"We can rest here for the night. Li Mei, give the order."
"At once, Master."
As Li Mei dutifully left to relay his order, Bo' Rai Cho took a seat on the smoothest rock he could find. He had only known her for a few weeks, but Li Mei was already growing into a fine warrior and leader. Of course, she had already had many traits of both before he met her, having emerged the victor of the Deadly Alliance's twisted 'tournament' designed to give hope to those whose souls they were harvesting for their (now Onaga's) undead army.
She had apparently done everything she could to keep her fellow villagers calm and determined, only to end up as the sole survivor of her village, and almost ending up dead herself after being recognised as a warrior with great potential by the two sorcerers. She had only survived because of Bo' Rai Cho's interference. And that interference had also cost Raiden one of his greatest assets in the battle that followed.
It was quite fortuitous that Princess Kitana had dedicated herself so wholly to ridding Outworld of Shao Kahn's influence by gathering the various resistance forces scattered across the realm, even after her own realm was restored. Thanks to Liu Kang's two victories over Shao Kahn (a detail that Bo' Rai Cho was immeasurably proud of), many of those that were discontent with Shao Kahn's rule had since become emboldened to more openly oppose him. It was these forces that Kitana had unified in the years since the Invasion of Earthrealm. And now, she had granted command over them to Bo' Rai Cho while she worked to liberate Edenia from Onaga's control.
The Outworld master intended to lead this army against the tarkatan horde led by Baraka, and then lay siege to Onaga's fortress. But their march thus far had been a long one as they sought out various cells and factions to expand their numbers along the way. Despite his area of expertise being in training warriors in single kombat, he found that he was surprisingly proficient at applying those methods to leading and training his army.
Li Mei, his newest apprentice, returned from her task. "The men are setting up the tents now, Master."
"Good," the master said, wiping sweat from his brow and taking a sip from his gourd. He extended the container to his student, whose nostrils flared as she caught a whiff of the beverage being offered.
"No, thank you," she responded, holding up a hand, as if to keep the gourd away from her.
Bo' Rai Cho shrugged and pulled a small flask from his hip pouch and offered her that instead. "Water," he explained. "From a spring in Edenia. Does wonders for headaches, hangovers, upset stomachs and general fatigue."
"You must drink a lot of this then," Li Mei mumbled as she took the flask from him.
Her master guffawed. "Well, you aren't exactly wrong. I will be in need of more before too long." His tone softened as he said this, which Li Mei noticed.
"I-I'm so sorry, Master!" She bowed deeply in apology.
"For... what, exactly?"
"It never occurred to me that you may be drinking to distract yourself from the deaths of your students from Earthrealm. I was insensitive to your-"
"It is alright, Li Mei," her mentor interrupted, holding up his own hand as she had, which made him smile upon realising it. "I have been drinking more since Liu Kang and Kung Lao died, but even before then, I could hardly say my volume of consumption was healthy, even for one with a metabolism as fast as mine." He smacked his stomach to emphasise this point. "Rather than offense, I take your words as concern for my wellbeing. And I appreciate that."
"I-I see."
"Yes. Now, be sure to save some of that water for later. It could save your life down the line. We will set up our tent atop this hill here and hold a war council after dinner."
"I will inform the officers."
"No need. You've done more than enough on my behalf. Now it is my turn to put in some legwork. You still haven't fully recovered from the soul transfer. Get some rest for now."
As her master departed, Li Mei stared down at the flask in her hand and thought back to Master Bo's earlier words about the flask's contents and its effects. She downed the rest of it in one go and then jogged off after him.
The war council lasted into the night in the tent atop the hill. Other tents peppered the hillside and the area around the base of it while sentries patrolled the area. Once the meeting was adjourned, the other officers left the tent and Bo' Rai Cho decided he and Li Mei should turn in for the night before they set off again in the morning. Preparations to do so were interrupted, however, as an elderly man made his way into the tent. Although he seemed familiar, Bo' Rai Cho was fairly certain the man was not part of the Outworld army.
