiftly dodged through the spinning spiky poles at the top. A short hop over a gap to a ledge on a wall and now came rasping blades passing along slots in the very direction they wanted to go. Timing it carefully, the two young women were able to leap backwards to a ledge on the opposite side only when the blade there had passed.
A quick diving roll underneath and they found themselves in a darkened outdoor area. It was a prison room overlooked by a series of balconies. Before they could get their bearings, one of the prison guards confronted Ashrah. This creature was soon joined by a gang of oni, each armed - of all things - with a plank of wood with nails in it, spears and swords. These slow-witted creatures were easily confounded by Ashrah's sword and Cilene's light magic. As they pressed Cilene inside the enclosed space by the door, she was able to use the walls to launch a devastating rebound attack, which knocked everybody flat for Ashrah to finish them at leisure. This move seemed a little tricky at first, but Cilene knew practice made perfect. Cilene mused.
"So Shinnok defeated Lucifer. What do you mean?"
Ashrah recalled Lucifer being on death's doorstep, he threw a massive cleaver with jagged edge at him in one last attempt to fulfil his vow to kill him. Lucifer's final attack ultimately proved futile, for the weapon rotted away before it could reach Shinnok, who turned his back on Lucifer. Shinnok used telekinesis powers and bore the demon lord's body aloft and absorbed it and powers of Lucifer into him, granting him new powers.
"Shinnok now runs the tournament." Cilene realised.
She nodded.
"What do we do?" asked Cilene.
"That is a question you should ask Quan Chi." said a rough male voice.
They saw a grim and stoic-looking man in a red vest over a black top, with the yellow Netherealm Army of Darkness symbol on his back. He wore a red belt, shin guards, spiked forearm guards, and black straps around his upper arm. He had black hair with gray on the sides, and black face paint around his eye area.
"I am Reiko, I'm general of Lord Shinnok's armies. Lucifer is now finished since I stamped out the oni, so it's just you and me."
*Playing as Ashrah*
"Free the prisoners! I will handle him." urged Ashrah.
Cilene left Ashrah with Reiko.
"I don't see why you should leave the Brotherhood of Shadow." said Reiko.
"Quan Chi is a free roaming sorcerer who shouldn't be trusted nor should you."
They fought. Fighting Reiko alone would be a challenge, Not holding back anything this time, Ashrah let Reiko have the full brunt of his weapons. Even so, it took everything she had and then some to knock Reiko unconscious.
*Playing as Cilene*
"Do what you must for the prisoners!" said Cilene.
"Siann, Sora and Mika hated you and wanted you subtracted. I would have provided you a better place." Reiko promised.
"I need to consider this."
Thanks to Ashrah's purification, Cilene received newly developed powers. Her light powers caused Reiko to be on his knees, allowing the former Brotherhood of Shadow to beat him to the ground.
"I think I'll pass."
"Cilene, come over here!" called the voice of Ashrah.
The duo emerged into vast room which was a tall cylinder of pillars and arches. They ran eagerly forward to a light platform. There didn't appear to be a corresponding door. She ran forward to join Ashrah on the platform. At this, a lever clunked somewhere close by and machinery ground into life. The platform was part of a gigantic lift, which now began to rise smoothly. "That was easy!" commented Cilene.
"Too easy," Ashrah grimly replied.
Something was wrong, they could sense it. Ashrah drew her divine sword and ran forward to check the area below, expressing doubt in Cilene's assurance. At that moment, Shinnok's guard appeared with them on the platform - and another, and another! All 'Strongmen' and as at least as easily countered as before. Less so, Shinnok's guards who appeared soon after, with his elites as reinforcements. On the enclosed space of the lift, Cilene made use of her rebound attack to free up some room. Ashrah had to keep one eye on Cilene, valiantly firing light bolts as best she could from her position on the platform, as well as trying to keep up her guard and avoid the sweeping attacks of the captains, and the vicious hooked strikes of guards. Should one or other seem determined to force their attentions on Cilene, Ashrah moved up to lure the attacker away, or broke off temporarily to finish one foe to give Cilene a moment's respite. They seemed inexhaustible.
It was as much as both could do simply to fend each group off. "Behind you!" Cilene warned as another monster loomed. As fast as she knocked one down and banish it to dust, another appeared. This fight was proving hard for them both. The oni had the duo at their mercy and they noticed steam coming out from one side. Steam caused the demon to melt.
Ashrah whirled among the creatures, clearing every one at a strike. The demons were vanquished and all was calm again. She noticed an inquisitive small platform.
