Disclaimer: I don't own Mortal Kombat or it's charecters. However Marcoses, Kinopo, Kirkoc,Teal, and Xavier are my own creations.

MORTAL KOMBAT VII: LUST FOR POWER

CHAPTER VI: JERROD'S CLAW

During their period of waiting for Ermac, Earth's warriors conversed with each other. At the exact time that Ermac said, he announced he was ready. He glowed a bright shade of green and flew into the air and let out what sounded screams of agony. He landed and a green ghostly image of a man appeared. He was tall and somewhat resembled Marcoses, but was much more gentle looking. Sindel looked at the man for a long time in disbelief before rushing at him.

"Jerrod!" she tried to hug the ghost, but went straight threw.

Jerrod's spirit smiled at his wife."Hello Sindel. It's been a while. I miss you."

"Me too." she said.

Jerrod then looked at Sindel in shook."Is that?"

"Yes Jerrod. This is your daughter Kitana." Sindel said.

"I see. She is as gorgeous as her mother." he said."But on to more important issues. Through Ermac, I have seen that my brother is alive again. I assume I was invoked to give you the location for my weapon?"

"Correct" Fujin said.

"Well it will not be easy. Soon after I defeated my brother, I hid the claw in a very dangerous place called Oncorut." Jerrod said.

"What? Why would you hide it their?" Scorpian asked.

"To insure no one evil would get it." Jerrod said.

"Oncorut is a place that is fusion of all realms. It is a horrible place where only mindless blood thristy oni live." Fujin said before the confused fighters could ask.

"Their is a portal to this place in every realm. If you can make it there, I can have Ermac navigate you to the exact location. But he will not be enough to survive long in this savage place. So who is accomanying him?" Jerrod asked.

"We should go." Liu Kang said beckoning to Kai and Kung Lao.

"I'm affraid not. If there is anyone here strong enough to use the claw, it's you. We need you at full power." Fujin said.

"Not to mentoin you are too pure. We need someone with a tainted spirit." Jerrod said.

"Then I will go. My soul is still somewhat tarnished from my time with Onaga." Kung Lao said.

"If that's the case, I can help too." Johnny Cage said. :"Besides, I don't know how much help I'll be around here."

"Fine. But we must hurry. I don't know how long we have." Jerrod said.

"Wait!" Kitana said."I love you father..."

Jerrod smiled."I love you too Kitana. And you too Sindel. I't was good to see you. Farewell." after he said this, he returned to Ermac.

Ermac's eyes then glowed brightly."He has show nthe location of the portal and claw. Follow us." he said as he opened a portal.

Kung Lao bowed to every one and Johnny waved as they entered the portal.

Unknown to them, they were being watched, spyed on by a figure who none of them knew. His black hair was barely visible under two long black rags wrapped to make a mask(think Ermac). His wore a pair of mid lentgh black boots, a black tunic and pants, both covered in red markings. He had a golden armlet with similar pieces of gold around his biceps and a matching necklace with a blue gem inside. His clothes had no sleeves which revealed his pale skin. He had blood red eyes the were easily visible with all black he wore. His nails were very long for a man, but one couldn't be sure if he was a man due to his slender build. The clothes on his torso fit him very loosely.

Having gained the needed knowledge and escaped outdside, he was planning to report back until he saw them; a short warrior that he to be the Champion of Mortal Kombat, and a women he knew to be the Edenian Queen.

"What is it that you wished to talk to me about?" Liu Kang asked.

"You know how Kitana feels about you, correct?" Sindel asked .

"I do" he responed.

"Are the feeling mutual?" she asked.

Liu was silent, but finally spoke."Yes. I believe I love her too."

"Then why have you not joined us in Edenia like she requested?" Sindel questioned.

"I feel compelled to stay in Earthrealm. I am it's Champion after all."

"That is true. But does that mean you cannot be happy? I know you are content with your life now, but with my daughter you would be happy."

"I know..." Liu said.

