Amilee, Sub-Zero, and Scorpion had thought the fortress was empty...they were wrong. Standing in the main entrance hall, they heard a voice.
"Intruders!" it yelled.
Three men came rushing toward them at full speed. A man with blonde hair, a man in black, and another who seems to be made out of metal, with steam rising from his body.
"I got the blonde one," Amilee announced.\
"I'll take Smoke," Sub-Zero said, recognizing his former ally.
Scorpion shrugged, "I guess I only have one choice then."
Amilee approached Kobra, staring hard.
"Well," he smiled, "Aren't I the lucky one."
Amilee smiled back, "You won't feel so lucky with my foot up your ass."
Before he could do a thing, she snap kicked him, sending him to the ground. Meanwhile, Sub-Zero was facing off with the robotic man.
"Intruder. Enemy. Destroy," he said monotonously.
The Lin Kuei aimed a ball of ice at him, but Smoke was quicker. He slid his boot under Sub-Zero's feet, knocking him down. The Grandmaster rolled just in time to avoid a foot in his skull, jumping back to his feet.
Scorpion and Noob had been circling eachother.
"Now however did you escape the Netherealm?" Noob asked.
"I should ask you the same thing," the ninja specter replied, jabbing the man in black in the gut. Noob responded with a spinning kick, knocking Scorpion to the floor. From his spot on the ground, Scorpion called upon his spear, landing it in Noob's ribs. He stood up, with the spear still embedded in his enemy, and pulled him forward.
"Please," Noob begged, seeing the ninja draw a long sword from his back.
"Why would I show you mercy?" Scorpion asked, but the sword had already sliced cleanly through Noob's neck, sending his head rolling across the floor to land near Amilee's feet.
"Ewww," she whined, "What is wrong with you!"
Kobra took the opportunity to kick her, but she caught his foot, throwing him into the wall. He got up, but noticed she wasn't moving, just staring blankly at him. Suddenly, his skin felt as if it was on fire. He screamed, but the scream was cut of when his body burst into tiny pieces.Amilee smiled, satisfied.
"Impressive," Scorpion said, nodding.
Amilee glanced Sub-Zero's way just in time to see Smoke fall to the ground, frozen solid. His metallic body shattered.
"Well that wasn't so hard," Amilee said.
There was the sound of clapping. They whirled around to find themselves staring at the sorcerer himself.
"You are right," he said, "That was impressive. I had forgotten about your...abilities, Amilee. But too bad it only works on the weak."
Amilee shook her head, "You have no idea how many times I tried it on you."
It was true, she had given herself a headache many times trying to make the sorcerer explode.
"Really," he replied, "So that is why you could not keep your eyes off of me."
Sub-Zero stepped forward, in front of Amilee.
"Where are Ashlynn and Jay Yung?" he demanded.
"Dead," Quan Chi said simply, "I got rid of them. Jay Yung was in my way, and Ashlynn just would not cooperate."
Amilee swallowed, he couldn't have...
"He's lying," Scorpion said quietly.
The sorcerer grinned, "I am not lying. I had no more use for her..."
"I'll kill you myself!" Amilee yelled, running toward him, only to be blocked by a glowing green barricade. She flew backward. Sub-Zero caught her and held tight to prevent her from rushing forward again.
"Come now my dear," Quan Chi laughed, "Surely you know better than to do that?"
"How could you?" Amilee sobbed, tears were streaming down her face now.
The sorcerer rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "It was quit easy actually. I can still hear the sound of her scream just before she died. Jay Yung was defiant on the other hand, thinking he could defeat me. He was wrong apparently."
Sub-Zero leaned close to Amilee's ear, "We have to leave. There is nothing to do here Amilee."
Amilee's sobs intensified as he transported them. Quan Chi smiled, and made his way up the stairs to check on his prisoners.
Ashlynn leaned on Jay in the tiny circular room, exhausted and fast asleep. Jay had been staring into the empty blackness around them, trying furiously to think up an escape plan. So far none had come to him. Suddenly, the darkness if front of his eyes shifted. He blinked, trying to make out whoever was now standing before him. The figure looked at him, he thought, and then quickly opened the door.
"Wake her up."
The woman standing near the doorway wore robes of white and gold, with a strangely large hat slung across her back. She gestured frantically for him to follow her instructions. Gently, he shook Ashlynn, who groaned.
"What?" she asked harshly, opening her eyes.
"Come on," he replied, "Get up."
Ashlynn looked at him, then shifted her eyes to the woman.
"Who are you?" she asked foggily.
"I am your only way out of this place," the woman snapped, "Now come!"
Ashlynn shook her head, trying to get rid of the remnants of sleep. Jay and the woman in white were halfway to the door before they turned to wait for her. She started to follow them, then froze.
"Come on Ash!" Jay said, confused as to why she had stopped.
"Ashra."
Both Ashra and Jay spun around to find Quan Chi blocking the doorway, their only exit.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance," he continued, "But for some reason I spared your life. Why I do not know."
Ashra's almond eyes narrowed, "You are disgusting."
The sorcerer only smiled, "I have been called many things, and disgusting is not the worst of them."
"Jay," Ashlynn whispered, he turned to look at her, "We're not escaping."
He wanted to reply, to tell her that they would get out of there, but the hopeless look on her face stopped him.
"For once she is right," Quan Chi said.
"Your assassins have been killed," Ashra replied, "You have no servants left."
The sorcerer folded his arms across his chest.
"I do not need assassins to kill you."
In a flash of green light, Ashra sailed across the room, toward the barred window.
"No!" Jay screamed. It was too late. The impact sent her flying straight through the window, breaking the metal bars.
Jay ran to the window, looking down into the darkness in case she had somehow survived the fall. He saw nothing.
