Chapter10: The Black General
The darkness parted and they were swirling through a black vortex. The shadow creature walked on as he passed through the swirling darkness but Subzero had to run to catch up to those slow steps. If he was left behind he would die for sure left by himself in that place inbetween the worlds. The shadows swirled around him and he focused his eyes always on the dark shape ahead of him. Although the shadows arround them were dark, the Oni was always darker. It was like being in complete and utter darkness, yet one patch of dark shines out, its has gone further the other way. So dark that the darkness it gives out forms its own light in its lack of it.
Slowly the darkness passed away into a large dim litted court. It was almost pitch black here as well, but the shadows this time seemed in comparison like the sun had come out. They were still in the Neatherealm that was for sure. He could see the orange light creeping in through the square windows. Some kind of castle. The shadows passed away, and Noobsaibot turned slowly the eyes seeming to appear as he turned round. They were in a hallway with large black pillars moving up towards the ceiling.
"Please... have a seat" gestured Noobsaibot. Subzero was about to reply that he didn't have a seat with him or did not know where the fuck to find one when a blow hit him in the thighs and he fell backwards into a black chair. Metal straps closed round his wrists suddenly and trapped him in place. He struggled from side to side, and knew that his doom had caught up with him. He would never leave this place alive.
"Subzero isn't it?" said the shadow stepping forward. It crossed its arms and looked down at him with a glare.
"Have Merci Oni, Subzero is my name"
"For the conveniance of this conversation you will now drop that formality" said the Oni turning away. He walked back across the stone his footsteps making no sound on the dark surface. Subzero tested the metal that held his hands in place. He might be able to break it with his icy hands, yet not while this demon was here watching him. That would be fatal.
"Do you know who I am?" said the Oni still facing away from him. It was looking down on him... he hated that, but then again it had the power to do so.
"No" he replied as best as he could trying to calm down his own rising fear. He needed to get back to being the calm confident Lin kuei warrior he always used to be and had been until he had come to this acursed place. Other wise he'd have no chance of getting away from this thing, this creature from the Abyss.
"I am General Noobsaibot, High Oni and master of the Brothers of the Shadow. I am the servant of the Dark God Shinnoch, I know exactly what you've done mortal... Subzero, you are the one who defeated the four elements"
Subzero sat still, he did not reply. He couldn't tell what this creature whatever it was was thinking, or what it could possibly expect of him. Did it know of his mission? That it had changed now instead to attack his origional employer?
"Don't even think of getting away from this place... the brothers of the shadow never sleep, they guard this castle night and day and kill any they find within these walls. None enter the dark confines of my tower without my permission"
"Why have you brought me here?" asked Suzero after ahwile. He had picked up what little confidence had survived the Neatherealm so far and summoned it into his voice. His blue clothes were stained with blood and oily muck. His eyes looked blood shot and tired, yet he still had the fight in him.
"That's a good question... what do I care for you? A pathetic mortal, but then again Subzero you are not just any mortal. The black book mentions your name 'The Cold One'. As much as it may seem that I would have great reason to enjoy your company Cold One, in truth I do not"
"Why's that?" asked Subzero pensively.
"You helped Quan chi get what he wanted... within a couple of nights the portal will open and the black forces of hell will invade the Earth Realm"
"Surely you, an Oni would want that?" ,questioned Subzero "Don't you enjoy the destruction that would come of it?"
Noobsaibot was quiet a moment. He walked up and down a few paces back and forth across the pillars. His dark body dissapered amongst them a moment and he'd come out further away or closer in the darkness. He seemed to teleport now and again, and you'd never be quite sure where he would end up next. Suddenly he was right in front of Subzero gazing down he gripped the blue assassin by the neck and squeezed "You Think that I one of the oldest and loyal of Oni would want to help a Fallen Angel? You think that I Noobsaibot General of the Brothers of the shadow enjoy what he has done to this realm? That fool, that idiot, that insult to chaos. He has changed the hell pits into a pathetic model of the earthrealm, he is obsessed with that stinking world of neutrality and all he desires is to rule it for his own ends. He is no servant of chaos! No ruler of hell! He is a fool, an imobcile and I curse him in the name of Satan! There is only one dark god of this realm mortal and he is dead! Lucifer is the lord of all evil, that or another Oni capable of ruling these hell swarms... but Shinnoch... Shinnoch a fallen angle is not capable of ruling us. Never before have we been so week, the sky itself wants to crush us and start anew, this realm wants to sweep us all away because of that fool. Because of that pathetic ruler, that stain of goodness... I can see it in him. His angel hereditary, his look, the way he moves so gracefully... I hate him, I hate everything about him. I hate it more than I hate any of your gods or elder gods or good gods, I hate him so much that when I finnaly get my hands on him I shall keep him forever in this castle to torture for eternity and oh how I shall enjoy it! I shall put him through imeasurable pain! Every day I shall take him to pieces bit by bit, over the years, over the centuries over the milenia until he is so weakened and wretched that there will be nothing left, not even his soul. No dark god was ever supposed to leave the Neatherealm. This is the place where the dark god should rule and remain, and this realm was where Lucifer should be ruling now! He has ruined everything! And oh Subzero if only you could possibly comprehend how much I long to destroy him! The equal librium of the world should never be undone like this, the pits of the Neatherealm were never supposed to be joined with that of the earth realm. The Elder gods will frown upon us, the Earth realm itself will crush itself like our own realm is trying to do. He is ignorant of the truth, ignorant that there is so many of us that hate him. The younger Oni of cource... they worship him, but we the older generation. The ones who remember Lucifer and remember his predecessors, we loath him and seek to destroy him forever. How dare he a fallen angle come to our realm and rule as dark god over all the pits! HOW DARE HE!"
