Ashlynn stepped carefully over the fallen remains of a dead tree, trying to keep up with Quan Chi's pace.
"There's nothing left," she said when she finally caught up with him.
He didn't say anything, instead he walked even faster. He wasn't exactly in the best mood, and he didn't feel like listening to her. In fact, at the moment he couldn't even stand looking at her. So they made their way silently, having no idea where to go...
Edenia...
"Damn," Jax said, "Where'd ya'll learn to make pie? This is the best I ever...
While Jax rambled on about the food in Edenia, the others were talking softly, gathered around a table in the Royal Family's palace.
"How much time do you think we have?" Amilee asked.
Sarah shrugged, "Probably not much, as usual. Plus, we don't even have a real plan yet."
"All we know is that Shinnok is somewhere in the Netherealm," Cherin added.
Amilee only nodded. She was still getting over the loss of her best friend...The truth was, it hadn't completely sunk in yet. She just couldn't believe Ashlynn was gone, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was still out there somewhere...
Her thoughts were interrupted when the queen of Edenia herself approached the table. She waited for each of them to look up at her before speaking.
"Raiden has told me everything," she began, "An impending doom threatens us all, and I know there is not much hope but...Well, I should not speak like that. I have faith in you, but before you can leave for the Netherealm...there is a slight problem. It is the portal, it isn't working."
"Is that even possible?" Sarah asked.
The queen shrugged, "Apparently it is, because no matter how hard we try, no one can get through. So unless we can find a way to fix this, you are stuck here."
"Problems problems problems..." Jax mumbled, finishing off his pie.
Back in Outworld...
Ashlynn clutched her stomach. It had been growling nonstop for hours. They had stationed themselves just outside the ruined forest, and the smell of the charred trees was making Ashlynn nauseous. Quan Chi was approaching, he had returned from his search for food. Apparently he hadn't had any luck...He sat down near her, a scowl on his face.
"I wonder where the others are," Ashlynn said, "If they're okay..."
The sorcerer said nothing.
"Why do I bother talking to you?" Ashlynn snapped.
Quan Chi couldn't help but smile, "Because there is no one else here."
He glanced at Ashlynn. She was staring off into the distance, her eyes sad, so he tried his best to look sympathetic.
"I am sure they are fine," he said. He wasn't, he knew it was almost impossible for them to have survived, but he didn't know what else to say. Ashlynn wasn't looking at him. It was time, he decided, to ask the question he'd been wanting to ask since the night before.
"I have a question," he said.
"Yeah?" Ashlynn said, still not looking at him.
Quan Chi hesitated, it was difficult for him to ask but...
"Do you think," he started slowly, "If Jay Yung did not survive the cloud...that it would be possible...for you and I to-
The rage in her eyes brought him to a halt.
"How dare you," she said, "That's exactly what you want, isn't it? For Jay to just...go away? Would that make you happy? Well it won't happen! He's not dead! He's perfectly safe back in Earthrealm!"
She knew she probably shouldn't have screamed at him, but she needed to reassure herself.
"Ashlynn," the sorcerer said, "I am sorry, I should not have asked."
"You're right," she replied, "You shouldn't have."
There was a flash of light, and they both jumped.
"Raiden!" Ashlynn squealed, "The others-
"They are fine," the thunder god replied, "They must be on their way to the Netherealm by now."
He explained their situation. By the time he was finished, Ashlynn's eyes were wide with fear, and Quan Chi was furious.
"I thought I had gotten rid of Shinnok," he muttered.
"I'm afraid I must leave you now," Raiden said, "I have to-
"Wait," Ashlynn interrupted, "You can't just leave us out here!"
"My powers are being drained," he replied, "I cannot transport you, it took most of my energy just to transport myself, but you do have somewhere to go."
"Explain yourself thunder god," Quan Chi hissed, "I am not in the mood."
"The magic that surrounds your fortress protected it from the cloud," Raiden told them, "It is still standing. Now, I must go."
He vanished, leaving them alone in the middle of the wasteland.
"So we've been wandering aimlessly for no reason," Ashlynn said.
The sorcerer was already walking away.
Edenia...
Sonya was making her way slowly away from the palace. Edenia's sky wasn't its usual cheerful shade of blue, it had taken on a dusky gray color, and the sun was nowhere to be seen. In the distance, it seemed to be growing darker by the second.
"What's wrong?"
Sonya jumped, she hadn't seen Jax walking behind her.
"I don't know if we can do this," she admitted, "I mean, like Raiden said...we've never had to face something this strong."
Jax nodded, unable to think of any way to comfort her. Deep down, he knew she was right.
A few days later...
The others made their way out of the palace, toward the portal in the center of the nearby village.
"My guards have been trying to figure this out for days," Sindel said, as soon as they had arrived, "So far we haven't had much luck."
She gestured hopelessly at the shimmering portal.
"We'll do what we can...I guess," Amilee said. Although she wasn't sure what they could do.
Meanwhile...
The woman opened her eyes. She didn't know where she was...she couldn't remember anything. The air around her was damp and smelled of wet soil. Every muscle in her body was stiff, as if she'd been lying in one position for too long. She shook out her arms, then her legs, groaning with the pain. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out her surroundings a little better. She was sprawled out in the bottom of some sort of cavern, and the walls were crisscrossed with thick, rope like vines. Somewhere far above, she could make out a faint light. Searching around, she discovered that there was no exit. She was trapped underground, with no way out. Panic began to set in, and she willed herself to calm down. She looked again at the vines, knowing they may be her only way out. The light from above didn't look like the sun, bu then again, it was really too far away to tell. So slowly, she used the vines to pull herself off of the ground, climbing them toward the light like a ladder. She climbed higher and higher, until her arms and legs were exploding with pain. With the last of her strength, she hauled herself out of the hole and onto solid ground. She lay there, trying to catch her breath, staring at the stars above her.
Edenia...
Sarah was staring intently at the portal, thinking. The others were talking amongst themselves, they had apparently given up, but Sarah was determined to figure it out.
"Something's blocking it," she muttered, "But what?"
Jax rolled his eyes, "Come on girl, we've tried everything."
"Wait!" Sarah said suddenly, jumping to her feet, "I have an idea!"
"And that would be?" Sonya asked skeptically.
"Push me through," Sarah replied.
The group stared at her like she'd lost her mind.
"You'll just come through the other side," Amilee said.
Sarah shook her head.
"No," she said, "I mean push me through and hold me there. Maybe I can see what's blocking it...or something. Come on, I know this will work."
The others glanced at eachother.
A few minutes later...
Sub-Zero had returned, carrying a long rope.
"Okay," Sarah said, "Tie it around my waist."
"You're crazy," Sonya mumbled, watching as Jax pulled the rope into a tight knot. When it was secure, she started to walk through, with Jax holding onto the rope. A few moments passed, and she didn't reappear. There was a tug on the rope.
"Sarah?" Jax said, holding tight.
Another, harder pull this time. Jax tugged back, trying to drag Sarah out...They heard a snap...and Jax flew backward, the broken rope in his hands. He scrambled to his feet and ran through the portal, only to reappear a few seconds later. He runs through again and again, but with no luck.