Jay opened his eyes. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but he was exhausted.
"Hello," he called, "You know it would be nice if you would at least feed me!"
There was no answer.
"Dammit," he said, "I know you're out there!"
"No," Noob replied from beyond the closed door, "There is no one out here. Hahaha..."
Jay desperately tried to pull free of his chains, although he knew they weren't budging.
"That is no use," Noob informed him, as if he didn't already know that.
"Come on, let me out!"
There was no reply.
"At least tell me who ordered you to lock me up," Jay said, "Was it Onaga?"
Surprisingly, Noob laughed.
"No," he answered, "I do not work for that monster."
"Then who?"
"If I tell you will you please be silent?"
"Yes," Jay replied.
"The sorcerer Quan Chi ordered me to lock you up until further notice."
"I knew it," Jay said to himself, "I knew we should never have trusted him...Please, you have to let me out!"
"Why exactly should I do that?" Noob asked.
"Because someone I care about is in danger," Jay told him, knowing the ninja wouldn't care."
"Let me think," Noob paused for a moment, "No."
Jay Yung sighed, dropping his head hopelessly.
"Where are we going?" Ashlynn asked. She had once again taken to staring at the ground.
"Lei Chen," Quan Chi replied, not looking at her.
"What is that?" she asked.
The sorcerer pointed ahead. Ashlynn pulled her eyes up to see a small, walled city.
"We have business to take care of here," Quan Chi informed her.
Early in the morning as it was, the city was bustling. Strangely, no one seemed to notice the two outsiders approach the small palace near Lei Chen's center. Apparently Quan Chi had found what he was looking for, because he stopped in front of a bent old man with thinning white hair and an emerald green robe. For the first time Ashlynn noticed the solemn looks on the faces of the citizens, and the buildings that had been destroyed.
"Get out of my village," the old man said, hobbling forward with the aid of a wooden staff, "You have brought enough havoc to my city demon!"
"First," the sorcerer began, "I did not do this, and second I am no demon. Far from it Lord Zeffeero."
The overlord gave him a cynical stare, "I know very well who you are. What I do not know is why you have come to my city, when I have enough problems as it is."
"I have a proposition for you," Quan Chi replied.
Lord Zeffeero seemed on the verge of laughing, "I will not make deals with the likes of you."
The sorcerer's smile, which was false to begin with, was starting to fade.
"Oh but I believe you will like this," he said, "Hear me out. Soon, very soon, I will be ruler of the realms, and it would be wise on your part to except me as Emperor now. If you pledge you allegiance to me, I swear to you I will spare your city from any future harm."
The overlord cocked an eyebrow, "Why should I trust you?"
"I give you my word," Quan Chi replied.
"Ha," Zeffeero scoffed, "The word of a sorcerer!"
"Except this offer," Quan Chi said, almost menacingly, "Or I will destroy what is left of your pathetic city."
The overlord of Lei Chen seemed to be thinking, he kept glancing around the city, then back at the sorcerer.
"All right," he agreed finally, "You have my loyalty..."
"You have my word," Quan Chi said, inclining his head slightly, "No more harm will come to lei Chen."
Suddenly Zeffeero looked at Ashlynn, as if seeing her for the first time. He stared at her like he wanted to ask a question, but seeing the sorcerer's glare he stopped himself. Ashlynn could only stare sadly back at him.
"She is nothing more than an...associate of mine," Quan Chi told him, giving Ashlynn a look that warned her to keep her mouth shut.
"You lied to him," Ashlynn said as soon as the overlord was out of earshot, "You won't keep your word."
"Of course not," he laughed, "Hasn't anyone ever told you the word of a sorcerer is not to be trusted?"
"Vile bastard," she mumbled.
The sorcerer stopped, "You are not as cunning as you think, I heard that."
"Good," she snapped, "I'm glad you heard it. Now maybe you'll just kill me and get it over with!"
"I wish I could," he retorted, "I really do. But you still..."
Ashlynn interrupted him, "I know, I still owe you a favor, and I still don't know what it is. I don't understand how some favor could be this important."
"Believe me," Quan Chi said, "It is."
Amilee and Sub-Zero had arrived in Lei Chen through the city's portal, but the gate was being guarded.
"We are looking for a man and a young lady who should have arrived here a while back," Sub-Zero said to the plump guard.
"Hmph," the guard snorted, "There are many men and young ladies in this city. You will have to be more specific."
