He hated when it rained. It reminded him of the day his parents died. And the day of their funeral. And the day he left his old life, left his brother, and walked away from his duty. It wasn't as if he had ever had any desire to fulfil a duty that had been forced upon him at birth, but he was still regretful that he had left his older brother to face this destiny in Mortal Kombat.
At first, it had been his fear of his own inadequacy that had kept him from returning. Now, though, it was shame. He had no right to return, to face his brother and those he had abandoned. Besides the point, the tournament had already taken place. Since portals weren't opening all across the globe, Earthrealm had presumably won. His brother had presumably won. His brother's kombat prowess had always been the one thing he had never lost faith in.
Suddenly, a powerful rumbling shook his small downtown Detroit apartment. He might have thought it was an earthquake, if not for the flames in the fireplace growing larger and rising outward into the room without spreading out of control. The flames rose until they took the shape of a man; a man in Japanese-style armour and a sedge hat. While he had never met the man, he knew his description. There was no mistaking his identity: Kojin, Earthrealm's God of Fire.
"I have been searching for you for some time," the deity said in a powerful, booming voice. "Though the tournament has been won and Earthrealm saved from Shao Kahn, your realm is in need of your kombat prowess, Liu Chow."
After his parents died, Liu Chow had moved to Detroit to get away from all this Mortal Kombat nonsense, but Kojin was quick to get him caught up on what had transpired. Chow's older brother, Liu Kang, had competed in the tournament and defeated both Prince Goro and Shang Tsung, saving Earthrealm and setting back a potential future invasion of the realm by five hundred years. In retaliation, Shao Kahn had sent his minions to lay siege to the Wu Shi Academy, killing most of the monks to incentivise Earthrealm's warriors to travel to Outworld and compete in a new tournament with everything on the line. Kojin had intended to convince Liu Chow to compete in the main tournament, but tracking him down had been difficult, meaning they had missed the window for entry into both tournaments.
However, there was another matter that required godly intervention, which Earthrealm's Guardian God, Raiden, was too busy to deal with. There was a race of humanoid insects known as the Kytinn. They originated in the realm of Arnyek, which had been conquered by Shao Kahn many years earlier. Theirs was a small realm, so very little of its identity had survived the subsequent merger intact. As such, they had eventually been granted land on Shang Tsung's Island to establish a new hive to stave off extinction. In the few short weeks since Shang Tsung's abandonment of the island, the Kytinn had spread beyond the subterranean tunnels and taken the island for themselves. Anyone remaining on the island had been killed or taken to the hive to serve as hosts for the Kytinn larvae. Chow compared this fate to the movie 'Aliens', but Kojin was unfamiliar with the reference.
The Kytinn were apparently planning an expansion into Earthrealm proper. This was possible thanks to Shang Tsung not performing the incantation to remove the island from Earthrealm's plane, as he was supposed to following the tournament. With free access to Earthrealm via the Netherships, the Kytinn would bring ruin to Earthrealm if not stopped. Thus, Liu Chow had been recruited to join Kojin in destroying the ships and burning the hive.
"But why, Master Kojin, do you need my help?" Chow asked as they reached the port. "Without the rules of Mortal Kombat restricting your intervention, can't you just burn the ships and the hive yourself?"
"Were the hive built in Earthrealm itself, yes," replied the Fire God, who had taken on a mortal disguise to avoid drawing attention. "However, Shang Tsung's Island originated in Outworld and, even when it exists in Earthrealm's space, it still exists in a superposition between the two realms. As such, my powers will still be limited there. And the hive runs deep in the subterranean tunnels, so I will need aid in fending the creatures off as I burn their home."
"Yeah, about that. Can't we reason with 'em? Y'know, talk 'em out of trying to spread across Earthrealm?"
"Were it so easy. Theirs is a parasitic existence. Shang Tsung allowed them free reign of the underground, so long as they did not interfere with the tournament or his plans. They could scavenge the depths and take the bodies of most of those who fell in the tournaments. After the tournament, they would return to Outworld, where they could prey upon the weak to propagate their race and promote Shao Kahn's survival of the fittest beliefs. Trapped on an uncharted island in Earthrealm, however, they will eventually die out. Unfortunately, their time under Shao Kahn has made them desperate enough that they will seek new hosts and territory, even if opposed by this realm's gods. I understand your trepidation with genocide, but they fully intend to spread across Earthrealm and use every last human in the realm as a host for their offspring. Wiping them out before they can do the same to you truly is the better option here."
"I see..."
"It would be no difficult task for them, once they have enough troops to fill the Netherships."
"And with so few survivors of the tournament, few of the Netherships were taken away. Like the Greek ships in the Trojan War."
"Precisely. However, the Netherships were not broken down and used to build a giant horse. Instead, they will remain on the island until loaded up with Kytinn, or burned to the ground."
"Could we not just burn the ships?"
"That would only delay the issue. The island will be accessible to any ship travelling through that area now. It would not even need to land there for a swarm of Kytinn to fly across the waters to hijack it."
"And you can't just cast the spell Shang Tsung was supposed to?"
"Unfortunately, the island is both a part of Outworld and Shang Tsung's domain. We Earthrealm Gods have no such power over its location, nor will the Elder Gods intervene."
"Typical..."
"Indeed. As the Kytinn are not acting as agents of Outworld, nor assisting in the conquest or merging of the realms, this matter is beneath the Elder Gods' notice. That is why it falls to me to deal with it, in Master Raiden's absence."
"Where are the other gods? Why aren't they helping with this?"
"They must continue to guard Shinnok's Amulet. After the incident two years ago, we four are only to leave the temples in the event of a major crisis, such as this. But, the Amulet's protection remains a priority over the Kytinn, so only one of us was able to leave."
"And your destructive might made you the best choice to deal with it."
"Yes. Earthquakes and floods cannot guarantee success in the way a raging inferno can. As for your own involvement, I would not have interrupted your self-imposed exile, had any of Raiden's warriors remained in Earthrealm. However, we must, unfortunately, make do with the hand we are dealt. No offence intended, of course."
