Chapter14: Just an amulet

Climbing up towards the highest point in the pyramid he defeated the final members of the black guard. The last resistance of the dark temple crumbled under his skills and he came to the final elevating stone. He acended on the mysterious stone slab and rose up high into the air. Wind wistled and he could see the sky distantly. He couldn't tell where he was in the pyramid, the sky was enclosed on either side by pyramid walls reaching far either side. He had thought he'd been heading to the highest point, but evidently he hadn't... or had he? The roof of the pyramid above seemed entirely seperated from the bottom part of the pyramid, if hovered in the air without an attempt at explanation.

Either side of him there were green bent spikes encircling inwards. It reminded him of a teleporter. This had to be it, the final place. Surely this background was an ilusion? He retreaved the three green crystals from his neck and held them up. They resonated strongly together singing dark prayers and glowing a blinding green.

"Where do you want to go?" whispered a voice inside his head.

"Wherever Quan chi is" he said calmly. There was a ripple in the air and in front of him a glowing red door opened shimmering under the unearthly orange skies above. He gazed at it and the crystals in his hand. He dropped them to the floor discarding them "Such things must never reach the Earth realm"

Turning he looked at the portal slowly. A mirage of couler if flickered the centre turning in spirals like a whirl pool. With slow steady steps he entered and the world passed away into darkness.

The air shimmerd and Subzero appeared walking across a long metal courceway. It was a dark mysterious room somewhere in the pyramid. Below far down he could see the hallway far below. He was very high up, impossibly high. It seemed as if the entire pyramid had changed its structure against him. At the end sitting on a throne like a king Quan chi sat staring up at him as he entered with pale face and beady eyes. There wasn't a trace of fear in him, he sat confidently as if Subzero was just doing something that was expected of him, a small matter that could be quickly and easily dealt with.

"Welcome to my home, Sub Zero. If you're still looking for the amulet, you can find it at the pyramid's apex... around Shinnock's neck. You've arrived a little late" his eyes flickered amused as if Subzero's trek through hell was a small pathetic achievement. Everything about him was a sniff; everything about him was a put down now directed at Subzero. Subzero realized it now with strong hate and anger. That trace of sarcasm had always been in Quan chi's voice he had just never seen it before. That false tone that suggested general sympathy was just a mocking candy from the pits of hell. He belonged here, those spiked shoulders that looked so out of place in the Earthrealm, those black clothes with blue leggings that looked so surreal in the Lin Kuei head quarters yet looked so real and in place here.

"I was busy," replied Subzero clenching his knuckles. He stood just in front of Quan chi observing him, waiting for the chance to make a kill.

"Don't you realize why Raiden sent you?" said Quan chi after awhile crossing his legs, he paused as if not sure how to continue, yet now Subzero could see that it was all just for show, he could see through the sorcerer's illusions "The Netherealm is a place for evil beings. You could not exist here unless you were tainted with evil"

Subzero squinted and clutched the mint leaf tighter. His teeth locked and his shoulders became tense.

"You belong here... Join my Brothers of the Shadow and worship our lord, Shinnok"

"Never Sorcerer" replied Subzero squeezing the green leaf so that the mint smell poured over him.

"Then so it shall be" laughed Quan chi "Ninja"

Subzero knew he had said it on purpose. He had called Subzero a "ninja" on purpose right from the start. He had always known that Subzero was Lin kuei but had called him Ninja just to irritate him. He was no friend, he never had been or would be. There were few friends in the world for Subzero.

"I never realized before that you owned the Brothers of the Shadow Quan chi, I had come to the conclusion that they were controlled by someone far more experienced, am I wrong?"

Quan chi's eyebrows flickered a moment and Subzero realized he had hit Quan chi in a sore spot. The sorcerer stood to his feet slowly getting off of the throne glaring once at Subzero he flickered his eyes again as if Subzero again meant nothing to him. With a turn of his neck there was a loud crack followed by the other side. His knuckles cracked and his elbows and knees cracked as if he hadn't used them in a century.

