It should have been a triumphant return. Earthrealm was saved - Shao Kahn's victory put off by at least another five centuries. There was supposed to be a grand celebration in recognition of this fact; the dread of past centuries vanquished by a massive party held to celebrate Earthrealm's victory. But what awaited the new champion upon his return was a mirror of his childhood nightmares of Shao Kahn's ultimate victory.
The Wu Shi Academy lay in ruins. The buildings were burn to the ground, the trees and grass reduced to ash, and the people dismembered and charred. Some, he recognised. Others, he was sure he would have, had there been enough left of them to recognise. The air was quiet, haunting. Where usually there would be the distant sounds of monks chanting or training, birds chirping, now there was... nothing, save for the few small fires that continued to crackle around him. It was as if even the local wildlife had been sought out and destroyed.
Liu Kang crouch down towards the mutilated body at his feet. Despite the massive puncture wounds in his chest and skull that obliterated an entire third of the man's face, what remained was unmistakably the lifeless shell of Master Wen. The old historian of the White Lotus had taught Liu Kang almost everything he knew about the history of the tournament and the conflict between Earthrealm and Outworld. No one knew the history as well as he, aside from perhaps the centuries-old Bo' Rai Cho and the millennia-old Raiden. But now, it seemed that the vast mental library the man had spent just shy of ninety years cultivating was all to go to waste. Liu Kang closed the elder's one remaining eye and said a silent prayer for him.
At the sound of approaching footfalls behind him, Liu Kang's tear-filled eyes snapped open in an enraged glare. He whirled around and fired off one of his signature dragon-shaped fireballs at the intruder. The attack, as had been done so many times before, was cleanly sliced in two by the razor-rimmed hat of Kung Lao.
"Hold, Cousin!" the other man exclaimed upon successfully defending himself.
"Kung Lao?" Liu Kang said with a mixture of surprise and regret. He was still crouched by the time Kung Lao had reached him and offered him a hand to help him up. He accepted it, noting Kung Lao's eyes lingering on his cracked and damaged gauntlets. "What happened here?"
"I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on that, Cousin. We thought you had failed when Master Raiden failed to return and the tarkatans attacked with..." Kung Lao's voice trailed off as he too recognised the remains of Master Wen, his fatal wounds now clearly the work of tarkatan blades.
Tarkatans were a race of bloodthirtsy, animalistic warriors from Outworld. According to Bo' Rai Co, the emperor used them as the bulk of his armies. Armed with razor-sharp teeth and a two-foot-long metallic blades built into each forearm, they were vicious, brutal and subservient - the perfect creatures to terrify and destroy the emperor's enemies. Even without having ever seen one before, Kung Lao had recognised them on sight from the vivid mental image their master had created for them.
"How many survived?" Liu Kang asked finally.
"Not many. Master Bo' Rai Cho helped to escort the villagers into the mountain hideaways. Most of the monks died holding off the attackers, however."
The hideaways Kung Lao spoke of had been created over four centuries ago, following the death of their ancestor, from whom Kung Lao's name derived. It was a series of tunnels hidden in the mountains, intended to act as a place for the monks and the nearby villagers to escape to in the event Shao Kahn proved victorious and invaded.
"Huiyin and the others made it there safely," Lao answered before his cousin could ask the question. "I saw to it myself. But Kung Bo..."
Kung Bo and his now widowed wife Huiyin were cousins of the two monks. Unlike the two top warriors of the White Lotus Society, Kung Bo had never had much of an aptitude for combat, becoming a simple farmer instead. It was always a treat when he and his wife invited Kang and Lao to their home for a family get-together, offering a feast of vegetables they had personally grown. The two monks had often helped with the farming as a form of exercise.
While he had not seen it personally, Lao had heard of Kung Bo's final act, sacrificing himself to the tarkatans to allow Huiyin and their son Jin to escape. Apparently, he had slain two of the attackers with his favourite pick before his own death.