"No, I get it. I abandoned the White Lotus when they most needed me. While my brother was always a much better warrior than I was, that still doesn't excuse my departure. Even if I am the backup choice, I'll do whatever I can to protect Earthrealm from this sick hive."
"Then, it seems I made the correct choice, Liu Chow. Now, the journey will take some time, as I cannot open portals myself. Once we have bargained for the ship, we will need supplies for your survival."
"I don't know if I can afford something like that."
"Come now. I was hardly intending to leave the onus of funding this expedition upon you. We Gods have access to a supply of funding for situations such as this. It will not cost you a penny, Liu Chow."
"Well, in that case, there is somewhere I'd like to shop before we go."
"I admit to feeling conflicted about this black market dealing of yours," Kojin confessed once the ship was on its way.
"I know it seems underhanded, but I'm not my brother. I can't go in, bare-chested and beat these buggers in hand-to-hand. I couldn't even use the Dragon Fire before I left. Guns are the only option here, and it would've taken too long to get 'em through official channels, as hard as that may be to believe in America. Plus, I needed some military-grade hardware that I couldn't get in any old gunshop."
"How is it that you came to know this weapon-dealer anyway?"
"I was caught up in some illegal shit within a year of arriving in Detroit. It was only until I could get myself set up with a good apartment and job, though. But, I had quite a few dealings with Jarek back then. He even asked me if I was interested in joining his gang a few times. I said no, obviously. I was only in it until I had a stable situation, which I've had since I was seventeen."
"I see. Well, I suppose I cannot argue, seeing how these weapons will prove useful in the fight with the Kytinn."
"So, what's the plan, once we get there?"
"We will leave the ship a mile out. There are a few mountains in the sea surrounding the island which should hide the ship from view. From there, I will fly us onto the island and we will proceed into the hive through the underground access in the Warrior Shrine. The remains of the former queen of the Kytinn, Al'Sheva, have been kept inside the hive since her death during Shao Kahn's conquest. The Kytinn are humanoid, unless elected as the queen. The chosen enters a cocoon and transforms into a much larger insectoid form. This form, ironically, is highly-combustible. Heating up the remains enough will cause it to combust explosively, which should be enough to flood the tunnels with flames and wipe them all out. After that, it will require some time to search the island for stragglers, as even one surviving female could create a new hive with her offspring."
"And the males?"
"They cannot produce a hive, but without one, they would become suicidally vicious and slaughter others en masse in revenge. The males are naturally the stronger and deadlier of the two sexes, but the females and their offspring are known to enact the most unenviable of deaths."
"Then, I guess we'd better be ready to prevent that from happening." Chow placed down the rifle he had been checking and removed his jacket. Shirtless, he took up a battle stance, ready to test his martial arts skills for the first time in a decade. Kojin took up his own stance, which was similar to the one Chow had once seen Raiden use.
"Indeed. Now, Liu Chow, show me what you can do."
As the island came into view, the pair's fifth sparring match came to a close. Kojin had won the first three, but Liu Chow had managed to turn things around for the final two. In between sessions, he rested and tested his weapons. He wouldn't be able to bring all of them, so he found the ones he was most comfortable with and separated them from the rest. Over his leather jacket, he strapped an AR-15 assault rifle and a pump-action shotgun. The thigh holsters over his unrestrictive green jogging pants held two automatic handguns, and the third holster on his chest held a Desert Eagle. He contemplated bringing a sniper rifle, but the short journey topside, and cramped tunnels beneath, would likely offer limited use compared to the close-quarters alternative.
Carefully moving around the island towards the rock Kojin had discussed earlier, the ship came to a stop on the other side. The ocean was calm, for now, and Kojin moored the ship to the rocks. That done, he surveyed their intended landing zone from above, while Chow prepared his equipment. Loading up with a handful of fragmentation grenades and extra ammunition, he was ready to go. He was thankful for his practice with his old gang, because he was sure he was going to need it.
Once he was sure the beach was secure, Kojin returned and flew Chow over to it. They flew in low over the water to avoid detection. Chow wondered what would happen if Kojin became submerged. Would his ever-roaring flames extinguish, or would they burn hot enough to evaporate the water? He had full control over the flames, as even when in close proximity to him, Chow felt very little heat coming from them. Touching down, Chow performed one last weapon check before giving the thumbs up to his compatriot.
The two ventured into the island from the beach. Until they encountered an enemy, Kojin kept his flames extinguished. It seemed that they were a requirement when using his powers, but for simple exploration, he could leave them off. Although trying to remain alert, Chow couldn't help but be taken in by the sights. The island was dead silent, but it still held a certain life to it - an otherworldly mystique that drew his gaze this way and that. He could almost imagine himself arriving here a few weeks ago to compete in the tournament, his battles overseen by Shang Tsung, the attending monks, Raiden and possibly even his older brother.
From the beach, they travelled up a steep incline that led through a narrow passage between the rockface, out into a small courtyard with a large gong in the middle. Up ahead was a stone wall, atop which appeared to be a sheltered throne. Kojin slowly opened one of the doors to either side, checking for any threats. Finding none, the passed through the door and out into a much larger courtyard. From the other side, this area's purpose became clear.
The doors they had passed through were presumably for the monks to enter the area, taking their places on stone platforms below the sheltered observation area for the tournament master - a position held by Shang Tsung for over four hundred years. Most of the spaces were empty, but a handful were still occupied by the decomposing remains of some of the monks. Their bodies had been pierced by large, jagged spear-like objects, or sliced deeply with serrated blades.
"These puncture wounds come from the pincers of the female Kytinn," Kojin explained, looking over one of the corpses. "Those deep slashes were caused by the males and their bladed arms." In response to Chow's dry heaving, he added, "If this is enough to disturb you, then the fates of those who were not fortunate enough to be killed where they sat will destroy you. You compared the maggot infestation to a movie earlier, yes? If you cannot handle seeing that in real life, not movie special effects, then you will be of little help to me."
