I opened my eyes to see everything completely misty white. I looked to see where I was, but it appears to be as if this was The Void. The similar "Void" from my last encounter. However, this was different. I started to call out for anyone. When I turned my head again, everyone else started to appear and wander, until more appear. With Raiden as the last.
"Where are we?" Sonya asked Raiden, as her voice echoes.
"We are in The Void." Raiden answered, as his voice echoes too. "It is the realm between your world and mine."
"The Void?" I looked around. "I remember going to somewhere like this before, but this is different."
"Perhaps it's not the same encounter, you might have seen before." Raiden told me. "Either way, Shang Tsung cannot follow us here."
"That's a relief." Jax spoke.
I turned to see Liu Kang and Kung Lao together. However, the two of whom are missing were Cole and Captain Holly. "Where's Cole? Captain Holly?"
Thomas!
I heard Thomas' voice and turned to see him appear. He was on his knees and looked at me with concern. His expression causes me great distress, when I came to him. It wasn't Cole on the ground... but Captain Holly!
"No... No!"
I hurried to my father's side! He was on the ground. Two bullet holes on his left side. Not only bleeding from his wounds and mouth. His breathing was becoming more faint.
"Farid... fired his 'firing stick'..." Holly weakly spoke.
My head shook and I started to panic. "You can't! You wouldn't! You wouldn't just save me twice, and costing your life twice!"
He smiled. "Is it not what an Owsla captain does? For his Chief Rabbit? Or a father for his son?" I lowered my head and shook. "Even if it would take thousand times."
I wasn't going to give up on him. Cole held him down gently and tight. While I removed the bullets and able to patch him up with bandage wrapping. However, it was too late. He loss so much blood. "If only Nightwolf was with us, he would know-"
"Don't worry about me, son." he assured me. "That does not matter. Shang Tsung must be stopped."
"Not without you!" I cried. "You basically brought me back!"
He nodded weakly. "Yes... but I do believe you will prevail." He nuzzled me. "Free their souls! Free them!"
I nodded firmly and took his word. "I will."
With a smile warmly. "I know you will..." his eyes closed, and smiled faded. His strength failed and succumbed from his wounds. It was the second time to see him die. Tears fell from my eyes, yet thankful that Katie wasn't here.
"Please, don't take him, Black Rabbit. Not yet!" I cried, as I buried my face upon Holly's side. "Please don't leave me!" Cole placed his hand upon my shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Thomas." the voice came from Raiden. I looked back at him and than looked back at Holly's body.
After cleaning my face and composing myself back together, I was able to recite the words that I have said before, with Hazel and the others. My Heart Has Joined The Thousand... For My Friend Stopped Running Today. Everything went completely silent, as I observe the silence to mourn Holly's death once again.
"Lord Raiden." Jax attempts to speak after a few short minutes of silence. "Why couldn't you save him?"
I turned to Jax and answered his question for Raiden. "To answer your question, for Holly's case though. It's not the same world where we are. Where Holly came from, it's The Black Rabbit of Inle's decision when it's time for a rabbit to stop running. Even if it was short lived." It was at this point, that I quoted a Lapine saying that was passed down to every rabbit. From Chief Rabbit, Captain of the Owsla, to a hlessi. "'There is not a day or night but a doe offers her life for her kittens, or some honest captain of Owsla, his life for his Chief Rabbit's. Sometimes it is taken, sometimes it is not. But there is no bargain, for here, what is, is what must be.'"
Jax knew it was wrong, but in a sense. He accepted what I was trying to tell him.
"Not only from what Thomas has said is true to his rabbit's culture. All the Elder Gods are forbidden from engaging in one realm's war against another. It is my duty to protect Earthrealm, but I cannot save every soul within it."
"Like I couldn't even save Holly's." I guilt myself, while embracing Holly's lifeless body.
"That's not true!" Liu Kang exclaimed. "He saved your life, but yet... you saved my cousin's life."
I turned towards Kung Lao, as he took off his hat for respect. "What he said was true. I could have died, if you haven't saved me. I offer my thanks."
"Than I should have died with him. Not without him." I stated. "Because if the roles are reversed... Liu Kang would say the same thing."
The two Shaolin Monks looked at each other, before Liu Kang nodded and looked back at me. "You're... you're right. I've always said to myself that if we're to die, it supposed to be together."
I shook my head. "No. I see you two more together, until the end of your own time. Unless something happens."
"Thomas..." I heard Raiden's voice. "From the last conversation that we spoke, you and..." I continued to look upon Holly's lifeless body. "... Holly. You two reminded me of Liu Kang and Kung Lao."