"Our ancestors would be proud," Kang said quietly, knowing it was little comfort for either of them, or for his wife and son.
"But you are alive, Cousin. We thought you had been slain in the tournament."
Liu Kang shook his head. "No. I defeated Goro, defeated Shang Tsung. Earthrealm won and the tournament is back in Shaolin hands. But, looking around... it feels as if it was all an illusion, as if I failed in my duty and allowed Earthrealm to fall."
"You... You won?" Kung Lao seemed surprised, though whether it was his cousin's odds or the reality of this massacre causing him such doubt was unclear. "Then, how is this possible? How did Shao Kahn send his forces here?"
"The rules only prevent Shao Kahn himself from crossing the dimensional boundaries. I had thought only his agents from Earthrealm could operate here, hence Shang Tsung's guard consisting almost exclusively of them." As if to emphasise this point, Liu Kang spotted the instantly-recognisable yin-yang-esque black and white mask of one of Shang Tsung's personal guards discarded amongst the wreckage.
"And yet, he was able to send his hordes through unimpeded. Damn the Elder Gods."
"Kung Lao-"
"No, Cousin. You won the tournament. Your victory was supposed to prevent incursions into our realm, but even this easily-predictable retaliation was allowed. Raiden always told us to put our faith in the gods, but even he was nowhere to be seen while our brothers - our family - were being slaughtered!"
"Raiden was occupied with Shang Tsung's forces on the island. It seemed he had ordered them to ensure nobody left the island alive once Goro was defeated. Raiden brought me back to the mainland and returned to assist the other competitors. I can only assume he knew nothing of this attack."
"Some protector..." Despite his insolent tone, Liu Kang couldn't deny empathising with Kung Lao's words. The Elder Gods had established the tournament specifically to prevent Shao Kahn from invading and conquering other realms. But despite that fact, they were insultingly hands-off with mortal affairs, deferring to Raiden at the best of times, and doing absolutely nothing at the worst. Perhaps they had some grand plan and this tragedy was a key component in said plan, but it would be nice if they could fill the mortals in every now and then.
"Come. We should look for any survivors and meet with the others."
Kung Lao nodded and their search began.
They arrived at the hideaway some hours later, having found only one monk whose legs had been severed below the knees, a village child who had been separated from his parents, and a dog whose owner may not even be alive to reclaim him. Luckily, the dog did manage to find his owner rather quickly, but the child took some time to return to his parents. The monk was in bad shape, but a combination of dragon fire and the razor rim of Kung Lao's hat cauterises his wounds and saved his life.
Monk and villager alike were relieved to see Liu Kang's return, having mostly reached the same conclusion as his cousin. Huiyin and Jin, especially, where relieved to see him again. As he comforted the two, Bo' Rai Cho emerged from the mass of survivors to embrace his top student.
"I am glad to see you return safely, Liu Kang."
"Thank you, Master. Though I wish my return was not met by such vile destruction."
"Indeed," the Outworlder replied grimly. "However, your return now may be just what we need to keep these people safe in the next attack."
"I am not so sure there will be another attack."
The master arched an eyebrow. "How so?"
"You should tell them what happened at the tournament, Cousin," Kung Lao interjected. "They need to know that this is an isolated incident and not the end times they feared it was. Plus, a tale of heroism may be just what they need right now."
Liu Kang nodded and approach a nearby wooden table. After hopping up onto it and making sure he had everybody's attention, he explained everything that had happened on the island - from his numerous victories and ultimate defeat of both Goro and Shang Tsung, to the destruction of the island that now kept Raiden busy, to what he and his cousin had found in their investigation. Bo' Rai Cho, ever the wise master, reached the appropriate conclusion.
"Then, this attack was a retaliatory strike, not the first wave of an invasion?"
Liu Kang nodded. The survivors were relieved to hear this, but there was still an important matter to discuss: the White Lotus' response to this attack.