It wasn't with disgust or disappointment that Kojin spoke these words. It was a neutral statement of fact. Even the most convincing special effects could not prepare a person for the real thing, no matter how convincing a job the effects team could pull off. Chow had always been a little squeamish, which had played a part in his decision to stay away from the violent death tournament. He had assumed the Kytinn young would burst from their host's chest like in the movie, but further contemplation suggested that may not be the case. If they burst out through the face, Chow was quite positive he would faint on the spot.
But, Earthrealm needed him. He had shirked his responsibilities once before and left the fate of the world on his brother's shoulders - shoulders that now bore the weight of the world once again in Outworld. If Chow could not steel himself for the venture into the hive, then he was unfit to bear the Liu name, and he was unworthy of continuing the Kung bloodline. He unholstered the AR-15 from his back, adjusted the scope and checked that the laser sight was working. With a deep breath and a nod of his head, he was convinced he was ready.
The duo continued their journey from the courtyard. The doorway opposite the throne led to the Warrior Shrine, according to Kojin. It was barred shut from the other side, and Kojin didn't want to risk detection by destroying it or going over. Instead, they took a longer route around to the left, where one of the deadliest of the island's arenas awaited.
The arena was a long, narrow stone bridge overlooking a chasm filled with jagged spikes and a series of bloody fountains streaming through the far wall. The remains of many victims were still impaled on the spikes now. Chow didn't want to contemplate how long they might have been there, nor whether they had anyone at home that knew of their brutal fates. So long as he kept his head up and eyes on the path ahead, he could cross the bridge without incident.
Once across, the path led past a small shrine to some six-armed being that resembled a demonic take on some Hindu God. To the right, the Warrior Shrine awaited. According to Kojin, the shrine was magically augmented to automatically erect statues of the greatest warriors in the Outworld-Earthrealm Mortal Kombat Cycle. The path towards the gigantic doors into the caverns was lined by two rows of statues. To the left, the four champions: Shang Tsung, Kung Lao, Goro and Liu Kang. To the right, the survivors of the most recent tournament: a pair of ninja, a man with some kind of faceplate over his eye, a female soldier, a second statue of Liu Kang, and film actor Johnny Cage. Chow was about to question that last one, when a noise to the right alerted the duo. Chow was quick to raise his rifle, but Kojin placed a hand atop the barrel and urged him to lower it. Whatever this creature was, it was not a kytinn. Could it be one of the monks?
In the narrow passage that led back to the courtyard, a damaged wall exposed a tunnel in the rockface behind the statues of the survivors. Cowering inside this tunnel, spying a look at the two interlopers from the corner of the entryway, was a blue-green-skinned creature resembling the golden statue in the earlier shrine. Seeing one of the creatures in the flesh, even in the shadow of the cavemouth, it was clear that this race bore far less resemblance to the Shokan than their extra pair of arms might suggest. Said arms sprouted from the creature's back, rather than below the arms stemming from the shoulders. Build-wise, it was likely slightly taller than the average human, if it stopped hunching over. It was also rather spindly, lacking the famous musculature of a Shokan. Its eyes almost seemed to glow red beneath its ornate hood.
"Interlopers," the creature muttered under its breath as it stepped timidly out into the open. Despite the word of choice, it (or rather, he, based on the shape of his torso) didn't seem hostile. Kojin motioned for Chow to lower his weapon, which he did. In this better light, the creature turned out to have a third pair of arms, this one emerging from his lower back, as the four extra limbs clutched tightly to his large backpack.
"You are one of the Naknada," Kojin observed.
"Naknada?"
"The Naknadans are one of the many races whose lands fell to Shao Kahn after he took the throne of Outworld. He has historically used them to collect tributes and slaves for him."
"And here I thought Earthrealm taxmen were bad..."
"Indeed, wise one," the creature continued, ignoring Chow's remark. "I am called 'Kollector'."
"A trophy gatherer for Shang Tsung," Kojin concluded.
"Indeed. My master delights in taking mementos of those who fall in the tournament. That is my purpose. I wonder, though, what is your purpose on this island, interlopers?"
"I am Kojin, Earthrealm's God of Fire. This is my companion, Liu Chow."
"Liu Chow?" Kollector's eyes lit up at the name. "A relative, perhaps, of Liu Kang?"
"His brother, yes," Chow confirmed.
"Interesting. But, what brings a Lesser God and a Shaolin Monk to this island after the tournament has concluded?"
Chow almost corrected Kollector's description with a 'former' prefix, but Kojin answered the question before he could. "We are wary of the threat this island's Kytinn Hive may present to Earthrealm, so long as the island remains here."
"There is no 'may' with these creatures, I assure you, wise one. I have heard things in my evasion of them. They fully intend to spread beyond the island and increase their number, until they have the numbers to strike back against Shao Kahn."
"And you don't want that," Chow chimed in, finally. "You fear becoming one of their hosts, and your loyalty to Shang Tsung makes you loyal to Shao Kahn. Until he betrays the emperor, at least."
"My master has no such plans."
"Uh-huh." For his ability to evade the Kytinn's detection, Kollector was not so adept at hiding his tells.
"Can you guide us to their hive, friend?" Kojin asked, placing a hand on the naknadan's shoulder. "We've a common enemy, it seems, and their eradication will make this island safe for you once more, and Earthrealm safe from their expansion."
Kollector considered this a moment before taking Kojin's hand from his shoulder and kissing it in reverence. "We have an accord, yes. Tread carefully and I will guide you to their nest, deep within the caves of Goro's Lair. Be sure you are prepared beforehand. A retreat will be difficult, and the Kytinn's numbers have grown through the taking of the monks."
Kojin gave Liu Chow a look that asked if he was ready. He checked his weapon again and counted the extra ammunition before nodding. "Lead the way, Kollector."
Kollector nodded and extracted a small lantern from his backpack as he hobbled his way towards the doors to Goro's Lair, opening them with some hidden mechanism. This had to be historic, Chow thought. Maybe the third time in history an Earthrealmer and an Outworlder had made an accord.
The journey into Goro's Lair was unnerving for Liu Chow, but also strangely exhilarating. Presumably, his brother and ancestor had both tread this path in their respective tournaments, and now, he was the third of his line to do so. Despite the filthy, dirt-encrusted look of this underground cave, he couldn't help but notice how clean the numerous statues of what he presumed to be Goro were.