"A lever… hang on! It's broken." Cilene observed.
"It's going to be difficult to get up. What was that steam?" asked Ashrah.
"Volcano?" Cilene guessed.
"Unlikely, it seemed as though it was guided by some magic." Ashrah judged.
"Perhaps, I could answer this." said a raspy yet robotic voice.
"What are you?"
"I am N26, leader of the bounty hunters. My master, Shao Kahn promised me a great reward since my chainsaw will be suited to chop your heads off."
*Playing as Ashrah*
"Try and get it working!" Ashrah spoke with urgency.
The camera cuts to the point of view of an unseen assailant, clearly cybernetic in nature. N26's floating spherical camera examined Ashrah through a database on its heads-up display. The search came up blank.
"You're not the one I'm looking for. Nonetheless, my master, Shao Kahn will have your head for Outworld money." said N26.
Ashrah and N26 fought each other. The leader of the bounty hunters was known for his execution for his cruel master. As a cyborg, N26 was more powerful than ever, boasting an array of electricity, his triple-bladed chainsaw and cybernetic powers his previous form could never muster. Ashrah saw through his moves and defeated him.
*Playing as Cilene*
"I've beaten N26 before." said Cilene.
"You should have killed me when you had the chance."
"I did this so that you're fit enough to feel shame in your defeat." said Cilene.
This was no doubt Round 2 between Cilene and N26. N26's swift attacks proved deadly. However, Cilene's mastery of her new powers proved to be an equal match to the cyborg, and with a few clever moves, Cilene manages to disable N26 and power down his systems.
"I think I'll pass."
She ran to Ashrah, mercifully unscathed on the platform. They looked upward, and observed the curious effect of the architecture as the platform rose. It seemed that every time the lift approached the top tier, another level appeared, and another, and another, seemingly never-ending. It was impossible to say how far they had risen. Eventually the lift ground to a halt. "It's stopped," Cilene observed.
They had reached the upper limit of the room.
"Hurry!"
Her voice echoed under the ceiling. They noticed a vast chamber full of cells. The walls of the corridor too were lined with prison cells. Disturbingly, they observed that beneath the grill under their feet was a river of lava.
"They locked us in here," a voice shouted. "We're going to burn!"
Desperate prisoners appeared behind barred cell doors high in the walls.
"Help us," called a man, urgently.
"Please help us."
Other voices cried: "Over here, over here!"
"We don't want to be thrown into the Arena." cried a man.
"Lucifer will do things to us that is worse than death. Please," a woman begged, "find a way to get us out!"
Again, they noticed boiling steam emitting from below. The steam materialised into the image of a woman in white mask that fully covered her face, lipsy long line padded coat over black jeans. Her long blonde hair was exposed.
"You, two, just don't know when to quit following me." sighed the mysterious woman.
"Weren't following. We just happened to go and free the prisoners. Who are you?" asked Cilene.
"I am Vapor. I was born in Portugal, but raised in Brazil."
*Playing as Ashrah*
"Free the prisoners!" Ashrah reminded her urgently.
"Friend or foe, you're going down." said Vapor.
They Ashrah and Vapor fought. Vapor showed that her mastery of steam was not just boasting, but Ashrah knew other magic as well and brought her decades of fighting experience to the forefront. After a fierce battle, Ashrah eventually left the mysterious woman beaten at her feet.
"You should learn between friend and foe."
*Playing as Cilene*
"I'll handle her! Purify the prisoners with your powers!" Cilene reminded her urgently.
"No one could last against my steam. I am untouchable. I am unbeatable." said Vapor.
Vapor could create and launch bombs, explosives and other volatile constructs composed of corrosive steam, which could have various effects on the target. Cilene managed to negate steam and beat her to the ground.
"I think a volcano is where you belong."
"Parabéns! You fought well." Vapor grunted.
"What's your story?" asked Cilene.
"Well, aside from being killed in an ambush. My body was carried and alterations were made in Shang Tsung's flesh pits. You Osh-Tekk may practice blood magic, Kotal, but I am the master.
"I'm Cilene. I was once a member of Brotherhood of Shadow and left with Ashrah. I am more a sister to Ashrah than Kia, Jataaka, Siann, Mika and Sora. Sareena left too."
"Prazer em conhecê-la!"
"What?"
"It means pleased to meet you."
"Oh, pleasure." replied Cilene.
"Cilene!" called Ashrah.
Cilene and Vapor turned to look at the prisoners who were under guidance of Ashrah.