The final words ran up the walls quivering the pillars and causing rocks and stones to fall down onto the stone floor below. Noobsaibot released his grip and turned away, walking away towards the end of the hallway he came to a large black alter. He rested his black hands on the surface and Subzero gasped for breath.
"You Subzero... what you have done... I can never forgive. I will first make an amend to your crimes. Have you ever felt pain Subzero unamaginable pain?"
Subzero's throat was sore and hurt where the cold hands had singed it, but he got the words out slowly through withdrawn slow breaths "I came back to stop him" he whispered. Noobsaibot turned slowly and looked at him with cold blue eyes "You what?"
"I said" spat Subzero cougthing from the grip and tightening his fists under the metal manicles "I came here to stop Quan chi from giving Shinnoch the amulet. Raiden sent me. I am to find them both and stop this distaster from ever happening"
"You?" lauthed Noobsaibot quietly "What could you possibly do?"
"I've killed gods before, I know what its like..."
"And you have never battled with lord Shinnoch before ... heh even his pathetic sorceror Quan chi would be a match for you"
"Quan chi tricked me... he said he'd reward me when my job was done. I have received no reward, and I am bound by my own law and my clans law for revenge"
"How fitting" chuckled Noobsaibot turning away from the alter, he decended the steps again, he stood opposite Subzero only a few meteres away "But then again..." he paused "It has its charm to it... and the book... there is a chance"
"Whatever chance you give me General Noobsaibot I would gladly take it to any of your tortures"
"Are you sure mortal?" said Noobsaibot slowly "Shinnoch's fortress lies across the bridge of imortality, it is guarded strongly be the brothers of the shadow, who in the event of a full frontal attack from yourself; I would have no power to draw them back. Even if you entered the fortress itself, you would have to contend with the Black Guard, the powerful priests who have since time begun guarded the rulers of hell. You would have to defeat each of Quan chi's three personal assassins in Mortal Kombat, in the old ways. Then, you would have to journy to the teleporter where using the crystals of the three assassins you could teleport to the throne room where you would have to battle with first the sorceror Quan chi and then likely the dark god Shinnoch himself. Your only chance would be to take the amulet from Quan chi's neck before he realised what had happened, and even then it is your job to get out and stop him from taking the amulet back from you and giving it to his master Shinnoch"
"What does Shinnoch look like?" asked Subzero after a long wait.
"He takes the form of a human when he is amused as he usually is... when he is angry, he takes the form of an Oni, pray that you do not meet him when he is angry"
"Will you help me General?" pleaded Subzero "Will you help me stop what has been started?"
"I cannot go anywhere near the sea of imortality. The forces of that sea would drag me down into the depths by force and consume me. You however, a mortal are protected temporarily from that fate. In your mortal shell the powers over the undead that Quan chi and Shinnoch hold over you are null. Yet they have plenty of other skills to deal with you"
"Where should I go? How can I get to the bridge of imortality?"
Noobsaibot stood still and was quiet for a long while. He seemed to think and the blue eyes narrowed while he went through a hoast of dark projects that he must have had in mind.
"If you are going to fight a god" he said after a long while "You must at least have the powers of one. Raiden sent you did he? Pity he didn't realise that you'd be ripped to shreds in this realm as soon as you entered..." Noobsaibot slowly turning he walked again away from the Lin kuei warrior. He stopped facing the alter "You must seek the Urn of Strength. The seal to the sea of imortality is guarded by the powers of a large statue that in these times takes the form of Shinnoch in his human form. The Urn is nearby that statue, and once claimed you can drink from the Urn and gain superhuman strength for a short time. Anything drunk from the Urn will give you incredible strength, but it is guarded well by an Oni called Nazdrak master of the Prison of Souls"
"What does he look like?"