"You're a quick learner it seems" he snorted "But no matter... Noobsaibot won't be in command for much longer. I will be the next in command, Shinnok promised me it as my reward"

"Unfortunately," snarled Subzero, "You're going to be dead. But looking at your ugly corpse I suppose really it wouldn't make any difference to someone like you"

"Pretty words master Subzero," sniffed Quan chi slowly bending his arms forward, "Pretty words" he repeated. The fingers cracked the bones fitting uneasily into place, a fighting stance "Pretty words... but words can only go so far... lets see how you fare against my powers"

The battle had begun. Wrenching both hands forward he roared and a green skull shot through the air towards Subzero with sharp teeth clasping together as they came towards him ready to bite his heart out. He dodged and a second later Quan chi was gone. Turning Subzero took a punch in the face and was sent flying back blood splattering either side of him onto the bridge.

He staggered to his feet as Quan chi with a roar charged towards him with glowing yellow and green hands.

"All Sorcerer's talk am I!" screemed Quan chi with a voice that shook the walls "Let me show you, you pathetic wretch what Sorcerer's talk can do to people!"

"Fuck you!" returned Subzero and standing up he met Quan chi's run with a fist, upper cutting the sorcerer back. He flailed through the air waving arms either side of him. He landed with a snarl and disappeared soon to appear behind Subzero. He ducked quickly as Quan chi fired several yellow bolts of light towards him. They missed flying overhead before again Quan chi approached this time warily.

Outstretching his leg Subzero slid across the floor at high speed and caught the sorcerer off guard. He landed on the floor and blocked as Subzero returned to attack him while he was down. Subzero's attacks were rushed and not well timed. Quan chi booted him in the stomach and Subzero fell back in retreat as the sorcerer stood to his feet.

"Tricky circumstances huh?," chuckled Quan chi, "One of us is going to fall to their death and it isn't going to be me, that's for sure"

"You're so confident"

"That's because I don't lose" replied Quan chi with a sneer, turning he gripped both hands on the black throne, with a red face he lifted it up into the air and threw it crashing forward towards Subzero. Dropping down suddenly Subzero gripped both hands on the bridge dangling for a moment over the abyss he watched as the throne fell down far below where after an agonizingly long time it smashed into pieces a small dot below. Leaping up he landed with both feet on the bridge and blocked as Quan chi charged towards him.

Quan chi's blows were fast and very powrful enchanted with magic, yet they were not as skillful as they might once have been. He seemed to have once known a great art in fighting, but over time his skills had waxed and now he had grown week. He was too confident in his abilitities. A punch reared out and Subzero's head dodged aside. Leaping forward he kneed Quan chi in the pelvis and brought double fists down on his shoulder. He slumpped in pain to the floor, spinning round the sorcerer brought a kick to Subzero and sent him sprawling back across the floor.

They battled teeth clenched, ice and hell fire crossed the room as they attempted to destroy each other. Quan chi would dissapere for moment and return next to Subero of behind him and Subzero had to be always ready to block or attack when the timing demmanded it.

Suddenly there was a flash of light and Quan chi was behind him, Subzero stood to his feet and ducked as a skull face shot over his head followed by several beams of light. The enslaught stopped and Subzero warily approached, Quan chi backed off slowly snarling.

"You're no match for me Subzero, you should never have come here!"

"You should never have betrayed me sorcerer," returned Subzero with glowing blue hands, "it will be your own downfall, for now I shall destroy you"

"No you won't... I will"

There was a flash of yellow light behind Quan chi and he turned quickly in shock to meet an uppercut to the face. He flew high up into the air and landed with a crack on edge of the bridge. Tipping he fell screaming down to the black depths below. Subzero looked on in surprize, he was completely off guard to what had just happened. As the light cleared a lone figure came into view. A girl with a white streak in her hair, she smiled as she walked up to him. It was Sareena, the assassin he had left alive. She must have picked up the crystals that Subzero had dropped.

"Why did you help me?," gasped Subzero

"You are still a mortal," she smiled, "That means you can escape the Neatherealm"

"There won't be anywhere to go if I don't take the amulet back" said Subzero omnimously

"Take me with you!," she pleaded, "I have waited an eternity to escape!"

"You don't understand!," said Subzero irritated, "I can't leave without the..."

She screamed in pain suddenly hands falling to her chest. Her hair flaied out madly as she stagared forward a purple light flowing from her body. Subzero caught her as she fell, blood flowing out of her onto the floor below.