"Hey, Kollector, Shang Tsung doesn't employ another of your kind called 'Kleaner', does he?"
"He does not. The maintenance of the island's statues is part of my duties in the 'off-season'."
"Okay. The ones in the Warrior Shrine too?"
"Yes. Prince Goro always insisted that Kung Lao's statue remain in pristine condition."
"Really? Why?"
Kollector shrugged all six of his arms. "Perhaps, he respected his foe and wished to remember him?" Such a notion of honour in Goro seemed alien to Chow, who had been raised on the Shaolin's now, evidently, rather biased viewpoint.
Kollector guided the two through the underground caves, past a large throne that could only be Goro's; as were, he hoped, the nearby blood splatters across the ground. The tunnels were long and intricate, making Chow glad for the guide accompanying them. The deeper they proceeded, the more difficult it was for Chow to not make a comparison to Aliens, as the walls and floor became increasingly thick with some disgustingly slimy membrane. Their footsteps grew squelchier the deeper they went, making it harder to mask their approach. Chow considered asking Kojin to just torch the entire tunnel, but Kollector stopped at a T-junction.
"To the right, you will find the Kytinn Hive," he explained in a quiet tone. "To the left is a gauntlet of traps and a lava pool, which may prove useful if you can lure them down there."
"You aren't coming with us?" Chow asked.
"I am a collector, not a fighter. And I have my duties to perform. I wish you both luck." With that, their guide skulked back the way they'd come, picking up a discarded ring along the way.
"Thank you for your aid, Kollector," Kojin said with a bow of respect.
"Come on," Chow said impatiently. "We don't need Larfleeze over there to help us kill these things. Let's go."
Happy to see Chow taking charge, Kojin allowed him to lead the way down the right tunnel.
Around two corners lay the archway that connected the tunnel to the large chamber beyond. Even from their hiding spot, the duo could see that the entire chamber was coated in the alien gunk, more resembling the walls of some gigantic creature's innards than an underground cavern. Large ovaline objects of a sickly yellow, which could only be Kytinn eggsacks, were scattered throughout the area, across both the ground and the walls like ulcers ready to weep.
All around the cavern, two kinds of humanoid insects were patrolling, preparing, and transporting corpses and larvae around the hive. From Kojin's descriptions, the more humanoid ones were the females. Their bodies were a plastic-looking material in numerous colours, primarily yellow; most bald but some with cable-like dreadlocks. Most sported two black eyes, but there seemed to be some with more. They also, otherwise, had very nice, feminine figures that Chow knew would be a hit on the internet.
The males, on the other hand, much like any given fantasy race, were much more monstrous that their female counterparts. Their bodies were bulkier, yet angular in a way that made them seem almost malnourished. Their wings seemed larger and more solid, like their thoraxes, than the females' dragonfly-esque clear appendages. There was also a lion-esque mane of filthy hair around the head and neck of every male, accentuating the endoskeletal bug faces that distinguished them greatly from the females. More than that, though, the males' forearms split off into massive, spiky, scythe-like protrusions, with large three-fingered hands at the ends of their wrists.
At the far end of the chamber, dominating their entire view of the space, loomed the form of a gigantic six-legged bug creature, completely inhuman, almost like a rhinoceros beetle without a horn. Its lifeless black eyes varied in size - six large on the 'face' and many more smaller eyes on the 'forehead'. Its shrivelled abdomen was barely protected, unlike the rest of its armoured body, which might account for the numerous small green egg-like objects around its base - rotten eggs perhaps?
"What the fuck is that thing?" Chow asked, in awe of the sight.
"That is the carcass of Al'Sheva, the last Queen of the Kytinn. You recall me mentioning her as part of our plans?"
"Y-Yeah. I guess I was just expecting something more like... a bigger-than-average one with an eggsack sticking out of its ass. So, this is what a queen looks like."
"Indeed. A queen is not necessary for the continuation of the Kytinn, as any female can produce their young, but it is a much slower process, lasting multiple months to produce one. As a queen, they are akin to a factory production line. Think of it as a human's reproductive cycle, compared to that of an ant."
Chow gulped involuntarily. "Jesus... Uh, sorry. So, what's the plan? Do we go in guns blazing, or quietly?"
"We will decide once we know the enemy's number. Regardless, you will focus on covering our flank. If any of your shots pierce Al'Sheva's hide, the gases stored within will escape and reduce her explosive potential."
"Yeah, that makes sense. But, how many of these things are there? Can you feel their body heat or something?"
"It will take a moment, but yes, I can." Kojin closed his eyes as he felt around for each individual heat signature.
Chow quietly checked his weapon again as he waited. Just as he reinserted the magazine, a voice cried out from behind him.
"Intruder!" exclaimed the female kytinn that had entered from behind them, mere seconds before Chow whirled around a popped it twice in the midsection. Its blue blood splashed both the ground and its companion. Another quick shot to the head silenced the second. Chow soon regretted this, however, as the bustle of the hive quickly silenced, before starting up again louder than ever.
Kojin, with no other choice, leapt out from his hiding place and unleashed torrents of flame against their enemies. Chow prepared to stand by him and begin shooting, but an alarming sound came from back down the tunnel they had come from. Heading back to the T-junction, he noticed an alarming number of holes in the walls, some locked behind the rusted bars of the cells that lined the walls, others now exposed by the tearing away of the hive membrane. The sly buggers had hidden extra flanking routes in the walls!
Too many were coming for gunfire to dispose of, so he threw out a grenade instead. He held off the Kytinn as best he could for the five seconds it took for the grenade to detonate. A number of the Kytinn, both male and female, were killed by the blast, though the thicker-hide of the males tended to fare better - which was a problem, given that most of those coming were male. The burning screeches echoing from the other direction didn't let up, so Kojin seemed to be handling his side fairly well.
