Thanks for all the comments. How Cassie react to her distorted face? Well, not now, but I keep going.
Cassie was dreaming. At least she thought it was all a dream. In a contourless white world. She didn't know what to do there. There was neither space nor time. Apart from consumed voices in her head. It was f*cking crazy. At last first outlines appeared. It looked spurious, everything in black, white and gray, almost as drawn on a sheet of paper.
A ground with sand became visible. Cassie guessed it cause of the look, because she could feel no ground under her feet, nor did she hear the crunch. A throne in the middle, surrounded by several pillars. In a circle surrounded by seating and standing ranks. Cassie didn't want to believe it, but she seems to be in the legendary arena, where once the Mortal Kombat tournaments were carried out.
Still, she wasn't clear whether it was a dream or a consumed reality. Just as she approached the throne, a voice arose behind her. "Hold, Cassandra Cage!" She whirled around. "Raiden!" It couldn't be. The thundergod has died before her own eyes and had descended into the netherrealm. And yet he stood before her, with his blue, flashing eyes. She backed away. "What does that mean? What's going on here?" Raiden looked at her intently and came to another step. "I recognize your confusion, Cassandra Cage!"
She shook herself energetically. "Confusion, though! Stay calm, Cass." She said to herself.
"This is just an odd dream. Raiden is still dead, I wake up now and everything is all right." She tried to pinch herself, because that often helped. But nothing happened. She looked at her hands. But there were no hands. And also, as Cassie looked down, she realized that she obviously had neither legs nor feet. "No." She groaned and turned back to Raiden. "Tell me, Thunder God! What's going on?" He looked at her calmly. "You cannot remember anything?"
A red flash of light appeared before her inner eye. The flashing of sharp knives. Blood. Screams. Her own screams. "We were attacked." she whispered. Raiden nodded. "Leatherface." The clenched truth grabbed her like an icy claw of certainty. "So am I ..." she trembled. "Dead?" No answer. Cassie got angry. "No visions, Raiden. Now tell me, for god sick! Am I dead?" She quivered with fear. Raiden put her arm around her shoulder and guided her through the arena without answering her question. "You've already recognized where I brought you. Important events have taken place here. Events of victory and grief.
I remember when I first met your father. I saw him immediately, and I realized that the gods had laid a great destiny for him. And together as a unit, we succeeded in saving earthrealm. So I also recognized your destiny and you have become one of the most powerful warriors born of the blood of champions. You have finished a corrupted former eldergod and turned into a legend we are still talking about.
But your mission is not over yet." Raiden led her to a monument. "To fulfill your destiny will be a great challenge, not just for your friends and family, but especially for yourself. But you will not only gain a great profit for yourself, but also for someone special." The Thunder God slowly walked away. Cassie wanted to follow him, but she couldn't move from the point she was standing. "Raiden, please! Don't leave me! What do you want me to do now? I need more answers!" But Raiden was no longer there.
The arena began to dissolve. A voice sounded in her head. "Never forget, Cassandra Cage! You are who you are. And so you will be victorious in these difficult days! Never forget that. Never forget me." The world became white again. "No, Raiden! You must tell me more! Raiden,please, where are you?" But the world grew gray and darker. A whirring buzz filled her skull until real words were formed from it. "Attention, turn down the oxygen ... Inform Dr. Nephron ... I think she's coming back to consciousness!"
I'm sorry. I know, this was short. But still nice. Heads up for the next chapter. Coming soon!