Chapter 9 – Blue & Vapor
Noob and Fortran circled warily. Without recourse, Fortran attempted to kick Noob who countered his kick. He found very quickly that strength would not be enough; he must use speed and agility to counter Noob's swift attacks. Noob ducked and avoided Fortran's hook punches and kicks. Noob curled into a ball and flew at his opponent who used his spider webs to throw him aside.
Fortran noticed Noob was a very proficient hand-to-hand combatant, possessing masterful skill in using it as his primary means of attack. He was equally lethal using punches and kicks, and was highly unpredictable. He jumped at Noob with a kick. He swiftly grabbed Fortran by his leg and threw him to the floor. He kicked Fortran's waist, forcing him to sweep the attacker to the floor. Fortran needed to find means to dummy Noob's attacks.
Meanwhile, Blue started down a seemingly silent corridor. Masonry crumbled from the ceiling and blocked her path to her goal. Dust settled.
Yet here was no scene of tranquillity. Fires burned, and around her masonry crumbled as the ground shook. All doors were solidly shut, except for a lit doorway which was open beside, and with no other way down she ran in, but was temporarily hindered by scattered furniture.
"Run for your lives!" cried a voice along the corridor.
Too late to heed his own warning, the fleeing guard was crushed by falling rubble. Blue ran past his lifeless body, along the shattered corridor. Fires burned, plaster crumbled down, and at a turn the floor cracked and gave way under her scurrying feet.
She recalled her time in Valleyview mental institution. There she met man with moustache on a wheelchair. The blue-haired emo girl met him and asked him.
"Raiden? Raiden, are you ok?"
"Time is running out. We have to move now." said Raiden.
"Please, stop asking me that! Look! I'm doing so much better. Look!" she showed Raiden bandages around both her wrists.
Raiden looked at her, unconvinced.
"And they said I was making progress."
"They're never going to let you out of here, you know that." said Raiden.
"Maybe, one day they will." said Blue.
Some occupants of the terrifying place looked into Blue's folders. One African-American man and an American man of Australian descent discussed.
"Release me!" called Blue.
"RELEASE ME, NOW!" she insisted.
A staff came to grab her from behind. Raiden attacked him with his elbow.
"Do it!" urged the American-Australian staff.
The African-American staff took out a stun gun from the drawer. An Indian man fired the stun gun at Raiden, stunning him. Much to the Indian staff's dismay, Raiden absorbed all electricity. Blue learnt the basic moves from Raiden.
"Listen, Blue, from now on, you should learn the basic moves of combat like how to punch and kick. Once mastered them, you'll learn complex moves."
Raiden fought them. Blue was amazed by his powers and abilities. She found his means helpful in learning the art of combat.
She emerged into a vast chamber and noticed a huge glass prison container where a massive red soul appeared to be restless. There were several human-sized glass containers around this area which contained souls.
"This place is strictly forbidden." warned Baphomet.
Behind Baphomet were Shinnok's guards which were now under guidance of Drahmin. The numbers surrounded Blue. The girl felt uncertain how to deal with them since she had no combat experience.
"Sorry, I… I was just curious."
"Nothing to see here." said Baphomet.
"Can't I just have a little peek through?" asked Blue.
"Didn't you hear? I said it's restricted."
Vapor hurried to join her adventurous companion who was facing Baphomet. The guards wavered due to the intense bright light.
"What the…" Baphomet wondered.
"Here you are, Blue? I was worried I might lose you. Ashrah, Cilene, purify the corrupted souls!" said Vapor.
*Playing as Blue*
"Help Ashrah and Cilene! I'll deal with him.
"But, Blue, you can't fight."
"Watch and learn!" said Blue.
"You should have heeded my warning." said Baphomet.
"The staffs told me the same thing when I first saw Raiden. Now, they're down and so will you."
This led to a fight between Blue and Baphomet with Drahmin. Due to being in the Valleyview mental institution, she lacked experience in combat. Thanks to her death, she was now mentally stable and also she gained fighting experience. Baphomet's unique physiology, surprising strength and his powers of fire presented a challenge that no ordinary human could hope to prevail against. But despite her little experience in a fight, she managed to slip through and subdued the bodyguard of the now departed Lucifer and the oni tormentor.
"I've been told the same thing in mental institution."
Blue helped Ashrah, Cilene and Vapor eradicate the guards. Vapor's
*Playing as Vapor*
"Take some lessons from Ashrah and Cilene!"
"You escaped prison. I should have negated your powers." said Baphomet.
"I should have tormented you when you escaped." said Drahmin.
"I've beaten you both once and I'll do it again." said Vapor.
Vapor had a fight with Baphomet and Drahmin. Vapor was well versed in the use of steam magic. Her steam magic proved to be a difficult challenge for the two oni to overcome, as they lacked the same prowess. The two oni were down.
"It's the dry cleaning for you. Tem um bom dia!"