Before anyone could broach the subject, however, lightning struck inside the cave. While they knew what this meant, the people still moved away instinctively as the lightning took human form in the middle of the clearing. Liu Kang dropped down to the ground to bow before the Thunder God.
"Liu Kang," Raiden said, bowing in turn. "I am glad to see you safe. And so many survivors of the attack as well."
"Then, you are abreast of the situation?" Bo' Rai Cho asked.
"I was just now made aware. I regret that I was not here to aid in the defence, but I was called away by the Elder Gods once my task on Shang Tsung's island was complete."
"How did that go, Master Raiden?" the champion asked.
Raiden shook his head. "I managed to save Johnny Cage, but Sonya Blade and Kano were lost as the island collapsed. Scorpion returned to the Netherrealm, while Shang Tsung and his minions are likely to have escaped."
"Shang Tsung's guards were among the attackers, Raiden," Bo' Rai Cho explained. "This may have been a personal retaliation for his loss in the tournament."
"Possibly. Though, Shao Kahn was evidently involved, either way."
"And what do the Elder God intend to do about this?" Kung Lao demanded.
Raiden shook his head grimly. "The rules of Mortal Kombat exist only to prevent Shao Kahn's invasion and merger of the realms. This attack, while unforgivable, does not violate the rules. The attack is too small-scale to be considered an invasion and the outcome in no way leads towards a merger. Unfortunately, the Elder Gods insist on remaining impartial in this matter."
The survivors were aghast that the Elder Gods would abandon them so. Liu Kang was shaken, Bo' Rai Cho less so from centuries of experience, while Kung Lao seemed to have almost anticipated this.
"Then we must take it upon ourselves to avenge our brothers!" Kung Lao declared. "Shao Kahn spat in the very face of honour. He denied us our well-earned peace."
"I understand how you feel, Kung Lao, but a strike against the emperor would be considered an act of violation. Unless challenged directly by Shao Kahn himself, we cannot retaliate."
There were no words to convey the frustration and disgust felt by everyone gathered. They had won. Earthrealm had pulled a last second recovery in this tournament cycle and earned a respite from conflict with Outworld, as decreed by the Elder Gods themselves, but they refused to lift a finger to enforce that reward.
"I will continued to beseech the Elder Gods for intervention," Raiden declared. "However, I do not have high hopes for a satisfying outcome." With that, the Thunder God departed for the heavens, leaving the stunned mortals to rebuild their homes and bury their dead.
A few days passed. Word was sent to other nearby towns and villages and to other temples throughout the nation to prepare their own defences, in case this assault was not the only one to come. Some villages and temples sent resources and defenders to assist in the rebuilding of the academy, which proved vital in lifting the spirits of the survivors.
The academy - what was left of it - was searched for documents and artefacts to recover. Much of it had been burned to ash; no doubt intended as a message from the emperor or the sorcerer. Fortunately, many of the destroyed scrolls detailing the White Lotus' history and techniques had been memorised word-for-word by the centuries-old Bo' Rai Cho, who took to reproducing the scrolls from memory. As far as any of the other monks could tell, they were perfect replicas.
Kung Lao spent time helping the villagers rebuild, particularly his now widowed cousin and her young son. Lao always had been Jin's favourite cousin, so Liu Kang left much of the comforting to him. He, instead, assisted in making early plans to rebuild the White Lotus, once the current conflict was resolved.
After spending the evening with Huiyin and Jin for dinner one night, the two monks bade their relatives good night and departed for the temple. Huiyin had offered the two a place to stay in her mostly in-tact home, but they had insisted there were others in greater need of shelter than they. Instead, they spent their nights with the other monks, either rebuilding, or serving as symbols of hope for their understudies.
"Huiyin seems to be recovering," Kang commented once they were far enough away to be sure she wouldn't overhear.