"He is more machine than demon, a circular saw is attached to his right arm, that he uses without mercy. It could easily cleave you in two, however he is a weaker Oni, and it is possible for you to destroy him with relative ease"
"Then what?" questioned Subzero
"Then you must find the Urn and take it to the Statue. Break down the statue and enter into the sea of imortality. Cross the bridge, enter Shinnoch's fortress, kill Quan chi's three assassins, take their crystals by force, use the teleporter to get to the throne room, defeat Quan chi and take his pathetic master's amulet from him. If you fight the god Shinnoch, do not try and anger him. He may toy with you ahwile before he kills you, if this is the case it will give you more chance to act"
"Thanks" said Subzero sarcastically "How do I get to this prison of souls?"
"I can teleport you there. I often have to go there myself to speak to tortured souls and prepare for this 'invasion' that Shinnoch wants so desperately. He wants three million troops... you'd better suceed Subzero or die trying because otherwise I'll tear your soul apart"
"What now?" said Subzero trying as best as he could with his middle fingers to scratch the palm of his hands, but this was difficult being trapped down by the metal. He wasn't bored, meerly shattered and ready to drop of exhaustion.
"You are in no state to fight now, and plus you stink of sweat and blood... the stenches of the city. You will need to take a bath, my priests will repair your clothes"
"Do you have any throwing knives?"
"You can have this" said Noobsaibot turning to the alter. Walking up to the dusty surface he took a small black pouch off and took it down the steps to Subzero. The metal suddenly released itself from his arms and Subzero rubbed his wrists thankfully. He took the pouch, undoing the string he looked inside "What is it?" he asked.
"Death Needles. One of the presents Shinnoch sent me for my alliance after the death of Lucifer. They are enchanted with the powers of darkness. Upon impact of a demon, they will imiediately blind him, paralyse him within a minute, and slowly poison him dead with in five at most"
"What about Mortals?"
"I wouldn't concern yourself with that since you won't be meeting any. Just make sure you don't acidently puncture yourself... remember you're working for me now"
Subzero took the bag warily and held it in his hands. He'd have to equip his costume with the needles later, and by the look of it there were pleanty of the things. The pouch was tougth made of a strange black leather to stop the things coming out.
"Ah... here are my priests now. I will meet you once more today Subzero, and then I will likely never see you again. Do not fail me or your Thunder god, as neither of us will be very pleased with you when and if you return"
The priests came from the darkness in a crowd, black robes shuffled across the floor. They lead Subzero away from the hallway where Noobsaibot stood, away down dark corridoors and dark circular steps in a long line he followed with one behind and him and one infront. Their hoods were filled with darkness, no face could be seen within like the door to the golem of the earth temple. But these hoods were different, it was really as if there were nothing withing. Just shadow and nothing else keeping up the black robes like a gust of wind.
The bathing room was clean yet unnatural. The liquid was green, once he had undressed he tested it with his index finger. It was warm, he jumpped in a felt the stuff ooze round his skin.
The healing effect it had on his body felt very disturbing as if the liquid was only doing its job because if it didn't it would be punished. It was not a natural process and it seemed as if the green water itself was alive in some way. Orange light came in through the square windows glittering across the circular pool's surface. The shapes of the priests were round the side of the room, reflecting in the pool below, and although he felt now much cleaner than before and more healthy, he felt most unnatural and out of place here with those priests gazing down at him.
"Er... do you mind?" said Subzero after ahwile looking up at the shadow priests. Their dark hoods turned to him without a sound and they all stared at him "Do you mind if I have a bit of privacy while I bathe, possibly?"
They walked slowly away without a trace of emotion or displeasure. They exited the room by double red doors that swung shut with a slam and echoed down the hallways and passageways of the corridoors. He was completely alone. He thought briefly of using the oppertunity to escape through the window, but the fact that the priests had taken his clothes with them to repair, and also the fact that it was a long way down, and the fact that he didn't really fancy trekking across the whole of the Neatherealm nakid drew him away from the action.
The room was quiet, and less eery without the priests arround. In the distance he could hear far away screams and moans of torture. It seemed wherever he was in this realm he could hear noises of pain and noises of suffering. The water soothed round him cleaning and healing his bruises, curing the sores on his face and feet hands and wrists. He relaxed ahwile feeling completely cured of body if not of mind. He had seen unspeakable things, his thoughts themselves had been tarnished by the powers of the Neatherealm forever.