Sindel then grabbed Liu by his chin in a motherly way."Follow your heart Liu Kang. It will not prove you wrong."

Liu quickly jerked his head away and look around him "Did you hear that?"

"No"

Then, three golden daggers flew at them. Liu tackled Sindel out of the way of the weapons. They then hopped up in fighting stances. More daggers flew from different areas as the mystery man moved from place to place. Sindel and Liu still dodged the daggers, but is was getting more and more difficult. After a moment, Sindel beckoned for Liu to cover his ears. He did so, and she unleashed a monsterous banshee scream. As the man leap in the air, he dropped and held his head after hearing the scream. Before he could recover, he saw Liu Kang soaring at him with a flying kick.

The power of the kick sent him flying into a tree. Seeing her advantage, Sindel swung her hair at the man. Her alrerady long hair grew to an insane length in an attempt to attack the man. He noticed how the hair stripped the bark off the tree he was on as he moved out of the way.

"Who are you?" Liu Kang said

"Who I am is none of your concern." the man said.

Again, Sindel tryed to hair whip the man with no sucess. This time however, he got what he wanted. In one split second, he dodged the attack and cut a small lock of her hair off. He stuffed the hair in his tunic, which left him vulnerable. Liu took full advantage by shooting a fireball at the man. It hit him with great force and knocked him to the ground. Liu and Sindel went in for kill, but the oddest thing happened; the man flew. Not like Sindel leviatated, but flew with wings. Bat wings. While in the air, he opened a portal and flew in. He had what he wanted.

Then man landed in Edenia, right outside the castle. He made his way threw the castle, staying only the shadows. Finally he reached the the throne room, but who he wanted wasn't there. He only found a man in red and woman in pink.

"Where is the king?" he asked.

"Why? And who are you?" Reiko asked.

"That is not for you to know." he said.

"Well if you will not tell us, then we will easily kill you." Mileena said as she rushed the man with her scis. The man dodged as he unleashed a flurry of daggers that were meet with Reiko's stars. Reiko landed a haymaker that sent the man into a wall. Reiko charged with a huge kick that cracked the wall as the man moved. Mileena launched a sci at him and lodged intself into chest. Reiko tryed the kick again, but got a painful surprise. As he try to kick the man with a kick, he removed the sci and sent it threw Reiko's foot. This caused Reiko to fall over, yelling in pain. Mileena growled as she tryed to retrive her weapon, but was meet by a roundhouse from the mystery man.

"What is the meaning of this?" Marcoses said entering the room, Tanya behind him. Rain and Teal then came in via another entrance to the room.

The man then bowed and removed his mask ." I am Mertile, from Sano the realm of vampires."

"Sano? I haven't heard of that realm since my childhood. When where you free of Outworld's bondage?" Marcoses said.

"Recently." Mertile said.

"So why are you here?" Marcoses said.

"Misstress Nitara, the leader of our realm, has sent me to serve you as a sign that we are with you. I have even spyed the warriors opposing you." Mertile said.

"How do I know you have truly seen them?" Marcoses said.

Mertile then removed the lock of Sindel's hair and handed it to the evil king." This is a lock of Queen Sindel's hair."

Marcoses looked at the hair for awhile. He then nodded. "So what have you learned?"

"Three have been sent to Oncorut, to obtain the Claw of Jerrod." mertile reported.

"I see. I have decided to accept your help. Your first mission will be this; go to Oncorut and kill them before they find the claw." he said.

"Wait!" Rain said. "Teal and I should go with him. Teal could use the training, and we must ensure that he is true to us."

"Very well Redyki. You will go know." he answered.

"No! We should wait until they find it. That way we can kill them and get claw to make sure no one finds it." Teal said. This was true, the tree were Marcoses' only way of finding the claw.

"I see. We shall use your idea yound one. Go rest! For you leave tomorrow at daylight." the three bowed and left. Mertile went to Earth to feed, while Rain and Teal went to thier chambers to form a plan