Jay kept running. He could no longer feel his legs, and had lost track of how long he'd been racing across the wastelands of Outworld. He would have flown, but his short time in the Netherealm had drained his powers, and they had not yet returned. It was pitch black, but he could see the very top of the sorcerer's fortress in the distance, so he kept going. That was until he ran head on into something, or someone.

"Owww," the woman moaned.

Disoriented, he collapsed to the ground.

"Jay?"

He looked up wearily. At first he thought he was dreaming, or hallucinating, that was until Jax easily lifted him to his feet.

"Hey man," Jax said, "What the hell you doing running around in the dark?"

"Have to get...to the fortress," he panted, barely able to force the words out, "Ashlynn...Have to hurry."

"Whoa, hold on," Sonya said, catching him as he stumbled forward, "Why is Ashlynn in the fortress?"

"I don't know," he replied, still struggling to stand up straight, "I can't waste time...I...I don't know if she's even still alive."

"Damn," Jax muttered.

"You can't go in there alone," Sonya said.

"Yeah," Jax added, " Forget Mileena, we gotta find Ashlynn. But I ain't running the whole way."

After a few more hours of walking, they had finally made it. The bridge however, was guarded.

"How you planning on getting in there?" Jax asked.

Jay looked at him, then at the fortress.

"Meet me inside," he said.

Before either of them could question him, he had sprouted silvery black wings, flying toward the top of the fortress.

After he had gone, Jax turned to his partner, a slight frown on his face.

"How come I don't got powers like everybody else?"

Sonya only shrugged, preparing to take on the guards.

Ashlynn stood in the center of the large platform in the middle of the Inner Sanctum, scared to death. Quan Chi had been reciting some strange words, eyes closed, for what seemed like forever, and she was starting to feel funny. Suddenly the room started to spin. She clutched her head and stumbled forward, to be steadied by the sorcerer.

"What's wrong with me?" she murmured.

"Nothing," he replied simply.

He uttered another word, louder this time, and everything was engulfed in a brilliant green light. Ashlynn screamed, falling to her knees.

Jay had almost made it to the top, when suddenly he was blinded. A surge of power struck him full force, sending him spiraling back to the ground. Fortunately, his wings cushioned the fall somewhat...

Jax had only just taken care of the last of three guards, when Jay landed near them, sprawled out on his back. Sonya rushed to him, checking his pulse.

"He's alive at least," she said.

"Yeah but what's with that light?"

Sonya stood, staring up into the sky with Jax.

"I don't know," she replied, prying her eyes away from it, "But we have to get him out of here."

"What about Ashlynn?" Jax said.

Sonya bit her lip, trying to think.

"Stay here with him," Jax said suddenly. Before Sonya could protest, he was gone.

Far away, in a secluded part of Outworld, Onaga sat in his throne...his queen by his side.

"I am sorry it took my so long my Lord," Li Mei said, bowing slightly.

The Dragon King looked at her as if to say something, then suddenly his reptilian eyes glimmered red.

"What is wrong?" she asked nervously.

"I sense a change in the balance of power," he replied, his eyes slowly returning to their normal color.

Li Mei said nothing, she knew exactly what had happened.

Ashlynn opened her eyes. She was still kneeling on the floor, but the searing pain had vanished. She looked up at the sorcerer, unable to stand at the moment.

"What did you do?" she asked hoarsely.

He smiled slightly, "I have unlocked your power, the power that will be my tool from now on."

Ashlynn took a breath, forcing herself to her feet. Her head felt as if it had been cleaved with a battleaxe.

"For now you should rest," Quan Chi continued, "You will need your strength."

There was a strange undertone to his voice, but Ashlynn's head hurt too bad to notice. She nodded, regretting it as the pain doubled, and walked off toward her chamber.

Once inside, she let herself collapse onto the bed. A moment later the door opened quietly. She sat up with effort, and almost fell off the bed in shock.

"Jax!"

