Disclaimer: I do not own Reikou, or any other Mortal Kombatants in this
fic. I may kinda own his background story though, since the creators of
this wonderfully violent game did NOT give me any background information,
so I make it up ^^
_____________
MKDA: The Allegiance
Chapter 4
---
~*~
"Mavado, the deal has been sealed. Are you going to go back on your word?"
"No, my Lord Shang Tsung. I'll follow through, mark my words, and as soon as I find them, they're as good as dead."
"Excellent. I wasn't sure I could count on you, after all... mortals are mere insects..." Tsung brought his hand up in thought, stroking his beard. 'If what I heard was true,' he thought, 'that maggot general is with the humans...' He looked at Mavado again. "Mavado, I have another little quest for you."
"Anything for blood." It was then that Tsung realized that the young assassin's words were quick and to the point. He was out for any type of blood he could find.
"The Earth's defenders have recruited one of our own," Tsung began slowly, making sure every word was properly instilled in Mavado's brain. "A traitor, if you must."
The boy involuntarily reached for the hook swords that lay on his back, his malevolent smile increasing.
"Find Reikou and bring him to me. I have a plot forming for our little tortured soul."
"Yes, M'Lord."
~*~
The vision immediately brought me back into the realm of the living. I opened my eyes and focused on the heap of rocks I lay next to. A few thoughts roamed inside my head, 'Had they made it... did I make it?'
"You're finally awake." I heard behind me. "The way we took was certainly unpredictable - but we're in Outworld."
I made it too. "How did I - " I tried to sit up, and pain shot through my entire body. Ignoring it, I stood and glanced blurredly at my acquaintances. The form of Jax pounded his chest with his right arm.
"If it wasn't for me, little man, you'd still be back there being crushed."
Well thanks. "Everybody else made it fine?" I questioned.
"Yeah, the winds thought you the perfect bait - "
"It didn't come after us..." I head Frost.
"But the zephyrs are the protector of the gateway," I argued softly. "Well, no time for this, we have to move on. How far are we from the gateway."
The form of Johnny shrugged. My vision hadn't cleared yet. He pointed behind us though and contemplated with a female form in which I guessed was Sonya.
"About a mile or so West," he finally came up with. I sighed, racking my brain for a mental map.
"If we're a mile from the gateway, then we only have at least two more to get to shelter for the night."
"Two more... MILES?" Cage asked with hesitation. I glanced back at him. My vision was starting to clear up, but I could only still see distorted objects.
"Yes," I said exasperatedly. "Miles."
"And what sort of shelter is this?" I heard Kung Lao ask. I lifted my blurry gaze to the crimson and deep violet swirls of clouds in the raven sky.
"A shelter for the Vampyres. Usually it'd be full, but since the dethroning of Kahn, the Vampyres have been enslaved. Only a few remain, but they're in hiding."
"Wait, wait... REAL Vampyres?" Cage asked with the same hesitant quirk in his voice. I would have decked him if it weren't for my damned vision and the fact that their trusting me would be less likely if I injured a member of this odd family. So I suppressed my anger and started walking.
"Reikou, didn't you mention a couple nights ago about a Vampyre named Nitara?" Sub-Zero questioned. I nodded.
"I did. She's looking for something and I believe she has a missing comrade of Sonya's. Watch for falling debris," I noted as my vision cleared further and I found us closer to a dustbowl than I thought. Jax yawned.
"Where the Hell are all the Demons? I'm bored back here."
"The Demons either are working on a temple for the sorcerers or dead," I replied, "It may seem odd, but they fear power."
-
A clap of thunder sounded behind us as we trudged to the shelter.