"Well this pair would seem a little...strange," the Lin Kuei replied, "The woman has red hair and the man...well..."
"Wait," the guard said suddenly, "I remember now. I did see two people like that, they came through not two hours ago."
"Well then let's go," Amilee started through the gate, only to be blocked by a spear in her face.
"I am sorry," the guard said, "But the sun is going down, I am not to let anyone enter the city during these hours."
"Look," Amilee seethed, "I'm not in the mood. Either you let us in, or I'll make you."
The guard started to protest, but then he noticed her exhausted face, the circles under her eyes.
"All right," he said, "Be quick about it."
Suddenly there was a scream from inside the gate. Amilee rushed past the guard, followed by Sub-Zero, to find a small girl. She was standing near a small hut, facing a man in a black hood.
"If I were you," the man said, "I would not speak in such a way."
He leaned closer, and the girl squealed again, running inside the hut. The man pulled down his hood, revealing himself to be Quan Chi. The citizens began to run, suddenly frightened, but found that they couldn't move. All of a sudden they felt tired, exhausted. One by one they lay on the ground, oblivious of everything around them. The sorcerer smiled to himself, walking into the palace. Amilee and Sub-Zero, hiding behind a statue, had been unaffected by the spell. Amilee started to follow Quan Chi into the palace, but Sub-Zero pulled her back.
"Wait," he said, "If he set that spell, then that explains what happened to Ashlynn."
"Scorpion was right," Amilee sighed, "I should have listened to him."
"If I'm not mistaken he has fully regenerated his powers," the ninja said.
"Let's just find Ashlynn and get rid of him."
Silently, they crept into the small palace, if it could be called that. Inside it was nothing more than circular room. Near the back wall of the room was a bronze throne, and behind that, carved into the wall were strange runes, unfamiliar even to Sub-Zero. Next to the throne was a statue, probably of a past overlord, where Ashlynn sat, her hands bound to the stone. Her head hung low, her eyes closed, while the sorcerer studies the runes. He read it aloud, and the letters glowed gold, revealing a secret passageway. He smiled, and vanished into the dark hallway. Amilee took the opportunity to run to her friend. Ashlynn looked up. At first her eyes widened in surprise, then they narrowed to slits.
"Okay Sub-Zero help me untie this thing on her mouth," Amilee said.
Amilee finally gets the tie off of her mouth, but as soon as her hands are unbound Ashlynn shoves her, knocking her into the wall.
"What is wrong with you!" Amilee gasped.
Ashlynn doesn't answer, instead she sinks to the floor, weeping.
"What did he do to you Ashlynn?" Amilee asked.
Ashlynn looked up, staring hard.
"How could you do this to me?" she sobbed.
"Huh?"
Amilee looked to Sub-Zero for help, but he only shrugged.
"You and Jay," Ashlynn replied, standing shakily, "You've been together this whole time."
"She's acting crazy," Amilee said, then looked back to her friend, "Girl wake up! There's nothing going on between me and Jay, I have Sub-Zero!"
"SHUT UP!" Suddenly Ashlynn rushed forward. Amilee moved just in time to avoid the blow Ashlynn aimed at her head.
"We need to get her help," she said.
"No!" Ashlynn screamed, "I'm not leaving!"
"No way..." Amilee moved her eyes slowly from Ashlynn to the passageway behind the throne, where Quan Chi stood, holding something in his hands.
"The Outworld kamidogu," Sub-Zero breathed.
"I will not fail this time," the sorcerer told them, "I will kill Onaga, and then destroy the rest of you. Your race is pathetic. Look at her, she has fallen before my feet like a homeless dog. But I have no time for this, I must get to work. Ashlynn, take care of them for me."
Ashlynn stood, facing Amilee.
"You're not going to hurt me," Amilee said, "And I'm not going to hurt you. We're just going to get you out of here and..."
Ashlynn lunged, but Amilee was faster. She dodged, pulling a dagger from her boot. She gasped, seeing that her friend's eyes were now glowing an unnatural green. Ashlynn screamed, hitting Amilee with a green projectile, sending her back into the wall. Before Ashlynn could shoot another, Sub-Zero pulled Amilee out of the way. With all of his strength, he concentrated on the kamidogu. It exploded in a puff of blue smoke. Amilee held onto the Lin Kuei ninja as the ground began to tremble.
"We have to leave," he said. Before Amilee could protest they vanished in a blue light.
Ashlynn fell to the ground, letting darkness take her.