"May I help you?" the old master asked the intruder in a calm tone to keep Li Mei from panicking. Confidence in his ability to handle this would hopefully inspire such confidence in her as well.
"I have come seeking Master Bo' Rai Cho. And I see I have found him."
"And for what purpose have you come seeking me?"
"I had hoped to seek your counsel regarding... recent affairs."
"Sneaking into my tent in the middle of the night is an odd way to ask for advice. And how did you get through the camp to get here?"
"Rest assured, I did not harm any of your guards. I honed my infiltration skills with the Lin Kuei soon after I left the village all those years ago. My quest has ended, but it did not go as I had hoped."
"Shujinko!?" Bo' Rai Cho's face lit up as realisation dawned upon him. He quickly closed the distance and took his former pupil up in a vice-like bearhug. "My boy, it has been far too long! Li Mei, this is Shujinko, a former pupil of mine from Earthrealm. Li Mei here is my current apprentice from right here in Outworld."
"Greetings, Li Mei. I hope Master Bo' Rai Cho's eccentricities are not too extreme for you to manage," Shujinko said as he bowed to his fellow apprentice.
"N-No, not at all. This is so strange, to be treated as an equal by a man resembling my grandfather."
Both men considered making a remark about how Shujinko may be closer in age to her than she may think, but both thought better of it and said nothing of the sort. Instead, they focused on each other.
"She is right, Shujinko, you do bear the appearance of a master yourself now. I remember when you were a mere pup of thirteen learning the basics in my dojo."
"I was eighteen when I departed from your home and began my journey. I have learned much in the decades since... Much has changed, but you seem to have remained the same. It is... comforting."
"Not as comforting as seeing how far you have come since you flew the nest, as the Earthrealmers say. Aching bones notwithstanding, eh?"
"We are not all lucky enough to be granted the gift of Outworld longevity. Although I hear that is not a problem for another student of yours. Liu Kang, was it? I hear he defeated Goro and even Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn."
"He did," Bo' Rai Cho responded wistfully. "But he has another reason not to worry about ageing - he is dead."
"D-Dead?"
"Murdered, to be more specific. By Shang Tsung and fellow sorcerer Quan Chi. I was supposed to join Raiden in avenging Liu Kang, but I did not arrive in time. And worse, I did not adequately prepare Kung Lao for the encounter, and he died along with his comrades."
"I... I am sorry, Master-"
Bo' Rai Cho held up a hand. "How could you have known, being so busy with your important quest as you were? How has that fared, by the way?"
"I am afraid I am no better. The quest was a ruse set up by Onaga. All these years, I was unwittingly collecting the Kamidogu for him in preparation for his return, and he now has all six."
"And Shinnok's amulet," Bo' Rai Cho added, dread finally creeping into his voice.
"He has all he needs to merge all the realms into one."
"And we both have much to atone for. Without Raiden, it falls to us to unite the enemies of Onaga and stop him from achieving his ambitions."
"This seems quite the task for us to accomplish alone, Master. Just us two and Li Mei."
"You walked the realms for decades, Shujinko. You must have gained not only kombat experience and new abilities, but wisdom and contacts as well. Have you not met other warriors that might join our cause?"
"A few, perhaps, but not enough. And many of those I met I did not leave on positive terms."
"Then allow us to make up for that," said a new voice as a gust of wind blew open the tent. A man with long grey hair, dark skin and godly white eyes entered, flanked by a man with even darker skin adorned with white markings, and a man whose face paint marked him as one of Earthrealm's Native Americans.
"Fujin?" Bo' Rai Cho asked in surprise.
"Fujin?" Shujinko parroted in awe. "The God of Wind Fujin?" He quickly bowed before the deity.
"Rise, Shujinko. There is no need for such reverence."