---
I felt that somehow something was wrong. Terribly wrong. It wasn't just a gut feeling in the pit of my stomach or an ache in a specific spot, but a full-blown psychic connection to the kitai that lurked in our path to the sorcerers. I then remembered the vision I had whilst I was in my unconscious state. The kitai, Mavado, was trying to destroy us, the blind swordsman Kenshi, and take me back to Tsung. If Mavado was in fact the one who destroyed Kabal and the one who practically destroyed the Black Dragon along with the Special Forces, then we were in deep. Now I wasn't saying that we could, as a whole, defeat the young warrior - because we could, it was an 8-to-1 battle, us having the advantage. And if we could find Kenshi, Cyrax, Kitana, Li Mei and Nitara, then the odds would be against him, and we would climb to the temple and destroy the sorcerers once and for all. Then I could gain the power to control the Netheregions, reclaim my status as general and be rid of the evils that terrorize the once- beautiful realm of Edenia, now known as Outworld.
-
And Kitana would respect me.
-
As well as the Earth's warriors.
-
But that was of no concern to me as of now.
-
I stopped, the others following my lead, as I looked around slowly.
"What is it?" Cage asked hastily. I held up one hand in silence as my other hand reached for a few throwing stars inside a pocket on the inside of my trench coat.
"I thought you said the Demons were dead!" Jax growled. I hissed a "Tojikomeru" at him and scanned the area again. Then I saw it; a glimmer of light on a fast movement. Instantaneously I threw my stars at the movement and was met with a screech and a small spittle of acid, in which I dodged. I then followed the imbedded stars and slashed at the invisibility with my shuriken. Acrid green blood began pouring out of the deep wounds I had inflicted and the being fell after a few thrusts with my shuriken. The bloody puddle then began taking form of a tokage.
"Reptile," I growled. The creature hissed in his native tongue and swiped at me with his tail. I caught the appendage and pulled him up harshly.
"It seems that lizard-boy's been evolving," Cage muttered.
"And he don't seem to like Reikou much either," Jax replied.
"Are you a spy for the sorcerers of too afraid to join them?" Rayden asked the tokage. He hissed and wriggled a bit more, stopping only when I stepped onto his back.
"I'm ally to no one..." he began slowly. I stepped harder on a wound I had inflicted, satisfied when I heard him screech.
"Then why are you following us?" Sonya inquired. Reptile seemed to think for a moment - if that half-wit COULD think, and growled. He forcefully wriggled out of my grasp and stood straight, well, as straight as his tokage body would allow him to, and glowered at me, tongue flicking distastefully from his mouth.
"So, the great General Reikou is nothing but a mere human morsel now," the tokage hissed with amusement. I scoffed and folded my arms.
"That's beside the point, Reptile. What are you doing here in particular?"
"You head towards Nitara's home. Nitara told Reptile to watch her home. I guard her home. Nitara told me to destroy any trespassers," Reptile replied. His hissing lisp was becoming a headache as it had during the fourth tournament. I sighed.
"We need shelter, tokage. I assure you that we'll only be there for one night."
"Just one night?"
"Hai," I replied exasperatedly. Hesitantly he led us to the shelter and cloaked himself back in his invisibility to guard again. I had forgotten how annoying the tokage was.
---
I leaned on a pillar that resided near our makeshift fire, lost in my thoughts, while the Earth's Defenders sat around it. My vision had cleared completely during the confrontation with Reptile, and I hadn't sensed his presence since he left in his invisibility.
"Master Bo' Rai Cho is supposedly here as well," I heard Kung Lao say, "The one who taught Liu the 'Flaming Dragon' attack that he used on Tsung."
"That was before Shao Kahn's assault on Earth Realm," Sonya replied bitterly. "I still don't think we should trust Reikou, even if he says he's on our side now." I glanced outside, watching a violet bolt of lightning strike a few miles from our shelter.
"Oh have a heart, Sonya," Cage said. "Even if he is an asshole, he's getting us to Shang Tsung and Quan Chi. And that's all that matters."
"Oh, Johnny DOES have a brain," Jax joked. Murmurs were heard around the fire as I kept my sights on the terrain that surrounded the Vampyre's shelter. My eyes narrowed as the darkness enveloped the shelter.
"Someone has to guard tonight. Even if the simplistic tokage is out there," I said softly to the being behind me.