The problems started when one of the kytinn flanked Chow from the right - the direction of the trap chamber. Chow barely had time to turn and fire off a few shots, managing to hit the creature in its throat and drop it right on top of him. He just managed to shove the corpse aside and switch to his shotgun as two from the entrance tunnel grew close enough to be a problem. Two shots left two massive holes in their chests, spraying him with their blue blood. He'd have to fall back closer to Kojin to properly cover both directions, which would give the two little room to retreat, and protect the attackers from the tunnel until they were much closer. Thank Kojin he'd brought the shotgun and grenades...
More of them were coming in from the trap chamber now, leaving Chow struggling to hold them off as he backed away towards the first of the two turns that led to the hive. He noted that falling back was definitely the better option, as another cell with a hole in the back was at the top of the T-junction, which he hadn't noticed before now. Had they thought to try it, they could have ambushed Chow from two directions while he struggled with the third.
He crouched low and placed both his rifle and shotgun on the ground, both too low on ammunition for the coming wave. One handgun in his left hand and the Desert Eagle in his right, he readied the two smaller weapons to gun down the enemies from two directions.
It was at this time that the strangest thing happened. A faint blue light emanated from down the tunnel, Kytinn screeches reaching out for anyone to hear. Quickly, a female kytinn flew into the line of fire, ablaze with blue flames, before it crashed into the bars of the junction cell and flopped uselessly into the hole. More of them flew out, affected to varying degrees by the flames. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Chow opened fire - using the larger gun against the male hides exclusively. A group of about five of them piled up at the junction, which could be the start of a decent barricade if Chow timed his shots right. Two more males emerged from the trap room and moved to leap over the corpses of their brethren. The one on the left-hand side was struck by some kind of lantern from down the tunnel, setting it ablaze and knocking it into its fellow, igniting him as well. With two well-placed shots to the distracted kytinn's skulls, both collapsed on top of the pile as the lantern clattered to the ground in front of Chow.
He was already crouched, so picking it up to investigate was quick and easy. Predicting it would be hot from the flame, he used a handgun to lift it by its hook to avoid burning himself. He recognised the lantern but couldn't quite place it. That is, until a set of long, green fingers wrapped themselves around the corner of the wall, followed by a burning red eye in a green, goblin-esque face.
"Kollector?" Chow's surprise was plain from his voice.
The naknadan scuttled around the corner, clambering over the growing pile of corpses to reach Chow and reclaim his lantern. If the thing was hot at all, he showed no signs of noticing.
"What are you doing back? I thought you said you weren't a fighter."
"A surprise attack on a distracted foe is not a fight. Loud gunfire is a perfect distraction for such an attack."
"You couldn't reach your hiding place in time, could you?"
"I assure you, that it not the case."
"Uh-huh. Get behind me and get another of those firebombs attacks ready. If we stack their burning corpses high enough, we can slow 'em down."
"As you wish." Once three more kytinn were added to the corpse pile, Kollector threw his lantern onto the pile, fully igniting it. The blue flames rose high in the tunnel, catching the next two off-guard and blinding them long enough for Chow to add them to the pile.
The pile was about two thirds of the way to the ceiling when they stopped coming. Chow had occasionally lobbed a grenade over the pile to catch some of enemy off-guard and score some easy kills. Kollector had apparently learned to reload various types of guns from one of Shang Tsung's other servants, allowing him to prep Chow's weapons for him as he continued firing, while simultaneously prepping more lanterns.
Once they finally stopped coming, Chow and Kollector headed back towards Kojin, who was now standing inside the larger chamber, which was scorched black around him. At the far side, the corpse of Al'Sheva was also beginning to catch fire. Kojin called the two closer, just in time to cover the trio in a spherical shield of fire to protect them from the former queen's combustion. Flame burst forth from the exploding carcass, spreading out in every direction, down every tunnel, even wrapping back around from the direction they had come from. The fire raged for quite some time, finally dissipating once Kojin was sure the tunnels had been swept clean.
The biological materials the Kytinn had coated the walls and floor with was almost entirely gone, replaced by scorched rock. The occasional eggsack dropped from the ceiling in a fiery wreck. Little remained of Al'Sheva, and the charred remains of her brood were barely recognisable as Kytinn. While the placed reeked of smoke, the fire had cleared out a number of the tunnels to the surface, as if clearing out a stuffy nose, allowing the smoke to escape.
Kojin dropped the shield and fell to one knee. Chow was quick to try and help him, but he held up a hand. "My power has been taxed to its limit, Liu Chow. Give me a moment to recharge in the trap room's lava pool and I will return soon."
Chow nodded and allowed Kojin to depart before turning back to Kollector. "I don't know if I could've gotten through that without your help, Kollector. Hoping you can tell your boss that you helped out so he'll give you a reward?"
Wordlessly, Kollector reached into his backpack with one of his upper back arms and rummaged through it for a while. Emerging from the bag, the arm produced a fist-sized golden replica of the Mortal Kombat dragon symbol on a leaf-green ribbon. He held it out for Chow to see.
"Is this...?"
"The Great Kung Lao's champion medallion," Kollector confirmed. "The one trophy I took to commemorate his fall. For ridding my master's island of this scourge, you have earned the right to take this back."
"Are you sure? Won't Shang Tsung be displeased that you gave away one of his trophies?"
Kollector shook his head. "My master has abandoned this island for the foreseeable future. When he returns to an island freed of the Kytinn's filth, he will be pleased more than he was to have this memento."
"If my brother faces him in the Outworld tournament, your master might never return."
"Perhaps. Which is all the more reason for you to reclaim this artefact for your family, lest it go to waste in an empty krypt."
Nodding, Chow took the medallion from the naknadan's hand and felt the weight of it in his hand. "Thank you, Kollector."
"My debt to you is repaid. Now, I will begin the process of removing the Kytinn remains and preparing the tunnels for my master's return."
"Yeah, well, it doesn't look like you'll have too much of that to remove, huh? It shouldn't take too long."
"I am running low on scrubbing brushes."
Chow couldn't help but chuckle. But, that was as far as the positive vibes lasted. A pair of female Kytinn emerged from one of the still smoking tunnels. Evidently, they were hoping to go unnoticed, but one of the two - the yellow and red one - let out a hacking cough, which gave away their position. The yellow and black one accompanying her quickly pulled her towards a chamber off to the side of the hive. Chow pulled out his rifle and took aim to stop them from escaping.