She saw that they would shortly face many enemies in a close struggle, trading blow for blow. They would relish it and continued with their urgent quest. Vapor bounded to the ladies' sides in combating the guards.
"You fought well. I didn't know you had some fight in you." said Vapor.
"Because I saved and saved by Raiden." said Blue.
"Raiden? The Raiden? As in God of lightning and thunder?" Vapor was surprised.
"What? God of lightning? I saw him with me." said Blue.
"How did you die?" asked Vapor.
"Well, a staff killed me by accident. Don't ask me details! But, I'm glad I'm free." said Blue.
They observed a huge glass prison container where a massive red soul appeared to be restless.
"Do NOT even think about approaching this relic!" warned a rough voice.
They noticed the massive red soul.
"Onāgá." Cilene observed.
"Onāgá? I don't recall that." said Blue.
"He was a previous ruler of Outworld." said Cilene.
"So, you're here to do what?" asked Vapor.
"Purify those who have been tainted by the evils of this realm." said Cilene.
"You've done this before?" asked Vapor.
"No, but Ashrah did." said Cilene.
"I can purify anyone tainted like Noob, the former rulers of Outworld and…"
"Uh, that would be enough!" Ruutuu interrupted.
"Who are you?" asked Vapor.
"I am Ruutuu. My purpose is to cause souls just as how I did to everyone's ancestors. Yours have been troubled too."
Vapor noticed Ruutuu's minions troubled Onāgá's soul along with the corrupted ones.
*Playing as Blue*
"Defend Ashrah and Cilene as they purify the souls!"
Ashrah and Cilene tried to do what they could, but something within the glass cell caused their powers to be negated. The minions of Ruutuu came to hinder the two ladies' process.
At that moment, Vapor stepped forward. She raised her hand and loudly intoned an incantation in unknown language. She dissipated into hot corrosive steam whirled about the room, scattering all to terror and confusion. A Brotherhood of Shadow ninja tried to fight off the steam as it swirled about him. The ninjas were gripped in the lash of the storm and horribly melted off, as the hot steam raged through their bodies, stripping their very skins and sinews, leaving their skeletons behind. Screams rent the air, guards and captives alike attempting to flee.
"You should have stayed in prison."
"And then you could torment me again?" Blue scoffed.
Blue and Ruutuu fought each other. Even without weapon, Blue became familiar with Raiden's combat tutorial and defeated the demon.
"It is a poor offer."
Both ladies tried their purification process again, but proved to be in vain.
*Playing as Vapor*
"We're in trouble."
Blue noticed Ashrah and Cilene tried purifying the souls. At this moment, Ruutuu's minions came in numbers. One of them kicked Ashrah in the face, sending her divine sword clattering across the floor. Blue took it.
Trouble came at that in the vile black shape of Ruutuu's minions, creeping from their holes in the dark to assault her with short chopping blades and hefty maces. Ashrah's sword proved a formidable weapon. Seemingly at a strike, each creature was diminished to a flash of dust. As many as they were, Blue finished each, and soon she was alone once more.
The chamber was solid stone and nonagon in shape with glass cells at all sides. The massive glass prison lay at the centre, four carved pillars around. Twin colonnades circled the room, empty niches within. His sword had other capabilities. She called out.
"Ashrah!"
She handed Ashrah her sword. Blue felt a strange yet pleasant sensation swirling within her.
"I feel… wonderful."
Ruutuu and Vapor circled each other warily.
"You should have accepted Lucifer. Now, Shinnok negated those gifts to you."
Vapor had a fight with Ruutuu. Vapor made use of her steam powers and her swiftness of her melee attacks. No one could withstand her hotness (literally!) and this allowed her to defeat him. Before she was about to declare her statement, Cilene called.
"Vapor, a little help here!"
As Vapor looked at the glass cells, she looked at Cilene who pointed her menacing finger at a beautiful red-haired young woman in her thirties in black robe.
"Do you think she's a servant of Shinnok?"
The newcomer and Cilene were wary of each other. They had no time to consider. Blue asked.
"Where is Fortran?"
The wraith was unlike anything Fortran had faced before, with his ability to conjure both dark magic and shadow clones of himself to fight with. Noob's fighting style was Monkey Kung Fu whilst Fortran incorporated his incomplete Scorpion Kung Fu fighting style with a spider's movements.
Fortran swung his fist at Noob who ducked. Both punched and kicked each other. Noob lifted his opponent and threw him to the floor. Both countered each other's punches and kicks. Noob grabbed onto Fortran's shoulders and jumped up and over him throwing him hard face first into the ground.
With the lack of space, the counter-blocking, his ineffective vault attack and his predisposition to knock him over the edge at any opportunity, Fortran began to find the battle in opposition to Noob hard going. The member of the Brotherhood of Shadow bounded forward to assail him as he was tempted to do a rash move. He watched for Noob to prepare his devastating attacks and hit him hard then. More often than not he instantly blocked, but Fortran was at least able to limit his attack on Master Cho's apprentice. Noob seemed more circumspect and dodged his retaliation.