"You're hiding so many secrets, Reikou. It's so hard to trust someone who's been in the wrong so many times," Rayden responded.
"Everyone has their demons, Rayden. Even your brother was once an innocent ningen." I turned and faced the seven-foot Thunder God. "As was I. Then Shinnok had gotten a grip on Kahn and myself. I'm a different story, but even the Demi-God Shao Kahn had human traits. He was mortal, and could be manipulated easily by his bastard father." I almost stopped myself. My loyalty for Shinnok was waning. And Rayden could tell. I decided to change the subject. "So," I began again, "who's got guard duty tonight? Someone more trustworthy, perhaps? Frost fell asleep after the first four hours of nothing."
Rayden chuckled. "I know." He thought for a moment. "I suppose drawing straws is out of the question, so..." Rayden headed back over to the warriors and spoke to them. Slowly the group disbanded and the last one left was Kung Lao. 'Good,' I thought, 'maybe I can get at least someone to trust me.'
---
After about an hour of standing and waiting, I decided to sit near the fire, still brimming with energy. Kung Lao sat cross-legged, his elbows on his knees and his fists holding up his head by the chin. I could tell he was in deep contemplation.
"Liu Kang was a great fighter," I began, breaking the silence. "I had the honor of fighting him before he went up against Shinnok. Even after defeating the resurrected Goro and being wounded greatly from the other battles, he still managed to give me the beating of my life."
Kung Lao grunted. "I thought Cage beat you." I shook my head.
"Kang fought with honor and dignity, and before he went on to fight Shinnok, he told me that I was in the wrong, even if I did fight with the same honor and dignity he had held. He let me live so I could repent for my sins, he told me."
Kung Lao grunted again and shifted his weight, leaning forward to look at me. "He was like a brother to me. I want to get rid of these two bastards in the name of Liu Kang. I trust you to lead us in the right direction, Reikou."
Break out the Sake, I have a follower.
"I never have backed down on my word, Kung Lao. I will fight to the end against Chi and Tsung."
_____________
Tojikomeru - Shut up
Tokage - Lizard
Ningen - Human
_____________
MKDA: The Allegiance
Chapter 4
---
~*~
"Mavado, the deal has been sealed. Are you going to go back on your word?"
"No, my Lord Shang Tsung. I'll follow through, mark my words, and as soon as I find them, they're as good as dead."
"Excellent. I wasn't sure I could count on you, after all... mortals are mere insects..." Tsung brought his hand up in thought, stroking his beard. 'If what I heard was true,' he thought, 'that maggot general is with the humans...' He looked at Mavado again. "Mavado, I have another little quest for you."
"Anything for blood." It was then that Tsung realized that the young assassin's words were quick and to the point. He was out for any type of blood he could find.
"The Earth's defenders have recruited one of our own," Tsung began slowly, making sure every word was properly instilled in Mavado's brain. "A traitor, if you must."
The boy involuntarily reached for the hook swords that lay on his back, his malevolent smile increasing.
"Find Reikou and bring him to me. I have a plot forming for our little tortured soul."
"Yes, M'Lord."
~*~
The vision immediately brought me back into the realm of the living. I opened my eyes and focused on the heap of rocks I lay next to. A few thoughts roamed inside my head, 'Had they made it... did I make it?'
"You're finally awake." I heard behind me. "The way we took was certainly unpredictable - but we're in Outworld."
I made it too. "How did I - " I tried to sit up, and pain shot through my entire body. Ignoring it, I stood and glanced blurredly at my acquaintances. The form of Jax pounded his chest with his right arm.
"If it wasn't for me, little man, you'd still be back there being crushed."
Well thanks. "Everybody else made it fine?" I questioned.
"Yeah, the winds thought you the perfect bait - "
"It didn't come after us..." I head Frost.
"But the zephyrs are the protector of the gateway," I argued softly. "Well, no time for this, we have to move on. How far are we from the gateway."