But, before he could fire, he was suddenly knocked off his feet by a powerful kick from behind, his weapon flying from his hand. He flew forward several feet and hit the ashen ground before he had the chance to register what was happening. Once the floor found him, however, his mind was sharply focused. He spun onto his back and fired a quick shot from his Desert Eagle into the male Kytinn's chest, near its right shoulder, where some of its pink flesh was exposed beneath the think yellow armour. Enraged, it lunged for him but, despite his many years of exile, Chow was still a Shaolin. With expert precision, his leg came up and guided the creature's large body over him, using the momentum of the redirection to roll onto his front and rise to one knee. He fired off a second shot into the creature's back. Its thick armoured hide protected its spine from a crippling injury, but got deep enough in to create a large crack around the impact zone.
The creature spun around, opened its mouth and spewed some luminous green substance onto Chow's chest. His first thought was that it reeked horrifically. Then, he felt a mild burning sensation. Quickly, he stripped off his jacket and gear, then tore off the now dissolving shirt and cast it aside. The weapon straps were burned through as well, which would make transporting them more difficult. He quickly took up his rifle in his right hand, holding up his leather jacket like a shield in his left.
The bugger had fled deeper into the hive, and Chow was quick to give chase. Inside the smaller chamber the creature fled into was some sort of ritual marking on the floor, a large blue portal formed above it. Wasting no time, Liu Chow leapt through the portal, emerging in an alien landscape overcast by a deep purple sky.
From the description, it was clear to Liu Chow that he now stood in the dark realm of Outworld. The ground and rocks around him were a similar purple to the sky. Broken statues of humans, reptilians and other assorted races littered the area, like a perfect metaphor for Shao Kahn's conquest.
The deep fluttering of insectoid wings drew Chow's attention past some of the statues. He gave chase, catching sight of the creature as it headed towards a cliff edge. While a male couldn't repopulate the species, it would be a problem if this one escaped and plotted its revenge. Thinking fast, Chow took a low stance, levelled his rifle, and opened fire. The target was too far away to waste time on precision shots, so spraying was Chow's best bet. Most shots missed or glanced off of the bugger's thick hide, but a few well-placed shots pierced its wings.
With a shrill cry, the kytinn's flight ceased, moving into a run, clutching its wings as it went. It ran towards a long stone bridge that connected the cliff to another off in the distance, just like the bridge on Shang Tsung's island, only much longer and higher. No doubt, Chow's foe was planning to either retreat across the bridge, or make his stand where he could more easily eliminate Chow. Unfortunately, Chow's rifle had run dry now, so he would need to pursue across the bridge and engage his quarry in close quarters. He still had ammunition for one handgun and the Desert Eagle, only the latter of which had thus far proven effective against the males. Regardless of the pistol's inefficiency, he would have to make do.
On the bridge, Chow managed to get off a shot into the kytinn's hip with the Desert Eagle. As he caught up with the now limping bug, it came to a stop and turned to face him. Chow had almost forgotten how big and imposing these things were up-close. It spread out it large bladed arms and let out an intimidating roar. Chow took aim and fired off a shot towards its mouth with his pistol, but the shot went wide, striking its armoured collar and bouncing off. Using this as the initiation of the battle, the kytinn lunged at him, a vicious swipe hitting his right arm, drawing blood and knocking the weapon from Chow's hand and into the insanely deep chasm below. At the very least, Chow's quick glance down indicated that, if he fell, there were no spikes to get impaled on - only a couple-hundred-foot drop onto hard stone.
With a cautious hop back, Chow drew his last remaining weapon - the Desert Eagle with approximately seven rounds remaining - but the kytinn was quick enough to knock that weapon from his hand too, thanks to the grip of his bleeding arm being weakened. Unlike the other gun, this one landed on the bridge behind him. Chow dove back to grab the gun. His hand was almost on it when he felt his body being yanked back by the ankle. A quick glance back revealed that the kytinn had grabbed his ankle with one hand, before it used the blade on its other arm to swipe the gun off the edge to join its brother. The kytinn then dug that same blade into the ground and dragged it back with enough force that Chow was sure would split his head clean in two if it reached him.
As it approached, he shifted his weight to the right as hard as he could, avoiding a splitting headache, but now in position to be bisected at the waist. His left ankle remained free, so turning over onto his right side yielded the right angle to carry his left foot into the creature's jaw. All at once, it howled, released its grip, removed its blade from the ground and staggered back away from him. Seizing his chance, he hopped to his feet from his lying position, just as his brother had taught him. Then, he quickly closed the gap between them and hopped into a kick to the chest, sending it staggering back further. He went to do the same again, but his foe had recovered and swung at him with its right blade. Chow got off with a light graze to his stomach before frantically hopping back.
Seizing its own advantage, the kytinn swung for his head and closed the gap. Chow's back arched instinctively, narrowly dodging the swing as it flew overhead. As the left blade followed after, Chow flipped back, narrowly clearing the blade as it swung lower than the first. With both knees on the blade, Chow weighed it down to the ground, dragging the kytinn down with it. As the kytinn's head approached the ground, Chow's body sprung forward, headbutting his opponent hard in the face. He soon regretted this decision as his head began to pulse painfully. And worse, he still had the kytinn pinned, leaving it stuck at very close range.
Fortunately, a swing with the other arm wasn't viable at this range, so it grabbed Chow by the throat with its hand instead. Its grip was strong, choking him. He punched its face, but it was still pinned and couldn't fall back. He placed both hands on the ground behind the pinned blade, lowered himself to bend his elbows, then straightened his arms with enough force to pivot his legs out from under himself and deliver a dropkick to his foe's chest. With its arm now free, the kytinn fell back this time, rolling onto its back.
Jumping to his feet once more, Chow rushed in, just as the kytinn rose to its own feet. Chow jumped in and delivered a fierce punch to his opponent's face. His fist sent the kytinn stumbling back and turning away from him. Instinctively, Chow threw both hands forward, releasing a small sphere of flame that struck the creature's spine. The flames burst outwards, singing large holes in the creature's insectoid wings.