"Sareena!" shouted Subzero as he held her slowly in his arms, he laid her gently on the ground, he looked up suddenly to meet a wrinkled and familiar face. An old man hovered in the air hand outstretched, his face was ugly and pale, strange robes surrounded him with a red head piece. The amulet was round his neck, he was the same man that Subzero had met in the prison cell yet now the amulet of Shinnok was arround his neck "Who are you old man?" asked Subzero. He looked down into Sareena's eyes, they flickered as she gasped for breath.

"It is I Shinnok," he boomed the voice bouncing across the marble walls. Sareena's hand outstretched and met Subzero's, she nodded vaguely. There was something in her palm, he took it and as if satisfied she fell to the floor, the hand once warm seem to go cold and it dropped empty as Subzero released it. There were three gems in Subzero's hand, he felt them and knew instantly what they were. A voice sounded in his mind along with the other whisperings and dark prayers "where do you want to go?"

He looked up with curiosity at Shinnok who smiled seing what he thought to be distress in Subzero's face "Sareena was dealt with as I would have dealt with all my children of this realm. But you ,Subzero, will be treated as a bitter enemy!"

"You bastard!" screamed Subzero and running forward he jumpped high through the air and aimed a kick at Shinnok's head. He never made the strike, for a purple shield slammed into him hard and he fell flying back across the ground.

"Feel my power!" roared Shinnok and the very walls themselves seem to rumble "You do not stand a chance against me mortal! Now that I have my amulet nothing will stand in my way!"

Slowly the god still hovering decended onto the bridge. Walking forward hands behind his back the amulet dangled from his neck swaying on its chain from side to side. With a lazy foot he kicked the dead body of Sareena off of the bridge. It fell down into the darkness below the same as Quan chi's had.

"Strange," muttered Shinnok quietly, "It does not seem the same as last time... no matter even so it will be enough to destroy you... more than enough"

"What are you talking about?" groaned Subzero standing to his feet. "Where do you want to go?" the voice echoed in his mind.

"Oh Subzero, I have heard about your exploits. Quan chi told me everything. It is such a shame that you joined forces with Raiden and not me. Never mind, I have won Raiden's game and now I shall reap the rewards. Soon once my power is fully restored I shall open the portal to your realm and secure victory for the hells"

"Are you going to kill me?" whispered Subzero down on one knee. Shinnok approached slowly, again his hands behind his back. He stood still and looking up Subzero could see the purple glow of the force field in front of him. It hissed rippling, it seemed to warn Subzero away from touching it. He wondered with wild searching thoughts if the forcefield was also behind the god. There was only one way to find out.

"Kill you?," chuckled Shinnok, "What a stupid question of cource I'm going to kill you"

"Why don't you do it then?"

"Because I'm having fun watching your reactions. Right now you're weighing up the options as all mortals do and you are trying to think of the best thing to do in this situation"

"Have mercy Oni... What would you do oh great dark god Shinnok?"

"Me?," laughed Shinnok, "I am a god and would not be in such a situation in the first place. But if I was you I would either beg for mercy or jump off this bridge right now, but unfortunately for you... neither option is going to help you..."

There was a purple glow from the amulet and something flickered with a spark. Shinnok looked down in curiosity at the green gem "What's happening?" he whispered, he fingered the amulet and brought it up to his eyes gazing over it with wild eyes.

That was the moment that Subzero knew he had to act, or never act at all. It was his only chance.

"Where do you want to go?" whispered the voice.

"Behind Shinnok now!"

There was a flash of light and Shinnok looked up surprized to find Subzero gone "What the..."

With freezing cold hands Subzero outstretched both into a polar blast. The bridge froze and so did Shinnok half way turning round. His face was frozen in an expression of shock. Subzero leaped forward and grasping the amulet he ripped it from its chain and backed quickly off. The ice shattared and Shinnok gasped for breath feeling his neck for pulse searching desperately for his treasure "The amulet!" he roared "No!"

His body distorded "I'll kill you!" he boomed as his limbs changed flickering he grew to almost twice his height. His clothes ripped as Subzero clutched the amulet in his hand backing off slowly he watched terrified. A brown skinned monster rose with spiked head and sharp shinny teeth and huge arms up into the air. It snarled snapping teeth and flickering tongue it gazed down at Subzero with intent.