The form of Johnny shrugged. My vision hadn't cleared yet. He pointed behind us though and contemplated with a female form in which I guessed was Sonya.
"About a mile or so West," he finally came up with. I sighed, racking my brain for a mental map.
"If we're a mile from the gateway, then we only have at least two more to get to shelter for the night."
"Two more... MILES?" Cage asked with hesitation. I glanced back at him. My vision was starting to clear up, but I could only still see distorted objects.
"Yes," I said exasperatedly. "Miles."
"And what sort of shelter is this?" I heard Kung Lao ask. I lifted my blurry gaze to the crimson and deep violet swirls of clouds in the raven sky.
"A shelter for the Vampyres. Usually it'd be full, but since the dethroning of Kahn, the Vampyres have been enslaved. Only a few remain, but they're in hiding."
"Wait, wait... REAL Vampyres?" Cage asked with the same hesitant quirk in his voice. I would have decked him if it weren't for my damned vision and the fact that their trusting me would be less likely if I injured a member of this odd family. So I suppressed my anger and started walking.
"Reikou, didn't you mention a couple nights ago about a Vampyre named Nitara?" Sub-Zero questioned. I nodded.
"I did. She's looking for something and I believe she has a missing comrade of Sonya's. Watch for falling debris," I noted as my vision cleared further and I found us closer to a dustbowl than I thought. Jax yawned.
"Where the Hell are all the Demons? I'm bored back here."
"The Demons either are working on a temple for the sorcerers or dead," I replied, "It may seem odd, but they fear power."
-
A clap of thunder sounded behind us as we trudged to the shelter.
---
I felt that somehow something was wrong. Terribly wrong. It wasn't just a gut feeling in the pit of my stomach or an ache in a specific spot, but a full-blown psychic connection to the kitai that lurked in our path to the sorcerers. I then remembered the vision I had whilst I was in my unconscious state. The kitai, Mavado, was trying to destroy us, the blind swordsman Kenshi, and take me back to Tsung. If Mavado was in fact the one who destroyed Kabal and the one who practically destroyed the Black Dragon along with the Special Forces, then we were in deep. Now I wasn't saying that we could, as a whole, defeat the young warrior - because we could, it was an 8-to-1 battle, us having the advantage. And if we could find Kenshi, Cyrax, Kitana, Li Mei and Nitara, then the odds would be against him, and we would climb to the temple and destroy the sorcerers once and for all. Then I could gain the power to control the Netheregions, reclaim my status as general and be rid of the evils that terrorize the once- beautiful realm of Edenia, now known as Outworld.
-
And Kitana would respect me.
-
As well as the Earth's warriors.
-
But that was of no concern to me as of now.
-
I stopped, the others following my lead, as I looked around slowly.
"What is it?" Cage asked hastily. I held up one hand in silence as my other hand reached for a few throwing stars inside a pocket on the inside of my trench coat.
"I thought you said the Demons were dead!" Jax growled. I hissed a "Tojikomeru" at him and scanned the area again. Then I saw it; a glimmer of light on a fast movement. Instantaneously I threw my stars at the movement and was met with a screech and a small spittle of acid, in which I dodged. I then followed the imbedded stars and slashed at the invisibility with my shuriken. Acrid green blood began pouring out of the deep wounds I had inflicted and the being fell after a few thrusts with my shuriken. The bloody puddle then began taking form of a tokage.
"Reptile," I growled. The creature hissed in his native tongue and swiped at me with his tail. I caught the appendage and pulled him up harshly.
"It seems that lizard-boy's been evolving," Cage muttered.
"And he don't seem to like Reikou much either," Jax replied.
"Are you a spy for the sorcerers of too afraid to join them?" Rayden asked the tokage. He hissed and wriggled a bit more, stopping only when I stepped onto his back.
"I'm ally to no one..." he began slowly. I stepped harder on a wound I had inflicted, satisfied when I heard him screech.