"She always was a tough one," Lao nodded. "Even moreso than Cousin Bo. I want to help her and Jin more, but I fear the only thing that can help them now is time."
"I was the same after my parents died and Chow disappeared. But simply having family nearby to rely on - you, Cousin Bo, Huiyin, Masters Wen, Wu and Bo' - it does more good than can be adequately put into words. As long as we remain nearby, she and Jin will be able to recover, stronger than ever."
Kung Lao mulled over these words. He always had seen the wisdom in his cousin's worldview, ever since they were children. He trusted that he spoke the truth. But with that subject concluded, there was something else he intended to ask. He had noted, upon their reunion, that the ancestral gauntlets he had lent his cousin prior to the tournament had been cracked and fractured. He had since removed them and replaced them with bandages for his severely bruised wrists. It had been a busy few days and the two hadn't yet had a moment in private to speak of it. Until now.
"What happened to the gauntlets, Cousin?" he asked after deliberating on whether or not to do so for several minutes.
"They were damaged in the fight with Goro. It seems a favoured technique of his it to hold his opponent by their wrists with his upper arms and pummel them savagely with the lower pair. His grip is incredibly strong; enough to snap a man's neck in seconds with force alone. He tried to break my wrists as he pummelled me, but the gauntlets held out long enough for me to kick him in the groin and escape his grasp."
"The groin?"
"The actor I told you about, Johnny Cage, taught me the value of a well-time blow to the groin."
"Huh. Well, it's good to know our ancestor's old gear proved useful to you, Cousin."
"Not just the gauntlets, Kung Lao. The bandana proved useful a number of times before that. As well as keeping a head wound from bleeding into my eyes, it was also useful for covering my eyes in my fight against Reptile."
"...Why would you need to cover your eyes?"
"Reptile is a Zaterran."
"Shao Khan has a Zaterran in his ranks?"
"The last of his race, according to Raiden. He could spit acid, which I managed to keep out of my eyes with the bandana."
"I see."
Liu Kang stopped to face his cousin directly. "Thank you for giving me these, Cousin. They really did grant me luck." He bowed as a sign of respect. This was a rare thing for the two, outside of sparring matches. Kung Lao almost didn't know how to respond, so he bowed in turn.
"I'm only glad I was able to help, Cousin."
"You always have, Kung Lao. Ever since we were children, I always admired you."
"You did? Why? What was there about me to admire?"
"Early on, I felt I had something to prove. You were the next in line of the main family, you bore the name of our ancestor, and I felt I couldn't let myself fall behind. I assumed you were just naturally skilled due to our lineage. I suppose I was a lot like Jin in that way. But in later years, I realised that wasn't the case and gained a greater understanding and appreciation of your situation.
"I truly admire the way a peaceful soul such as yourself was able to dedicate himself to his training for the sake of the world, even though his heart clearly wasn't in it. Your dedication drove me onward, pushed me to try harder in my own training. The only reason I'm as skilled a fighter as I am today is because I had you there, pushing me harder in my training to be the very best I could be. Really, it's not only I, but all of Earthrealm, that owes you a great debt, Kung Lao."
Before he could react, Kung Lao had lowered his hat from his head to his back and was hugging his cousin tight, tears welling up in his eyes. The younger man felt like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Ever since Liu Kang's selection, he had felt like the two decades he had dedicated to a cause he had had no desire to be involved with was all wasted. But now, he knew that it wasn't. He knew it had meant something, even if only indirectly.
His cousin was taken aback, but Lao sensed that he understood how he was feeling, even without words to explain. In the end, both of the legendary hero's descendants had honoured his memory, and proved that the Kung Lineage was still going strong.
Since I'll be discussing my ideas for Kung Lao in the upcoming Wasted Plotential on him, I decided to use the other ideas I'd had in mind when I wrote the first chapter on Lao in a new chapter. I keep putting off the Sindel chapter, but I really needed to do this now before the episode releases. Keep an eye out for the episode in early October.