"It's not the same." I spoke. "We're not just brother in arms or a friend... he was more of a mentor and a father to me. I would have killed myself long ago, if I haven't met him."
Raiden nodded his head, while Liu Kang and Kung Lao done the same. Holly's lifeless body began to glow. The glowing bright light, had me gazed to see his body fully light. It even caught everyone's attention. His body was than changed into an object, that I longed missed to bring him to see me.
"My scarf!" I exclaimed.
I picked up the scarf. It was the same scarf that I had, before Liu Kang burned it. In relief, I was happy to have it back with me. Even Holly's tarnished blood still remains and not sure if I could re-call him.
"Even though I'm reunited... I still let Hazel and the others down." I feared.
"No." Cole spoke up. "It's not over, we still need to fight."
It got everyone's attention, including myself. Raiden pulled something from his robe pocket. He unveiled an object that was wrapped on a cloth. It was a spear. Not just any spear. "Cole... the blood on this blade is your ancestors. Hanzo Hasashi's. I took it from him, on the day he died." He than gave Cole the spear. "Use it. And the spirit of Hanzo fights with you." I couldn't help, but be glad of Cole.
"So, what's the plan?" Sonya asked Cole.
Cole took a moment to think, until he got an idea. "We need to fight smarter. We need to control the fight."
"How?" Sonya questioned. "I mean, they're better trained and better prepared."
"Plus they don't mind breaking the rules." Jax added.
"Unless, we divide and conquer. Separate them. One fighter would fight the other." I proposed. "So they wouldn't be batched together to make an onslaught on us."
Cole nodded his head and likened the idea. "That's a great! idea" He than turned to Raiden. "Lord Raiden, can you send anyone anywhere?"
Raiden nodded his head.
"So it's settled." I concluded.
Cole and everyone else agreed. "They don't want a tournament... let's give them one. But in our own way." Now... it was the time to choose which fighter we would take to face each other.
Jax smiled, as he thought of a fighter already. "Give me Reiko. I got a score to settle."
"Sonya?" Cole turned to the next fighter on our team.
"Please tell me I get the bitch with the teeth." Sonya guessed if she would face Mileena again.
However, Cole smiled. "No. You get to take out your old buddy, Kano." Sonya smiled for the opposite and she's ready.
"I figured sparing him would be a good thing." I smirked at Sonya.
"I know I've seen you kick his ass before, but he's got a laser now. Watch out for that." Cole advised to her.
She acknowledged. "Oh, I got an idea."
"Liu Kang and Kung Lao will take on Kabal and Mileena." Cole told the Shaolin Monks, as the two agreed with a nod.
"Cole?" I spoke, as he than turned to me. "You take on Sub-Zero. I'm sure with that spear of yours, someone is looking for him anyway." Cole looked back at the spear and nodded back at me. "So, he doesn't get any ideas, hurting our family."
"And that case, Thomas."
"I'll take on Farid. However, my real intension is to face Shang Tsung." I told him.
"You taking on Shang Tsung?" Jax questioned. "Nobody's taking him out one by him."
"Yeah." Sonya agreed.
"I've done it before. I'm willing to do it again. For Hazel and the rest of the warren. Just to set them free." I answered.
Cole wasn't sure if it was wise for me to face Shang Tsung. "Thomas, he's too powerful. When we finish defeating them, we could face him together to free your friends."
I shook my head. "No. I'm not asking, I'm telling you that I will face him."
"Thomas."
"I'm serious, Cole. You can't stop me." I rebuttal. "I have every right to face with him and my own score."
"Thomas, you must understand what he's capable of. He's far too dangerous to take him alone. You could have another fighter fight beside you." Raiden suggested.
I shook once more. "When we finished his fighters... we take him back to the down and I'll face him there. To face him and no quarter given!"
Raiden became too worried, but he decided to agree. One by one, he started teleporting his fighters else where to face their opponent. I remarked to Sonya to give Kano one for me. She nodded in return, before she was teleported. After the others were teleported, I was alone with Raiden.
"Please Raiden." I told him. "You already know the reason why I came to the temple in the first place. To be trained and prepared. I'm not going to let him run away or let anyone aid his escape."
"Than may the Elder Gods protect you." he than summoned his lightening for me to be teleported.
Before I was sent away, I gave him this last remark. "As I mentioned before to another Raiden, your 'elder gods' need to sit this one out." The lightening flashed continuously until I was blinded. Uncertain, where I was going to be sent to.