It swung wildly at him as it turned back to face him. He anticipated this, however. His upper body tilted to the left, ducking under the blade and swinging in an arc to the front to deliver a solid body blow to the creature's side. He followed up with a hard kick to its knee, which didn't cause its stance to change, but with another strike to its chest, it stumbled back, the extra steps stressing the injury until it finally gave way. Down on one knee at the edge of the bridge, the final male kytinn was vulnerable. With three quick steps, Liu Chow launched himself off the ground, delivering a powerful kick to the creature's midsection, sending it flying off the edge. Its singed wings barely managed to slow its long descent to the stone below, where its body practically exploded like a bug on a windshield.
Suddenly overcome with a sense of lethargy, Chow backed away from the edge and lay down at the centre of the narrow bridge with his arm over his face as he caught his breath. How the two had managed to fight so fiercely for as long as they had without either of them falling off was a mystery to him.
"Liu Chow!" came the voice of the Fire God as he flew across the bridge towards him.
"I'm fine, Master Kojin," Chow replied as the burning man landed in front of him. "Just a little tired."
"The last of the Kytinn, is he...?" Kojin peered down, spotting the splattered remains of the Kytinn race. "I see. Then, our task is done. The Kytinn will never again pose a threat to Earthrealm."
"Good. 'Cause this was one bug hunt I never wanna repeat."
Kojin chuckled. "Indeed. Although you may feel uneasy about our actions today, rest assured, Liu Chow, that the Kytinn had every intention of slaughtering the mortals of Earthrealm. Their desperation left no room for debate. Wiping out the few hundred of them to save seven billion Earthrealmers was the lesser of the two evils."
"I sure hope that helps me sleep at night."
"Perhaps it will not. However..."
Chow uncovered his eyes to look up at the Fire God, who was looking off into the distance to his left. Chow turned his head and saw what appeared to be two warriors facing off on an identical bridge some distance away. He took Kojin's hand to help him to his feet to get a better look. It was quite the distance, and the two's flurry of motion made it difficult to make them out, but when they stopped to catch their breaths, he had an easier time taking in the details.
One warrior was clad in a black and yellow outfit - black pants with yellow around the shins and waist, yellow wrist guards and black and yellow fabric similar to that of the ninja statues on the island, but with no undershirt to cover his chest. The other fighter was bare-chested, with only a pair of brown gauntlets keeping his upper body from being totally bare. It was his lower body that stood out, though, clad in a pair of baggy red pants, matched by a small red headband around his black hair.
"Is that...?"
"Indeed. That, Liu Chow, is your brother."
"Wow. Look at him go."
"He is a masterful warrior. This battle you see before you, believe it or not, is a rematch with an opponent he bested on the island."
"Really? I didn't see his statue in the Warrior Shrine."
"Didn't you? Perhaps, if you recall the statues on the opposite side of the Shrine."
"Wait... That's Shang Tsung?"
"Indeed. Your brother upheld the traditions of the Shaolin and spared each of his opponents. Even the murderers of your ancestor. Goro fell into flame as part of the island collapsed, but Shang Tsung yet lives. Your brother has much he must yet deal with in his quest to save Earthrealm. Imagine his gruelling efforts all being in vain because of a Kytinn invasion."
"I... I guess you're right."
"If you would like, we can stay and observe. Like a replay of the final battle of the tournament to save Earthrealm."
"Yeah. I'd like that."
The two stood and watched for a while, observing as Liu Kang expertly dodged the sorcerer's flaming skulls from both his hands and the ground. No doubt, he had become quite familiar with these attacks in their previous encounter; as had Shang Tsung with Kang's Dragon Fire.
"He looks like he's doing well," Chow observed.
"From what I hear, that is the case."
"I'm glad he didn't succumb to loneliness after he lost his entire family."
"I suppose, in your absence, the hole left in your brother's heart was filled by your cousin, Kung Lao."
"Good. That's... That's good."
"Their rivalry spurred both of them on to strive for greatness. Liu Kang has certainly achieved that."
Shang Tsung's body shifted and transformed, taking on the form of a green-clad ninja; likely one of the two with statues in the Warrior Shrine. He performed an impressive slide along the ground, as if it was covered in ice. The Shaolin seemed to have faced this warrior before, however, as he expertly cartwheeled over the attack, landing behind the sorcerer and nailing him in the back with a hop into a kick to the spine.
"How did my brother win, by the way?" Chow asked after a while.
"The Flying Kick taught to him by Master Bo' Rai Cho," Kojin answered.
"I still remember him struggling with that move," Chow said nostalgically.
"But, he kept at it and turned it into his signature move."
"And saved Earthrealm with it."
"Indeed. But, do not be discouraged. While your own finishing blow may not have been a match for you brother's well-practised version, I am sure he would be proud to see it."
The fight continued as Shang Tsung shifted into the form of what appeared to be Johnny Cage, launching three green energy balls his way. While Chow was surprised that these were not simply special effects for Cage's movies, Kang calmly and expertly intercepted the projectiles with three of his own. He then produced a set of nunchaku from his belt.
"He always did idolise Bruce Lee."
"That certainly explains a lot."
"Yeah... He always said, 'If Bruce Lee was still alive, he would wipe the floor with Shang Tsung!' From the looks of it, he wasn't wrong."
"There are few greater warriors to base one's style around."
"Damn straight."
After batting aside the last two fireballs, Kang took three strides forward and launched himself into the air. Even after having experienced it once before, Shang Tsung was still unprepared for the incredible three metre reach of Liu Kang's flying kick.
"Holy shit!" Chow cried in amazement.
"He truly is impressive."
Kang walked over to the prone sorcerer, who was evidently about to rise to his feet. Kang grabbed him by his top, lifted him slightly off the ground, and punched him in the face hard enough to slam the back of his head into the ground. The fight was over. Liu Kang had defeated Shang Tsung for the second time.
"He's not lost an ounce of the skill he had when I left."
"Nor have you, Liu Chow. I knew you had not forgotten your Shaolin heritage, even before I witnessed you fighting."
"What makes you say that?"