"Then why are you following us?" Sonya inquired. Reptile seemed to think for a moment - if that half-wit COULD think, and growled. He forcefully wriggled out of my grasp and stood straight, well, as straight as his tokage body would allow him to, and glowered at me, tongue flicking distastefully from his mouth.
"So, the great General Reikou is nothing but a mere human morsel now," the tokage hissed with amusement. I scoffed and folded my arms.
"That's beside the point, Reptile. What are you doing here in particular?"
"You head towards Nitara's home. Nitara told Reptile to watch her home. I guard her home. Nitara told me to destroy any trespassers," Reptile replied. His hissing lisp was becoming a headache as it had during the fourth tournament. I sighed.
"We need shelter, tokage. I assure you that we'll only be there for one night."
"Just one night?"
"Hai," I replied exasperatedly. Hesitantly he led us to the shelter and cloaked himself back in his invisibility to guard again. I had forgotten how annoying the tokage was.
---
I leaned on a pillar that resided near our makeshift fire, lost in my thoughts, while the Earth's Defenders sat around it. My vision had cleared completely during the confrontation with Reptile, and I hadn't sensed his presence since he left in his invisibility.
"Master Bo' Rai Cho is supposedly here as well," I heard Kung Lao say, "The one who taught Liu the 'Flaming Dragon' attack that he used on Tsung."
"That was before Shao Kahn's assault on Earth Realm," Sonya replied bitterly. "I still don't think we should trust Reikou, even if he says he's on our side now." I glanced outside, watching a violet bolt of lightning strike a few miles from our shelter.
"Oh have a heart, Sonya," Cage said. "Even if he is an asshole, he's getting us to Shang Tsung and Quan Chi. And that's all that matters."
"Oh, Johnny DOES have a brain," Jax joked. Murmurs were heard around the fire as I kept my sights on the terrain that surrounded the Vampyre's shelter. My eyes narrowed as the darkness enveloped the shelter.
"Someone has to guard tonight. Even if the simplistic tokage is out there," I said softly to the being behind me.
"You're hiding so many secrets, Reikou. It's so hard to trust someone who's been in the wrong so many times," Rayden responded.
"Everyone has their demons, Rayden. Even your brother was once an innocent ningen." I turned and faced the seven-foot Thunder God. "As was I. Then Shinnok had gotten a grip on Kahn and myself. I'm a different story, but even the Demi-God Shao Kahn had human traits. He was mortal, and could be manipulated easily by his bastard father." I almost stopped myself. My loyalty for Shinnok was waning. And Rayden could tell. I decided to change the subject. "So," I began again, "who's got guard duty tonight? Someone more trustworthy, perhaps? Frost fell asleep after the first four hours of nothing."
Rayden chuckled. "I know." He thought for a moment. "I suppose drawing straws is out of the question, so..." Rayden headed back over to the warriors and spoke to them. Slowly the group disbanded and the last one left was Kung Lao. 'Good,' I thought, 'maybe I can get at least someone to trust me.'
---
After about an hour of standing and waiting, I decided to sit near the fire, still brimming with energy. Kung Lao sat cross-legged, his elbows on his knees and his fists holding up his head by the chin. I could tell he was in deep contemplation.
"Liu Kang was a great fighter," I began, breaking the silence. "I had the honor of fighting him before he went up against Shinnok. Even after defeating the resurrected Goro and being wounded greatly from the other battles, he still managed to give me the beating of my life."
Kung Lao grunted. "I thought Cage beat you." I shook my head.
"Kang fought with honor and dignity, and before he went on to fight Shinnok, he told me that I was in the wrong, even if I did fight with the same honor and dignity he had held. He let me live so I could repent for my sins, he told me."
Kung Lao grunted again and shifted his weight, leaning forward to look at me. "He was like a brother to me. I want to get rid of these two bastards in the name of Liu Kang. I trust you to lead us in the right direction, Reikou."
Break out the Sake, I have a follower.
"I never have backed down on my word, Kung Lao. I will fight to the end against Chi and Tsung."
_____________
Tojikomeru - Shut up
Tokage - Lizard
Ningen - Human