"Why are you here, Fujin? Your duty is to protect Earthrealm in Raiden's absence."
"In light of the current threat, I believe my power is better used here against Onaga. And besides, you two are not the only ones who seek redemption."
"How many times must I tell you, Liu Kang's death was not your fault!" Bo' Rai Cho insisted. "And the same goes for you, Kai."
"But you may hold yourself accountable for Kung Lao's death?" Fujin snapped back. "And the rest of Raiden's champions?"
Bo' Rai Cho remained silent.
"I appreciate the intent behind your words, but they do not console us. Only atonement can. And we, all four of us, can achieve that atonement here and now by combining our might and destroying the Dragon King for good. Ah, forgive me, Shujinko, Li Mei. These are Kai and Nightwolf. Kai is the apprentice of Liu Kang, trained in the same arts as himself and Bo' Rai Cho's other students. And Nightwolf is the guardian of the Matoka Tribe. Other allies remain on standby in Earthrealm to defend against any incursions from Onaga's forces."
"Then, it is just us six?" Shujinko asked, mortified by the prospect.
"No, we have the backing of Princess Kitana," Bo' Rai Cho claimed.
"Princess Kitana? Master, the princess was among those killed by the sorcerers and revived under Onaga's power. I witnessed her resurrection myself."
"And she remains by his side for the time being," Nightwolf added.
"She... is by his side? Then who... Mileena."
"It seems Mileena has finally fulfilled her purpose as a false Kitana to fool her allies for her emperor," Fujin noted, shaking his head. "How ironic that it is in service to Shao Kahn's former master and not the kahn himself."
"How could I have been such a fool?"
"It happens to the best of us," Kai said comfortingly. "Only reason she didn't fool us back in Edenia was because Liu Kang knew the princess too well to be fooled."
"Kai is correct. Mileena's purpose for existing is to stand in for Kitana. You mustn't be so hard on yourself for being deceived. And not to place any undue blame on young Shujinko, but you are hardly the only one to have been deceived by Onaga's schemes. What matters now is that we work together to put right all that has gone wrong. And between the two of us, a Nightwolf and three students of your arts, I daresay we stand a good chance to liberate Outworld and save all the realms."
"Yes. You are right. As usual. Thank you."
After this, the group began making personal introductions to one another. Shujinko's eyes repeatedly fell on the man known as Nightwolf, which attracted the shaman's attention. "Can I help you?"
"Lord Fujin said you are called... Nightwolf, correct?" Shujinko asked the man cautiously.
"That is correct," the other man responded. "Is something the matter?"
"Forgive me. It is just... I met a woman many years ago who also went by that name."
"A woman... 'Nightwolf' is the title of the guardian of the Matoka. My immediate predecessor was a woman."
"Was?"
"The mantle of Nightwolf is rarely relinquished by any cause but death. Running Fox died defending our lands from governmental overreach seventeen years ago."
"I see. She was a fine warrior and a wise shaman, who helped guide me through a journey of spiritual cleansing. I am sure she brought great honour to your tribe."
"That is kind of you to say, Master Shujinko."
"Please, Nightwolf. I am hardly a master of anything but mistakes. I cannot bear to be given that title until I have undone my colossal failure."
"I shall honour your wish. But I do believe your heart deserves the rank. My predecessor would not have given you the aid you claim she did if she did not sense the potential I sense within you. And your intense desire to put right what you hold yourself accountable for is evidence enough of your noble nature. You deserve a chance at redemption. And when the time comes, you will have it.
Despite himself, Shujinko smiled nostalgically. "You and she have the same way with words. I sense she has found a worthy successor in you."
"And Bo' Rai Cho in you. You may have made mistakes, but you also hold the power to defeat Onaga. I sense it within you, and all the skills and abilities you have acquired through it. Take of my power. The Great Spirit will lend you strength in the coming battle."
"Is this... okay? From the way Running Fox described the Great Spirit and its power, it is clear this power is sacred to your people."