Holding one finger in the air he cooled it glowing with blue ice. Slowly he decended it into the water hoping to make some kind of icy pattern on the surface. The water rumbled as he touched at and there was a scream from the surface. A demon in the shape of the green water jumpped out running across the surface, it hopped up splashing across the tiled floor and dived out of the square windows. Gawking a moment he looked back down at the water that seemed to quiver with fear. He got out very quickly drying himself down with a red towel. The water wobbled from side to side below and seemed to come close together round the edges as if it expected him to jump in again. He certainly didn't.
After calling and waiting for a long time the priests came and gave him his clothes back. He dressed in a small furnished room near the bathing pool. It was filled with black chairs, pictures of fire and demons were on the walls with gazing eyes that followed you literally around the room. You could see the eyes moving as you moved. Clasping the bag he fitted one by one as many of the death needles as he could into his blue costume's hidden compartments. He found two of his old shurikens in the bottom and left them where they were. The rest in the bag he folded away amongst his other possessions. The clothing was completely repaired as if it were brand new. The blood and mud stains were all gone as if his whole ordeal had never happened. Yet his location reminded him strongly of the events that had happened and the events that were still to come, he could not even if he tried forget how he had come to be there.
With a smile he remembered that he was as likely to die here as at any other time of his dangerous life, it soothed him a little. Except of cource he would rather die in his life than in the Neatherealm. He felt no joy in what he had to do, he was now being used as a puppet by Noobsaibot just as everyone else had used him. He was constantly serving the people who had the power to kill him. In a way he felt more at home in the Neatherealm in demon law then he ever did in the Earthrealm, yet he didn't want this to continue. Oneday he wanted to be his own master, go far away and retire and never see anything strange or unusual again. Boy had he had enough of that since this job began. It had turned out to be far far much more than he had ever bargained for. He had gone from one objective to another, and he wondered with grim suspicien whether anyone in the end would actually pay him at all for his hard work.
The black door opened with a quiet shuffle and one of the black robed priests stood in the door way. Subzero knew what it wanted. It wanted him to come with him, he nodded and followed. Ascending steps they went up back passed the alter room and even higher still. They were ascending a tower passing doors as they went. Finnaly they came out on the roof, the priest Gestured to the Black General who stood resting against the battlements. With a flourish of black robing it turned and walked back down the steps. Subzero nodded looking out at the orange sky and city that stretched out into the horizon. He came slowly and stood beside the shadow Oni.
They were both silent for a good few minutes. Only the wind seemed to make any noise at all. The orange sky itself seemed closer than ever on top of this tower, ready to fall and crush them as he had predicted. Noobsaibot pointed across the landscape to a glittering green sea far away over the city "That is the sea of imortality, you can just sea the top of the pyramid over the horizon"
"Don't worry I remember what it looks like" replied Subzero "I saw it in my dreams after I destroyed each element"
"I wondered how you escaped that fate" chided the shadow quietly "Quan chi gave you some help it seems from the little that he did" he paused again and pointed to a higher part of the city that ended next to the the sea of imortality "That is the prison of souls where the Urn of Strength is kept. When you get it... if it runs out, you will have to find more clean water to fill it with, that is rare in this realm, and I doubt you will find any at all. If I were you I would save what little water it has in it as much as possible, for the times that you need it"
"I'll try my best" replied Subzero solemly
Noobsaibot turned slowly and turned a fingered shadowy hand to the ground. A metal circle was embdedded in the tiles of the tower's roof. It took the shape of the symbol of the dragon that he had seen so many times amongst the temples of the past. It parted down the middle with a slow quiet sliding of stone. A platform came up from below with three large spikes shaped in a trinagular format arround the side. Each one was bent inwards in the middle inside of the circle they rose up into the air like a clawed hand.
"Enter the circle and I'll send you to the prison of souls"
Subzero did so and stood directly in the middle. Noobsaibot walked up to him slowly and outstretched his hand "Oh, before I send you off... take this" he handed him back the small blue card with the red demon symbol on the side "I found out how you got it. You're quite a devious little fellow Subzero, I can almost not hate you. I don't need it, its an Oni card and can work most devices arround the city and prison of souls. You may be able to fool some of my minions into not attacking you with it, but don't try it on the black guard. If they see you, they will not be mistaken, and will try to kill you"
"Have merci Oni" replied Subzero cooly. The black shadow chuckled quietly to himself the blue eyes moving up and down, outstretching his hand there was a yellow glow of light and Subzero dissapered. Noobsaibot turned slowly and walked back over to the battlements. He would wait there, watching the horizon, until either the portal opened to the Earthrealm, or he heard the screams of the dark god and his imeasurable loss.
