The Lin Kuei
Part 2
Inferna walked into her room. The day had been long and tiresome on her muscles, as it was every day. Today, though, had been especially grueling. She was assigned a new partner to spar with. He was no ordinary Clan member, either. He was the only Lin Kuei that could match her performance and abilities. She also felt a slight attachment to him, which was odd for her. Her aching body begged for relief so Inferna dragged herself to the bathroom and turned on the water. She added the scented gel she received daily with her food. Soon the bath was filled with steamy, lavender scented water and bubbles. She stripped her clothes and slid them down a chute in the wall of her bathroom. She tested the water and after confirming it was an appropriate temperature, slid into the water.
She smiled slightly to herself as her body relaxed in the water. Absently she fingered the small glowing red ball around her neck. This new partner was extremely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. She had been in the Lin Kuei for 6 months now, and had forgotten much of what she knew. All she remembered was being taken away from the Forces of Light, which she was told was an extremely horrible place that tortured and hurt her. This man though, was so familiar and brought so many pieces of good memories.
*~*~*~*
"Now remember what I told you," he told her for the millionth time that day. "I know, I know, be in and out of there. I can handle this," she reassured him. He sighed. "Scorpion will be there. So will Reptile. They are both clan members, and they will stop at nothing to get to me. They will kill you gladly if it makes me unhappy," he explained. "And it would make you unhappy?" she asked him. "Sorely," he leaned down the few feet to kiss her, she thought, but he ended up just leaving a peck on her forehead. Inferna smiled up at him. "See you soon," she blew him a kiss.
*~*~*~*~*
Inferna sighed deeply and opened her eyes. She had only received good memories in her head from where she had been before, so why would the Grandmasters tell her that she was from such a bad place. I'm probably remembering only what I want to remember, she thought to herself. How dare I think to even question the Grandmasters?, she scolded herself. She knew they only wanted the best for her. Her eyes grew a deep bloodstained red. But still.I wish I could go back there.
"Inferna!" came a voice from outside the door. Inferna lost her train of thought and looked to the door. "One moment, please," she quickly got out of the tub and wrapped a red robe around herself. She opened the door to see Smoke and Sektor standing in the room. Smoke was beaming from ear to ear, while Sektor looked pissed off. "The Grandmasters need to see you at once, Inferna," Sektor told her. She bowed and found her clothes. She walked into the bathroom and quickly changed. She walked back out to find Smoke there alone. "This is great, Inferna, this is really great!" Smoke said giving her a slap on the back. "I hope so," she smiled. Inferna followed Sektor to the great hall where her Grandmasters sat upon their thrones. "You called for me, sires?" she asked them her head bowed. "Yes. Inferna, you have made great progress from the day you came here to the present. We take it you know about the Tournament?" the first Grandmaster said. "I am sorry, but I do not know of which tournament you speak," Inferna replied. "The Tournament of Mortal Kombat. We will fight with the rest of Shao Kahn's warriors against the defenders of earth. If we win, then a victory will be added to our side. Once we have won the tournament 10 times in a row, we will gain access to the portals of Earth. If this happens then Shao Kahn shall rule supreme over Earth with the Lin Kuei at his side. "To compete in the Tournament, we must enter two combatants to represent the Lin Kuei. We feel that you, Inferna, have the skill, strength and discipline to exemplify our great clan. Will you fight in Mortal Kombat?" the Grandmaster explained. "Sires, I thank you gratefully for believing that I could uphold such an honor. I will fight and bring victory not only to the Lin Kuei, but to Shao Kahn as well," Inferna smiled. "Excellent! Your partner will accompany you. He is the only one, besides you, that will be able to bring greatness to our organization. You begin training tomorrow, and in two months will depart for the Tournament," the Grandmaster dismissed Inferna who bowed and walked back to her chambers. When she got there an excited Smoke pounced on her with questions.
"What did they say?!" he asked her as soon as she opened the door. "I'm going to Mortal Kombat!" she exclaimed. She ran up to Smoke and hugged him. "Thank you for being my friend, Smoke. I wish you could come with me. You deserve to for your loyalty alone," she stated. "Yeah, well, I never was really on the Grandmasters' good side. So who do you get to go with?" he asked her. "Him," she said flatly. "Think about it, Inferna, if you get to go with him, then that's even better of a chance for us to win," Smoke tried to cheer her up. "I hope I win," she said thoughtfully. "Of course you'll win. You're Inferna," he said. "I know, but still. From what the Grandmasters told me, it sounds like there is going to be fierce competition," Inferna protested. "I'm sure its nothing that you can't handle," Smoke insisted. "Here, why don't you get changed into your night clothes and go to sleep. You'll need all the rest you can get; you have a big two months ahead of you," Smoke said. Inferna went into the bathroom and changed. Smoke guided her to her cot and pulled the thin blanket up over her. "Sleep now, Inferna," Smoke leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Thank you, Smoke. Good night," she smiled up at him, and he blew out the candle next to her pillow.