"Leather jacket aside, you still dress the same as you did back then."
Chow looked down at his shirtless torso and green pants, making him look a little like his brother in his own red attire. "I guess some habits are hard to break."
"And Earthrealm, and your brother, are safe because of that. Would you like to observe the rest of the tournament while we are here?"
"No. I don't think my brother will want to see me after I ran out on him all those years ago."
"I am sure he-"
"No. No, it's better this way. He has enough on his plate as it is, without his estranged brother coming back into his life after a decade. He needs to focus on the tournament right now."
"And after?"
"He has Cousin Lao. He doesn't need me and he shouldn't want me in his life."
"I do not agree, but I will respect your wishes."
"Thank you, Master Kojin."
"Of course, Liu Chow. We must be getting back to the island. Kollector agreed to maintain the portal for a little while longer so we can get back to Earthrealm."
"We'd best not keep him waiting then."
"But, before we go. Might I see you attempt the Flying Kick one last time?"
"Sure, I guess."
As Liu Kang stood over his defeated foe, safe in the knowledge that such a powerful foe would not threaten any of his comrades, he spotted two individuals off in the distance on another bridge, similar to the one on which he now stood. A burning man watched as his shirtless companion pulled off an impressive two metre Flying Kick. Satisfied, the shirtless warrior led his companion back across the bridge towards the cliff edge they had come from. Kang had watched the shirtless man's impressive battle with a large bug creature before his match with Shang Tsung had begun. He smiled. "I am glad to see you're doing well, Brother."
The departure from the island was a quick one, though Chow couldn't deny that he had grown a little fond of their guide. He didn't have much on his person, but he still wanted to leave Kollector with a memento of some sort. Kojin had retrieved Chow's leather jacket, which Chow offered to the naknadan. With some quick cutting into the back with a flurry of knives, Kollector now had four new armholes in his fancy new duds. He seemed to genuinely enjoy his new clothing (and looked surprisingly stylish in it).
The voyage back to Detroit was uneventful. Without the need to prepare, Chow had little desire to train or spar. Chow and Kojin mostly kept to themselves for the duration. Kojin left to meet with the Elder Gods at one point, but that was about all of note.
Once they were back on land, the duo returned to Chow's apartment, bringing their journey together full circle.
"It was an honour to have had you by my side, Liu Chow," Kojin proclaimed with a bow.
"It was an honour to have been sought out by you, Master Kojin."
"Should Earthrealm require aid again, may I rely on you to join me in its protection?"
"Yes. I'll be there. After seeing what my brother's dealing with, how could I possibly do otherwise?"
"Then, I bid you farewell, Liu Chow. And I hope that your service will not be required in the future." With that, Kojin once more transformed into a living flame and entered the fireplace, disappearing as a bright, warm fire remained in his place.
Despite the days that had passed between his last fight and now, Chow still felt like he hadn't had any rest since Kojin had first arrived. He collapsed onto his couch across from the TV. It was surreal to think that Earthrealm had been, and still was, facing a terrible fate at the hands of Outworld invaders, but the rest of the world was totally ignorant of that fact. They just went about their normal lives without any concept of just how close they had come to annihilation.
Despite his lack of energy, Chow still felt a burning determination welling up within him. Should that annihilation ever come, he would be there to help stop it. How could he not, after all, when his older brother set such a damn fine example?
"This place seems secure enough for our Hive," one of the two remaining Kytinn said as she and her fellow survivor stopped inside a deep underground cavern in Outworld, far from the prying eyes of the Emperor and his minions.
"Indeed," her yellow and red companion responded. "However, This One regrets that K'Fersebe could not live to see this place alongside us."
"K'Fersebe's sacrifice will not go to waste. He gave his life to ensure the survival of our kind. This One is the greater warrior, so it falls to you to become the Queen of the new Hive, A'Vital."
"Then, This One will comply. But, what will you do?"
"This One will watch over you as you sleep, transform into the Saviour and Mistress of the Kytinn. Then, This One will seek retribution for what Earthrealm's Fire God has done to our kind."
"You will be the instrument of his destruction. You will be the Queen's Blade. The Fire God will know what it is to become the host for your children, D'Vorah."
"This One regrets that he will not feel the true agony of every one of the Kytinn he murdered. But, his suffering will be long and slow."
"This One is concerned, though. Until This One has become the Queen, you will be the lone guard of this Hive. What if the Fire God finds us here?"
"Perhaps, I can be of assistance."
To the shock and dismay of the two survivors, a white-skinned human had found their new home within minutes of their own arrival. D'Vorah instinctively stepped between the intruder and A'Vital.
"Please, Queen's Blade, there is no need for that. I bear no ill will. As a matter of fact, I come to offer you protection from the gods."
"Protection? Speak plainly, fool." D'Vorah extended her pincers as a warning.
"Straight to business. Good. I have been dispatched by... a very interested party to offer you what no other can: invisibility to the eyes of the gods. Even the Elder Gods."
"Invisibility? How is such a thing possible?"
"Unfortunately, I cannot disclose the identity or nature of my employer. However, I must impress on you the danger your kind are in without his aid."
"Then, we accept," A'Vital was quick to agree.
"A'Vital!"
"This is This One's first act as Queen. For the sake of the Kytinn, we must align ourselves with this mystery benefactor. For now, at least," she added in a hushed tone.
"This One sees that our Queen is wise. This One shall obey. As will the Kytinn obey your employer."
"Then, we have an accord. I will relay your decision to your new master, and you will be placed in his care until he calls upon your race to assist him in his grand plans. Until then, grow your hive until you rival the tarkatans in sheer numbers." With that, the mystery man disappeared through an orange portal, which closed up behind him.
He was certain that his - as well as the Kytinn's - master would be pleased to add another enemy of Earthrealm's gods to his ranks. When the time came, he would unite them all. And then, none of them, not even Raiden, would stand in his way.
I wanted to do something special for #30, and this slightly less canon-based idea seemed like a good fit. I intend to do similar chapters every 25, starting with #50. Yeah, you know what I was going for. Also, given his absence from MK1, imagine if Kung Lao was actually Liu Chow using a fake name.