The darkness parted and they were swirling through a black vortex. The shadow creature walked on as he passed through the swirling darkness but Subzero had to run to catch up to those slow steps. If he was left behind he would die for sure left by himself in that place inbetween the worlds. The shadows swirled around him and he focused his eyes always on the dark shape ahead of him. Although the shadows arround them were dark, the Oni was always darker. It was like being in complete and utter darkness, yet one patch of dark shines out, its has gone further the other way. So dark that the darkness it gives out forms its own light in its lack of it.
Slowly the darkness passed away into a large dim litted court. It was almost pitch black here as well, but the shadows this time seemed in comparison like the sun had come out. They were still in the Neatherealm that was for sure. He could see the orange light creeping in through the square windows. Some kind of castle. The shadows passed away, and Noobsaibot turned slowly the eyes seeming to appear as he turned round. They were in a hallway with large black pillars moving up towards the ceiling.
"Please... have a seat" gestured Noobsaibot. Subzero was about to reply that he didn't have a seat with him or did not know where the fuck to find one when a blow hit him in the thighs and he fell backwards into a black chair. Metal straps closed round his wrists suddenly and trapped him in place. He struggled from side to side, and knew that his doom had caught up with him. He would never leave this place alive.
"Subzero isn't it?" said the shadow stepping forward. It crossed its arms and looked down at him with a glare.
"Have Merci Oni, Subzero is my name"
"For the conveniance of this conversation you will now drop that formality" said the Oni turning away. He walked back across the stone his footsteps making no sound on the dark surface. Subzero tested the metal that held his hands in place. He might be able to break it with his icy hands, yet not while this demon was here watching him. That would be fatal.
"Do you know who I am?" said the Oni still facing away from him. It was looking down on him... he hated that, but then again it had the power to do so.
"No" he replied as best as he could trying to calm down his own rising fear. He needed to get back to being the calm confident Lin kuei warrior he always used to be and had been until he had come to this acursed place. Other wise he'd have no chance of getting away from this thing, this creature from the Abyss.
"I am General Noobsaibot, High Oni and master of the Brothers of the Shadow. I am the servant of the Dark God Shinnoch, I know exactly what you've done mortal... Subzero, you are the one who defeated the four elements"
Subzero sat still, he did not reply. He couldn't tell what this creature whatever it was was thinking, or what it could possibly expect of him. Did it know of his mission? That it had changed now instead to attack his origional employer?
"Don't even think of getting away from this place... the brothers of the shadow never sleep, they guard this castle night and day and kill any they find within these walls. None enter the dark confines of my tower without my permission"
"Why have you brought me here?" asked Suzero after ahwile. He had picked up what little confidence had survived the Neatherealm so far and summoned it into his voice. His blue clothes were stained with blood and oily muck. His eyes looked blood shot and tired, yet he still had the fight in him.
"That's a good question... what do I care for you? A pathetic mortal, but then again Subzero you are not just any mortal. The black book mentions your name 'The Cold One'. As much as it may seem that I would have great reason to enjoy your company Cold One, in truth I do not"
"Why's that?" asked Subzero pensively.
"You helped Quan chi get what he wanted... within a couple of nights the portal will open and the black forces of hell will invade the Earth Realm"
"Surely you, an Oni would want that?" ,questioned Subzero "Don't you enjoy the destruction that would come of it?"
Noobsaibot was quiet a moment. He walked up and down a few paces back and forth across the pillars. His dark body dissapered amongst them a moment and he'd come out further away or closer in the darkness. He seemed to teleport now and again, and you'd never be quite sure where he would end up next. Suddenly he was right in front of Subzero gazing down he gripped the blue assassin by the neck and squeezed "You Think that I one of the oldest and loyal of Oni would want to help a Fallen Angel? You think that I Noobsaibot General of the Brothers of the shadow enjoy what he has done to this realm? That fool, that idiot, that insult to chaos. He has changed the hell pits into a pathetic model of the earthrealm, he is obsessed with that stinking world of neutrality and all he desires is to rule it for his own ends. He is no servant of chaos! No ruler of hell! He is a fool, an imobcile and I curse him in the name of Satan! There is only one dark god of this realm mortal and he is dead! Lucifer is the lord of all evil, that or another Oni capable of ruling these hell swarms... but Shinnoch... Shinnoch a fallen angle is not capable of ruling us. Never before have we been so week, the sky itself wants to crush us and start anew, this realm wants to sweep us all away because of that fool. Because of that pathetic ruler, that stain of goodness... I can see it in him. His angel hereditary, his look, the way he moves so gracefully... I hate him, I hate everything about him. I hate it more than I hate any of your gods or elder gods or good gods, I hate him so much that when I finnaly get my hands on him I shall keep him forever in this castle to torture for eternity and oh how I shall enjoy it! I shall put him through imeasurable pain! Every day I shall take him to pieces bit by bit, over the years, over the centuries over the milenia until he is so weakened and wretched that there will be nothing left, not even his soul. No dark god was ever supposed to leave the Neatherealm. This is the place where the dark god should rule and remain, and this realm was where Lucifer should be ruling now! He has ruined everything! And oh Subzero if only you could possibly comprehend how much I long to destroy him! The equal librium of the world should never be undone like this, the pits of the Neatherealm were never supposed to be joined with that of the earth realm. The Elder gods will frown upon us, the Earth realm itself will crush itself like our own realm is trying to do. He is ignorant of the truth, ignorant that there is so many of us that hate him. The younger Oni of cource... they worship him, but we the older generation. The ones who remember Lucifer and remember his predecessors, we loath him and seek to destroy him forever. How dare he a fallen angle come to our realm and rule as dark god over all the pits! HOW DARE HE!"