Inferna walked into her room. The day had been long and tiresome on her muscles, as it was every day. Today, though, had been especially grueling. She was assigned a new partner to spar with. He was no ordinary Clan member, either. He was the only Lin Kuei that could match her performance and abilities. She also felt a slight attachment to him, which was odd for her. Her aching body begged for relief so Inferna dragged herself to the bathroom and turned on the water. She added the scented gel she received daily with her food. Soon the bath was filled with steamy, lavender scented water and bubbles. She stripped her clothes and slid them down a chute in the wall of her bathroom. She tested the water and after confirming it was an appropriate temperature, slid into the water.
She smiled slightly to herself as her body relaxed in the water. Absently she fingered the small glowing red ball around her neck. This new partner was extremely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. She had been in the Lin Kuei for 6 months now, and had forgotten much of what she knew. All she remembered was being taken away from the Forces of Light, which she was told was an extremely horrible place that tortured and hurt her. This man though, was so familiar and brought so many pieces of good memories.
*~*~*~*
"Now remember what I told you," he told her for the millionth time that day. "I know, I know, be in and out of there. I can handle this," she reassured him. He sighed. "Scorpion will be there. So will Reptile. They are both clan members, and they will stop at nothing to get to me. They will kill you gladly if it makes me unhappy," he explained. "And it would make you unhappy?" she asked him. "Sorely," he leaned down the few feet to kiss her, she thought, but he ended up just leaving a peck on her forehead. Inferna smiled up at him. "See you soon," she blew him a kiss.
*~*~*~*~*
Inferna sighed deeply and opened her eyes. She had only received good memories in her head from where she had been before, so why would the Grandmasters tell her that she was from such a bad place. I'm probably remembering only what I want to remember, she thought to herself. How dare I think to even question the Grandmasters?, she scolded herself. She knew they only wanted the best for her. Her eyes grew a deep bloodstained red. But still.I wish I could go back there.
"Inferna!" came a voice from outside the door. Inferna lost her train of thought and looked to the door. "One moment, please," she quickly got out of the tub and wrapped a red robe around herself. She opened the door to see Smoke and Sektor standing in the room. Smoke was beaming from ear to ear, while Sektor looked pissed off. "The Grandmasters need to see you at once, Inferna," Sektor told her. She bowed and found her clothes. She walked into the bathroom and quickly changed. She walked back out to find Smoke there alone. "This is great, Inferna, this is really great!" Smoke said giving her a slap on the back. "I hope so," she smiled. Inferna followed Sektor to the great hall where her Grandmasters sat upon their thrones. "You called for me, sires?" she asked them her head bowed. "Yes. Inferna, you have made great progress from the day you came here to the present. We take it you know about the Tournament?" the first Grandmaster said. "I am sorry, but I do not know of which tournament you speak," Inferna replied. "The Tournament of Mortal Kombat. We will fight with the rest of Shao Kahn's warriors against the defenders of earth. If we win, then a victory will be added to our side. Once we have won the tournament 10 times in a row, we will gain access to the portals of Earth. If this happens then Shao Kahn shall rule supreme over Earth with the Lin Kuei at his side. "To compete in the Tournament, we must enter two combatants to represent the Lin Kuei. We feel that you, Inferna, have the skill, strength and discipline to exemplify our great clan. Will you fight in Mortal Kombat?" the Grandmaster explained. "Sires, I thank you gratefully for believing that I could uphold such an honor. I will fight and bring victory not only to the Lin Kuei, but to Shao Kahn as well," Inferna smiled. "Excellent! Your partner will accompany you. He is the only one, besides you, that will be able to bring greatness to our organization. You begin training tomorrow, and in two months will depart for the Tournament," the Grandmaster dismissed Inferna who bowed and walked back to her chambers. When she got there an excited Smoke pounced on her with questions.
"What did they say?!" he asked her as soon as she opened the door. "I'm going to Mortal Kombat!" she exclaimed. She ran up to Smoke and hugged him. "Thank you for being my friend, Smoke. I wish you could come with me. You deserve to for your loyalty alone," she stated. "Yeah, well, I never was really on the Grandmasters' good side. So who do you get to go with?" he asked her. "Him," she said flatly. "Think about it, Inferna, if you get to go with him, then that's even better of a chance for us to win," Smoke tried to cheer her up. "I hope I win," she said thoughtfully. "Of course you'll win. You're Inferna," he said. "I know, but still. From what the Grandmasters told me, it sounds like there is going to be fierce competition," Inferna protested. "I'm sure its nothing that you can't handle," Smoke insisted. "Here, why don't you get changed into your night clothes and go to sleep. You'll need all the rest you can get; you have a big two months ahead of you," Smoke said. Inferna went into the bathroom and changed. Smoke guided her to her cot and pulled the thin blanket up over her. "Sleep now, Inferna," Smoke leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Thank you, Smoke. Good night," she smiled up at him, and he blew out the candle next to her pillow.