Noob became invisible. To average humans, Noob would be difficult to be spotted. Thanks to his spider vision, Fortran was able to spot him. Each blow from Fortran forced his invisibility spell to wear off.
The fight took over fifteen minutes. With his combatant's ardour, the slum dweller launched a furious assault, his own attacks, Fortran failed to observe that in his attacks, Noob was immune to attack. Usual combat techniques would not easily accomplish something. His reliable air assault was most often blocked, and any frontal attack proved fruitless while Noob's attacks proved swift. A sudden vicious swipe hooked his legs from under, and flat on his back Fortran was at his mercy. He sprang to his feet and rolled aside. A wall rebound bought time to compose himself.
Blue ran urgently but heard the sound of grunts, gasps and laboured struggle, where desperate fighters fought on. Though unarmed, Blue hurried over that she might somehow lend assistance. The former inmate of Valleyview mental institution was tempted to, but was wary due to how intense and arduous the fight was.
The fight seemed hopeless for Fortran. In a fury of action, Noob grabbed Fortran by his head and attacked with his knee. Fortran unleashed a barrage of kicks and punches, forcing Noob to counter and toss him aside. Noob tripped his opponent with a leg scissor takedown. Neither of them seemed to have the advantage. Combat was fruitless with the objective overlooked.
He used the whole lot he had learned: punching, kicking, hopping similar to a jumping spider and moving quickly; keeping his guard in addition to making opportune counters; rolling aside under Noob's crashing foot; launching rebound attacks off walls; using pillars to spiral above his head and make a devastating kick as he landed. Fortran did a handstand and grabbed his opponent with his feet, then pulled him to the ground. This move was somewhat similar to Sonya's. When he learned this was unknown.
Fortran spat several small nets from his mouth at Noob; the nets' small size meant they could be produced rapidly, increasing his chances of striking catching his target. However, Noob avoided it and sent his shadow clones to attack Fortran. Without warning, Fortran seeped through the ground. The clones wondered where the latter went.
Spider webs caught one of the shadow clones by the leg and pulled it into the ground. The rest of the clones were pulled into the ground. There were no signs of holes where he dug nor hints of dust settled. The shadow clones dissipated after being pulled onto the ground. Fortran resurfaced from underground.
Fortran tried his best to take down Noob but he was no match against him as he was a disadvantage due to being in the Netherrealm and unable to use his full power against him. Fortran fired his spider webs and successfully knocked him down.
Noob tried to take him down but failed as Fortran punched him and kicked him away. Fortran leaped onto the wall and onto Noob similar to jumping spider with a determined cry, pushing the brother of Sub-Zero and Freezer towards the wall and smashed his head against it. Then, Fortran managed to pin him down to the floor, but he was no match against Noob's strength.
Blue noticed the Edenian servant girl was inside her cell. She looked at Blue in fear, believing she was here to hurt her to which she assured she was here to help.
Fortran began to take control of the battle again, landing a solid hit on Noob. Injured, the Brotherhood of Shadow fell to his knees and grabbed Fortran's wrist with his hands, noting that his opponent actually thought he could defeat him. Noob needed to find means to wear Fortran off. Fortran stabbed Noob in the leg with his machete, causing him to cry in agony. Pain and rage overrode his senses. Noob beat Fortran to the ground. He grabbed his foe's head and repeatedly smashed his head against the floor. He was kicked by Blue.
As he approached Blue, Fortran fired his webs and pulled Noob back to the ground, forcing him to punch him to the ground. Blue tackled Noob. Vapor and the Edenian servant girl came to Blue's side.
*Playing as Blue*
"Save Fortran! He's been through a lot. I'll handle him."
The Edenian servant girl carried Fortran on her shoulder. Vapor went with them.
This led to a fight between Noob and Blue. With the disadvantage Noob had, he tried his best to take down Blue but the Brotherhood of Shadow ninja managed to use this opportunity and took him down with persistence since Noob couldn't use most of his skills due to an injured leg done by Fortran's machete.
Blue extracted the machete from Noob's leg before leaving for the others.
*Playing as Vapor*
"This kid has done enough. I'll take it from here."
The Edenian servant girl carried Fortran on her shoulder. Blue went with them.
This led to a fight between Noob and Vapor. With Vapor's abilities to dissipate into steam, Noob's attack was merely like a paper cut to him. This didn't leave a scratch as Vapor's theory was proven right. Following an intense and gruelling fight between Noob and Fortran, Noob was exhausted. She took the opportunity to defeat him.
"Everyone, wait up!"
Vapor snatched the machete from Noob's leg. Upon her return to her allies, they were surrounded by light. They wondered about the light that engulfed Vapor, Lieutenant Lance, Blue and the others.
They were disappeared from their position.