The final words ran up the walls quivering the pillars and causing rocks and stones to fall down onto the stone floor below. Noobsaibot released his grip and turned away, walking away towards the end of the hallway he came to a large black alter. He rested his black hands on the surface and Subzero gasped for breath.
"You Subzero... what you have done... I can never forgive. I will first make an amend to your crimes. Have you ever felt pain Subzero unamaginable pain?"
Subzero's throat was sore and hurt where the cold hands had singed it, but he got the words out slowly through withdrawn slow breaths "I came back to stop him" he whispered. Noobsaibot turned slowly and looked at him with cold blue eyes "You what?"
"I said" spat Subzero cougthing from the grip and tightening his fists under the metal manicles "I came here to stop Quan chi from giving Shinnoch the amulet. Raiden sent me. I am to find them both and stop this distaster from ever happening"
"You?" lauthed Noobsaibot quietly "What could you possibly do?"
"I've killed gods before, I know what its like..."
"And you have never battled with lord Shinnoch before ... heh even his pathetic sorceror Quan chi would be a match for you"
"Quan chi tricked me... he said he'd reward me when my job was done. I have received no reward, and I am bound by my own law and my clans law for revenge"
"How fitting" chuckled Noobsaibot turning away from the alter, he decended the steps again, he stood opposite Subzero only a few meteres away "But then again..." he paused "It has its charm to it... and the book... there is a chance"
"Whatever chance you give me General Noobsaibot I would gladly take it to any of your tortures"
"Are you sure mortal?" said Noobsaibot slowly "Shinnoch's fortress lies across the bridge of imortality, it is guarded strongly be the brothers of the shadow, who in the event of a full frontal attack from yourself; I would have no power to draw them back. Even if you entered the fortress itself, you would have to contend with the Black Guard, the powerful priests who have since time begun guarded the rulers of hell. You would have to defeat each of Quan chi's three personal assassins in Mortal Kombat, in the old ways. Then, you would have to journy to the teleporter where using the crystals of the three assassins you could teleport to the throne room where you would have to battle with first the sorceror Quan chi and then likely the dark god Shinnoch himself. Your only chance would be to take the amulet from Quan chi's neck before he realised what had happened, and even then it is your job to get out and stop him from taking the amulet back from you and giving it to his master Shinnoch"
"What does Shinnoch look like?" asked Subzero after a long wait.
"He takes the form of a human when he is amused as he usually is... when he is angry, he takes the form of an Oni, pray that you do not meet him when he is angry"
"Will you help me General?" pleaded Subzero "Will you help me stop what has been started?"
"I cannot go anywhere near the sea of imortality. The forces of that sea would drag me down into the depths by force and consume me. You however, a mortal are protected temporarily from that fate. In your mortal shell the powers over the undead that Quan chi and Shinnoch hold over you are null. Yet they have plenty of other skills to deal with you"
"Where should I go? How can I get to the bridge of imortality?"
Noobsaibot stood still and was quiet for a long while. He seemed to think and the blue eyes narrowed while he went through a hoast of dark projects that he must have had in mind.
"If you are going to fight a god" he said after a long while "You must at least have the powers of one. Raiden sent you did he? Pity he didn't realise that you'd be ripped to shreds in this realm as soon as you entered..." Noobsaibot slowly turning he walked again away from the Lin kuei warrior. He stopped facing the alter "You must seek the Urn of Strength. The seal to the sea of imortality is guarded by the powers of a large statue that in these times takes the form of Shinnoch in his human form. The Urn is nearby that statue, and once claimed you can drink from the Urn and gain superhuman strength for a short time. Anything drunk from the Urn will give you incredible strength, but it is guarded well by an Oni called Nazdrak master of the Prison of Souls"
"What does he look like?"