Jax, who she had presumed to be dead like everyone else, closed the door softly and rushed to her.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied, "I think. Jax...the others..."

She couldn't force herself to say it.

"What about the others?" he asked.

"The others," she continued, "Are dead. Sub-Zero, Amilee, all of them."

She bit her lip, staring at him. He sighed, looking back at the door.

"We gotta go," he said.

"Jax I can't."

He stared at her like she'd lost her mind.

"Excuse me?" he said.

Ashlynn stayed still, keeping her eyes on him.

"We gotta go," he repeated, "Right now."

Still she didn't move.

"Come on girl, let's go!" he snapped.

"I can't leave," she told him quietly, "I have to..."

Just then, much to their horror, the door swung open.

"I was not expecting you to have visitors," Quan Chi said, his eyed widening slightly.

Jax stared daggers at him. Ashlynn had never seen him look so angry.

"You are one sick dude," he said, "What's wrong with her!"

The sorcerer's face remained emotionless.

"Nothing is wrong with her," he replied.

"Please, don't kill him," Ashlynn begged.

Quan Chi looked at her, but said nothing.

"Please," she said again, "Let him go."

"I will give you one chance," the sorcerer said, a muscle twitched in his jaw, "To leave this fortress unharmed."

Jax's feet remained glued in place.

"Jax go," Ashlynn said.

And take me with you, she thought.

"I ain't leaving you here woman!" Jax said, shaking his head.

"If you don't leave he'll kill you!" she retorted.

Jax seemed to be thinking. His eyes narrowed to slits, and he moved toward the sorcerer.

"If you lay one hand on her," he said, "I'll rip your heart out myself."

Quan Chi grinned, letting him pass through the door. Ashlynn remained in her spot on the bed, sitting cross-legged. She had expected Quan Chi to leave, but much to her annoyance, he continued to stare at her from the doorway.

"What?" she asked finally.

"There is one thing I neglected to tell you about the prophecy," he replied.

Ashlynn winced as a sharp pain shot through her skull.

"Which is?" she asked with effort.

The sorcerer made his forward, earning a hard stare from Ashlynn as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Well?" she asked impatiently.

"The prophecy states that once the power is unlocked, the holder will be given immortal life," he replied.

Ashlynn paused, feeling as if she'd been slapped.

"Immortal," she whispered, mostly to herself, "As in I'll never die?"

Quan Chi nodded, giving her a moment to soak it in, then he continued.

"That means that you will be here...with me...for all eternity."

Ashlynn's head was pounding even harder now, but she caught an edge to his voice that she didn't like.

"Forget everyone," the sorcerer continued, "Forget Jay Yung, forget your friends. They mean nothing now, and in a few thousand years it will be as if they had never existed."

"A few thousand years..." Ashlynn repeated blankly.

"Yes," Quan Chi said, "You may as well get used to this place, it will be your home until the end of time."

Ashlynn looked at him, trying to control herself.

"I won't just forget them," she said, "No matter what you say, you are the one who killed them."

"I had no choice," the sorcerer said, trying to maintain a smile, "It was for the best you know. They would have prevented my takeover of the realms, and you would not have your immortality."

"So?" Ashlynn huffed.

"I know your worst fear," he said softly, "You hate the thought of growing old, of never accomplishing anything in life. Now you will have forever to accomplish anything you wish."

Ashlynn had been staring at her feet, thinking. She looked up to find herself face to face with him. Startled, she pushed herself backward until she was sitting up against the headboard.

"What the hell!" she gasped, trying to push herself through the headboard.

"Can't you see?" the sorcerer asked, his smile fading a little, "Jay Yung is gone, your friends are gone, you have no one but me. You really have no choice, I know you do not wish to be alone forever."

It took Ashlynn a few seconds to realize what he was talking about. When she finally did she choked slightly, unable to breath.

"I...but..." she didn't know how to respond, she hadn't been expecting this and it had caught her off guard.

"You know what I say is true," Quan Chi said, "Together, you and I will rule."