"The power of the Nightwolf exists to defend the Matoka and their land. They are in danger so long as Onaga continues to draw breath. If the power must be shared with an outsider to protect the tribe, then it must be done."
"Then, I am honoured to accept this privilege, Nightwolf. This power will prove very useful in opposing Onaga, if your predecessor's skill was anything to go by."
"Take my power as well, Shujinko," Fujin said as he approached. "Although it will likely not rival my full power, the wind is a mighty ally to have at your back, regardless."
"Liu Kang mixed up Bo' Rai Cho's moves with some he learned from other masters and some he made himself," Kai stated as he also approached. "If you can copy abilities from other people, then hopefully you can make something out of what I learned from him."
"And you can have my power as well," Li Mei added. "Although, I doubt there is much you can gain from me that you didn't already acquire from Master Bo' Rai Cho."
"I am sure he has developed new techniques since I left his dojo four decades ago," Shujinko said with a smile and a hand on Li Mei's shoulder. "There may well be some techniques I can learn from you. And I recall you were already quite skilled long before you met him."
"We've... met before?"
"It was a good many years ago that I visited your village during my quest, so I have surely changed much since then, even if you appear to have barely aged a day. I look forward to seeing your inner developments since that time."
Bo' Rai Cho turned to Fujin. "Speaking of time, we must hurry to Onaga's fortress. If he has all six Kamidogu..."
"We have time yet," Fujin replied calmly. "While you were making your way to Shang Tsung's Palace, Vaeternus was unmerged from Outworld, somehow. Until that realm's Kamidogu reforms, Onaga cannot complete his ritual. That gives us time to gather allies before we assault his citadel."
"But who can we rely on with Raiden and his champions off the table?"
"Sub-Zero and Frost did not make it to the palace. They may still be out there somewhere, especially with the Dragon Medallion augmenting Kuai Liang's abilities."
Bo' Rai Cho nodded solemnly.
"I also have the assurance of the Elder Gods that they have selected a champion to hunt Onaga on their behalf. We may be able to find him and recruit him to our cause."
"You say... they have chosen a champion?" Shujinko spoke up. "When I returned to the Nexus to place Edenia's Kamidogu, I was ambushed by a man calling himself Scorpion who claimed to hold that title."
"Scorpion?" said Kai in shock. "He was on Shinnok's side back in Edenia."
"Although I do not know the details," Fujin explained, "I do know that Scorpion is a man driven by his own code of honour. His service to Shinnok and his prior vow to defend Sub-Zero were both borne of this same code. It would not be difficult for the Elder Gods to recognise this code and offer him a prize that would motivate him to serve them. If we can find him, he will be a valuable asset. And I believe Sonya Blade sent a swordsman to Outworld before she joined up with Raiden's group. We may also find him in this realm."
"I met a skilled swordsman myself some years ago," Shujinko noted. "I wonder if it might be the same man."
"It is possible, though I have never met the man myself, so I cannot rightly say."
"See, Shujinko?" Bo' Rai Cho said with a smirk as he punched his protégé's shoulder. "Contacts. I am sure you have even more. And regardless of how you departed from them, we now have Fujin and Nightwolf to help plead our case."
"I shall provide a list at once," Shujinko said, moving to a nearby scroll and writing down the names of numerous warriors he had met over the many years of his quest, from Kenshi to Ashrah to Havik to Ermac to Dairou to Sindel. Although he was doubtful, he hoped he could gather all of these warriors and more to join their forces, not only to increase their numbers, but also to grant him yet more power to copy so that he could face down his old friend 'Damashi' and save all the realms from his deception.
This is another idea I had while making the "Mortal Kombat Characters' Last Words" video. I forget what specifically inspired it, but that's where the idea came from. One idea that changed was that the previous Nightwolf would have been killed in the previous tournament, but that would've occurred before the quest began, so it didn't fit.