"He is more machine than demon, a circular saw is attached to his right arm, that he uses without mercy. It could easily cleave you in two, however he is a weaker Oni, and it is possible for you to destroy him with relative ease"
"Then what?" questioned Subzero
"Then you must find the Urn and take it to the Statue. Break down the statue and enter into the sea of imortality. Cross the bridge, enter Shinnoch's fortress, kill Quan chi's three assassins, take their crystals by force, use the teleporter to get to the throne room, defeat Quan chi and take his pathetic master's amulet from him. If you fight the god Shinnoch, do not try and anger him. He may toy with you ahwile before he kills you, if this is the case it will give you more chance to act"
"Thanks" said Subzero sarcastically "How do I get to this prison of souls?"
"I can teleport you there. I often have to go there myself to speak to tortured souls and prepare for this 'invasion' that Shinnoch wants so desperately. He wants three million troops... you'd better suceed Subzero or die trying because otherwise I'll tear your soul apart"
"What now?" said Subzero trying as best as he could with his middle fingers to scratch the palm of his hands, but this was difficult being trapped down by the metal. He wasn't bored, meerly shattered and ready to drop of exhaustion.
"You are in no state to fight now, and plus you stink of sweat and blood... the stenches of the city. You will need to take a bath, my priests will repair your clothes"
"Do you have any throwing knives?"
"You can have this" said Noobsaibot turning to the alter. Walking up to the dusty surface he took a small black pouch off and took it down the steps to Subzero. The metal suddenly released itself from his arms and Subzero rubbed his wrists thankfully. He took the pouch, undoing the string he looked inside "What is it?" he asked.
"Death Needles. One of the presents Shinnoch sent me for my alliance after the death of Lucifer. They are enchanted with the powers of darkness. Upon impact of a demon, they will imiediately blind him, paralyse him within a minute, and slowly poison him dead with in five at most"
"What about Mortals?"
"I wouldn't concern yourself with that since you won't be meeting any. Just make sure you don't acidently puncture yourself... remember you're working for me now"
Subzero took the bag warily and held it in his hands. He'd have to equip his costume with the needles later, and by the look of it there were pleanty of the things. The pouch was tougth made of a strange black leather to stop the things coming out.
"Ah... here are my priests now. I will meet you once more today Subzero, and then I will likely never see you again. Do not fail me or your Thunder god, as neither of us will be very pleased with you when and if you return"
The priests came from the darkness in a crowd, black robes shuffled across the floor. They lead Subzero away from the hallway where Noobsaibot stood, away down dark corridoors and dark circular steps in a long line he followed with one behind and him and one infront. Their hoods were filled with darkness, no face could be seen within like the door to the golem of the earth temple. But these hoods were different, it was really as if there were nothing withing. Just shadow and nothing else keeping up the black robes like a gust of wind.
The bathing room was clean yet unnatural. The liquid was green, once he had undressed he tested it with his index finger. It was warm, he jumpped in a felt the stuff ooze round his skin.
The healing effect it had on his body felt very disturbing as if the liquid was only doing its job because if it didn't it would be punished. It was not a natural process and it seemed as if the green water itself was alive in some way. Orange light came in through the square windows glittering across the circular pool's surface. The shapes of the priests were round the side of the room, reflecting in the pool below, and although he felt now much cleaner than before and more healthy, he felt most unnatural and out of place here with those priests gazing down at him.
"Er... do you mind?" said Subzero after ahwile looking up at the shadow priests. Their dark hoods turned to him without a sound and they all stared at him "Do you mind if I have a bit of privacy while I bathe, possibly?"
They walked slowly away without a trace of emotion or displeasure. They exited the room by double red doors that swung shut with a slam and echoed down the hallways and passageways of the corridoors. He was completely alone. He thought briefly of using the oppertunity to escape through the window, but the fact that the priests had taken his clothes with them to repair, and also the fact that it was a long way down, and the fact that he didn't really fancy trekking across the whole of the Neatherealm nakid drew him away from the action.
The room was quiet, and less eery without the priests arround. In the distance he could hear far away screams and moans of torture. It seemed wherever he was in this realm he could hear noises of pain and noises of suffering. The water soothed round him cleaning and healing his bruises, curing the sores on his face and feet hands and wrists. He relaxed ahwile feeling completely cured of body if not of mind. He had seen unspeakable things, his thoughts themselves had been tarnished by the powers of the Neatherealm forever.