"This way!" echoed a voice across the bridge. Turning in fear Subzero ran, a portal had opened in front of him at the end of the bridge. With great shaking steps the god was after him pounding the ground as he went "Come back!" roared the dark god in anger. The words of Noobsaibot came back into his mind "You don't want to see him when he's angry"

"Die!" rasped the voice behind him and above and below the walls cracked, great crevices running down them. The blue gateway came closer, the swirling deapths turning round and round. With a flick of the hand Subzero threw the three green crystals aside. They fell flickering and flashing as they caught the last of the light into the darkness below.

"No!"

With a great roar of loss behind him Subzero leaped forward through the gateway and in a moment he was gone. The monster roared rearing its hands high up into the air yet it had no god to pray to. It was left alone in the darkness as the portal close to dwell eternally on its loss. It roared rearing its hands up into the air thrashing its arms arround and snapping its teeth. Shinnok's loss was imeasurable.

Subzero landed with a wheeze at Raiden's feet. His costume ripped and frayed arround the edges was stained and crusted with blood. He reached his head up to meet the thunder god's eyes.

"Here!," he whispered holding up the green gem encased in its golden shell, "The amulet"

"Impressive Subzero," returned Raiden looking at the amulet up and down. His pointed hat shadowed his eyes and he smiled turning away "Perhaps you will reconcile your reckless path after all?"

"That's it?," grunted Subzero, "Not even a thankyou?"

"Thank yourself for undoing a problem you created" retorted Raiden with a warning finger. The words bit deep into Subzero, he looked at the floor guiltily, he stood to his feet. He was back in the temple of elements where he had defeated the fire god. Flames and lava licked below and the rocky walls glowed red as they reached high up into the stalacytes and stalagmites of the roof above.

"One question," said Subzero at length, "Quan chi told me that you sent me because my soul was tainted with evil. Is that true?"

Raiden sighed and looked a moment at the rocky floor, he turned to face Subzero and his eyes flickered with lightning "You are a superb warrior, Subzero. But only you are in control of your destiny. Not even the gods can alter your chosen path of life"

"Was that a yes or a know?" spat Subzero stepping forward.

"That was a yes," returned Raiden looking a moment on the amulet in his hand, "But... only you can change it"

There was a long silence, and only the rushing of magma and burning fire could be heard far down below.

"Will this room colapse?," whispered Subzero quietly.

"Yes, the same as the others. My presence is keeping it at bay"

"Will you leave me to die here thunder god?"

"Subzero," returned Raiden with a knowing look, "I am no dark god"

A white staff matirialised suddenly in his hand and turning with a spark of blue lightning he opened a shinning white portal "The himalayn mountains are beautiful at this time of day," smiled Raiden, "You may want to look on them ahwile before you journy back to your Grand master... although not all of the gods are still alive... they're work and creations never cease to amaze me. Do one more thing for me Subzero, and just look for a moment on those mountains. They have amazed me for countless milenias... pray let them amuse you for a moment"

Subzero nodded gazing into the thunder god's eyes. He nodded slowly and with slow deliberate steps he exited through the portal. Subzero was gone. The fire below rushed up getting ready to consume the temple.

"Looks like I won the game Shinnok," smiled Raiden gazing at the amulet, he fingered it slowly gazing at the gem, "Yet..."

He gazed at the amulet slowly looking at it up and down "It cannot be..." he whispered. He again looked it up and down "We have lost it and only... he knows where it is. A clever image, perfect... I must consult the elders"

With a whirl of the staff he dissaperered into a glow of white of lightning. In a moment he was gone. The roof above cracked and the walls creaked. With a great strain the cavern above tensed as rocks fell down into the fire below before with a great rocky crash the flames exploded upwards and the ceiling colapsed down.

Subzero appeared back in the mountains. He was down below on a ledge, looking up he could see the gateway into the temple of elements. Everything looked the same as it had done the day he had entered. There was a rumble in the rock and he gripped hard onto the ground. The entrance exploded into flame and rocks fell above crumbling and blocking the entrance for ever. Black smoke and fire reared up into the air and a small stone fell smouldering it hit Subzero on the head and bounced away down the mountain. He clutched his head in pain and grunted.

"Nice view, sure," grumbled Subzero, "Perhaps you could have at least dropped me outside of the mountains!"

Feeling suddenly very hungry he realized that his thirst and need for food had returned. He felt tired and weary, yet still he had to get back home. He had to decend a mountain and he had to make his way back. His journying was almost over.