"I can't see her," he said, "It's too far down."
Ashlynn swallowed back tears, and looked up to see the sorcerer preparing for another attack, this time intended for Jay Yung. Desperately, she pushed him away, receiving the blow instead. It sent her flying into the stone wall, unconcious. Jay pulled himself up off the floor, facing the sorcerer.
"I will kill you!" he said.
He rushed toward Quan Chi, who easily raised a barrier to protect himself. Jay bounced off of it, landing on his back.
"Give it up," the sorcerer said, smiling, "You cannot defeat me. I have an idea, maybe you should spend a while in the Netherealm, then you might have an idea of what it feels like to be trapped there for an entire millennia!"
Suddenly Jay began to glow. First blue, then yellow, then red, and then blue again. Ashlynn opened her eyes just in time to see him vanish.
I've lost everything, she thought, closing her eyes again, the others are probably dead too. She kept her eyes shut tight, expecting to die any second, but nothing happened. She opened her eyes and was surprised to see the door was closed, and Quan Chi was gone.
Jay had been running around the Netherealm city of Nekros, frantically trying to find someone, anyone, who could help him.
"Anyone," he yelled loudly to anyone who would listen, "Can anyone get me out of here!"
A nearby demon, with a particularly yellow looking face, laughed.
"Get you out," he chuckled, "If I could do that I would not be here myself."
Jay, furious, rushed toward the demon man, pulling him up by the collar of his tattered shirt.
"Listen to me," he hissed, "If you know of any way out, you will tell me!"
The demon stared blankly at him, then a thoughtful expression came over his sunken face.
"There is someone..."
"Who!"
"A sorcerer," the demon replied, "Though it is doubtful that he would help you."
Jay was becoming more and more irritated.
"Tell me who!"
The demon grinned, a horrible grimace of decaying teeth.
"His name is Shang Tsung."
Jay's heart sank, he released the demon, and stood still, staring at nothing.
"He is in the city somewhere," the demon man told him, still smiling broadly.
Jay, knowing he had no other choice, began to circle the city. Just as he was about to give up his search, there came a voice from behind him.
"Well, I never imagined I would run into you here."
He whirled around. Sure enough, standing near a grisly looking statue, was the man he'd been looking for.
"You can thank Quan Chi for that," Jay replied, "Please, I need your help."
He winced. It felt horrible that the man he despised more than any other was the only person who could help him.
"I will help you," Tsung said.
Jay raised an eyebrow. It had been too easy, there had to be something else.
"What do you want in return?" he asked.
"Retrieve the amulet from Onaga, and bring it to me," the sorcerer told him.
Ashlynn looked up quickly when the tower door opened.
"Please just kill me," she said, trying hard to avoid looking at the sorcerer.
Quan Chi approached her slowly, "Surely you have not lost all hope? At least you are still alive."
Ashlynn sighed, tired and frustrated.
"That's exactly the point," she said, "I'm alive...and everyone else is dead. I'm alone."
"You should be thanking me," the sorcerer said.
Finally she looked up at him.
"For what?" she asked, her voice full of hatred, "Killing everyone I cared about? Ruining my life?"
"I could have done much worse," he replied.
Ashlynn ran a hand over her face, "What could possibly be worse?"
He smiled, "I will spare you the details. I have kept you alive for a reason."
Ashlynn continued to glare at him.
"I know I know," she muttered, "The damn favor."
"Exactly."
Apparently he was enjoying keeping her in suspense, and it disgusted her.
"Please tell me what it is," she sighed.
"Now that you are alone," he said, "I will tell you. Stand up."
She stood, eying him warily.
"Long ago, while I was trapt within the Netherealm," he began, "I was told of a prophecy."
He paused, irritating Ashlynn even further.
"What is it and what does it have to do with me?" she asked shortly.
"I am getting to that," he replied, "I forget the unimportant details."
"Well then tell me the important ones," Ashlynn snapped.
"If you would please let me finish," he said, "I was told of this prophecy by another sorcerer, one of great power. He told me every magic user sought to find a certain person, one who was the embodiment of fire and water."
Ashlynn's brow furrowed, what could that possibly have to do with her?
"Why," she asked, "What was so special about them?"
"He said that the person who was the meeting of both fire and water, was a source of great power, enough power to take over the realms without a struggle."
"Why are you telling me all of this?" she asked. She couldn't understand why he would take the time to tell her about some ancient prophecy.
He smiled, "Because I have finally found it."
Ashlynn glanced around the room dumbly.
"Where?"
He kept staring at her.
"You Ashlynn," he said finally.
She choked, trying not to burst out laughing.
"Uh no," she said, "I don't think so."
"But you are," he insisted, "Let me explain. Your hair, the color of an inferno, and your eyes the color of the sea. Fire meets water, do you understand now?"
"But...but," she stammered. It couldn't be true, she couldn't be the subject of some prophecy...this couldn't be happening.
After a while she took a breath, trying to clear her mind.
"So...so what is this favor?" she asked, fearing she already knew the answer.
"Join me," he said quickly, "And help me take over the realms."
She glowered at him, "No."
Roughly, he snatched the front of her shirt and pulled her toward him.
"I have finally found you," he whispered, "I will not let you go after years of searching."
"How do you know it's me?" she asked.
She had a point, she thought, there were plenty of other redheaded women with blue eyes.
"Because you hold a power that I have never seen in anyone else," he replied, finally releasing her.
"So what am I supposed to do," Ashlynn asked, angrily adjusting her shirt, "I didn't even know I had this power, I sure as hell don't know how to use it."
"Come," he told her, heading for the door, "To the Inner Sanctum. I will show you."
She followed behind him, cursing him under her breath.