Holding one finger in the air he cooled it glowing with blue ice. Slowly he decended it into the water hoping to make some kind of icy pattern on the surface. The water rumbled as he touched at and there was a scream from the surface. A demon in the shape of the green water jumpped out running across the surface, it hopped up splashing across the tiled floor and dived out of the square windows. Gawking a moment he looked back down at the water that seemed to quiver with fear. He got out very quickly drying himself down with a red towel. The water wobbled from side to side below and seemed to come close together round the edges as if it expected him to jump in again. He certainly didn't.
After calling and waiting for a long time the priests came and gave him his clothes back. He dressed in a small furnished room near the bathing pool. It was filled with black chairs, pictures of fire and demons were on the walls with gazing eyes that followed you literally around the room. You could see the eyes moving as you moved. Clasping the bag he fitted one by one as many of the death needles as he could into his blue costume's hidden compartments. He found two of his old shurikens in the bottom and left them where they were. The rest in the bag he folded away amongst his other possessions. The clothing was completely repaired as if it were brand new. The blood and mud stains were all gone as if his whole ordeal had never happened. Yet his location reminded him strongly of the events that had happened and the events that were still to come, he could not even if he tried forget how he had come to be there.
With a smile he remembered that he was as likely to die here as at any other time of his dangerous life, it soothed him a little. Except of cource he would rather die in his life than in the Neatherealm. He felt no joy in what he had to do, he was now being used as a puppet by Noobsaibot just as everyone else had used him. He was constantly serving the people who had the power to kill him. In a way he felt more at home in the Neatherealm in demon law then he ever did in the Earthrealm, yet he didn't want this to continue. Oneday he wanted to be his own master, go far away and retire and never see anything strange or unusual again. Boy had he had enough of that since this job began. It had turned out to be far far much more than he had ever bargained for. He had gone from one objective to another, and he wondered with grim suspicien whether anyone in the end would actually pay him at all for his hard work.
The black door opened with a quiet shuffle and one of the black robed priests stood in the door way. Subzero knew what it wanted. It wanted him to come with him, he nodded and followed. Ascending steps they went up back passed the alter room and even higher still. They were ascending a tower passing doors as they went. Finnaly they came out on the roof, the priest Gestured to the Black General who stood resting against the battlements. With a flourish of black robing it turned and walked back down the steps. Subzero nodded looking out at the orange sky and city that stretched out into the horizon. He came slowly and stood beside the shadow Oni.
They were both silent for a good few minutes. Only the wind seemed to make any noise at all. The orange sky itself seemed closer than ever on top of this tower, ready to fall and crush them as he had predicted. Noobsaibot pointed across the landscape to a glittering green sea far away over the city "That is the sea of imortality, you can just sea the top of the pyramid over the horizon"
"Don't worry I remember what it looks like" replied Subzero "I saw it in my dreams after I destroyed each element"
"I wondered how you escaped that fate" chided the shadow quietly "Quan chi gave you some help it seems from the little that he did" he paused again and pointed to a higher part of the city that ended next to the the sea of imortality "That is the prison of souls where the Urn of Strength is kept. When you get it... if it runs out, you will have to find more clean water to fill it with, that is rare in this realm, and I doubt you will find any at all. If I were you I would save what little water it has in it as much as possible, for the times that you need it"
"I'll try my best" replied Subzero solemly
Noobsaibot turned slowly and turned a fingered shadowy hand to the ground. A metal circle was embdedded in the tiles of the tower's roof. It took the shape of the symbol of the dragon that he had seen so many times amongst the temples of the past. It parted down the middle with a slow quiet sliding of stone. A platform came up from below with three large spikes shaped in a trinagular format arround the side. Each one was bent inwards in the middle inside of the circle they rose up into the air like a clawed hand.
"Enter the circle and I'll send you to the prison of souls"
Subzero did so and stood directly in the middle. Noobsaibot walked up to him slowly and outstretched his hand "Oh, before I send you off... take this" he handed him back the small blue card with the red demon symbol on the side "I found out how you got it. You're quite a devious little fellow Subzero, I can almost not hate you. I don't need it, its an Oni card and can work most devices arround the city and prison of souls. You may be able to fool some of my minions into not attacking you with it, but don't try it on the black guard. If they see you, they will not be mistaken, and will try to kill you"
"Have merci Oni" replied Subzero cooly. The black shadow chuckled quietly to himself the blue eyes moving up and down, outstretching his hand there was a yellow glow of light and Subzero dissapered. Noobsaibot turned slowly and walked back over to the battlements. He would wait there, watching the horizon, until either the portal opened to the Earthrealm, or he heard the screams of the dark god and his imeasurable loss.
