Author's Note: My apologies getting this damn chapter written and uploaded. I just noticed it's been nearly two months since I last updated. I blame it on just being really busy this summer. Actually, it's really because writing fight scenes is immensely challenging, and if I get distracted in any way, shape, or form, it's all over for me. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. I'd love to know what you think!
Following the directions of the Edenian scouting party, Reiko and his allies silently closed in on the Fire Gardens, the sacred home of the Shirai Ryu and the place where the General would find his prize. As he had in Arctika, he took care to eliminate the yellow-clad warriors patrolling the territory so nobody could warn the Grandmaster of his impending doom. The army traveled on foot in silence, moving as quietly as they could; the Tarkatans possessed many strengths, but stealth was not high on that list. Around them were forty Edenians, the most that could be spared for this particular mission. And at the head of the slowly advancing forces walked the General himself, accompanied by his minions, Rain and Sub-Zero, and Havik, his lips and fingers moving in eldritch incantations. It was a simple spell - one to cloak the company in a thick mist under a rainy sky, making them all but invisible in the damp haze - but extending it over an entire army at once, while on the move, was proving tricky for the ancient Cleric. Despite their difficulties, they grew ever closer to the Temple, step by soft and careful step. Until Reiko, peering intently through the fog, finally managed to get his first glimpse of what lay ahead.
He'd known the enemy forces were numerous - the scouts' reports had been explicit on that point, to say nothing of his knowledge from his last visit to attack the Shirai Ryu - but it still came as something of a jolt to see so many adults and children scattered around the tiny valley. Without actually taking the time to count, he estimated that roughly one hundred of the yellow-clad warriors were fully grown men, and almost twice that were children and teenagers, all of them diligently training in various spots around the Temple proper. Reiko estimated at least another hundred adults were inside either the Temple or the sprawling cavern in the cliff wall behind it where Scorpion once housed his men.
"Thoughts, General?" Rain, who now stood at his left side, asked.
"Until we know otherwise," Reiko replied, "we will operate under the assumption that these are not the only Shirai Ryu in the region. This place is more vulnerable than Arctika was, so I doubt we will encounter a prolonged engagement, however I want you to establish a perimeter guard if we are drawn into one. I do not want to be surprised by the other Earthrealm Champions."
"I thought much the same," the Hydromancer replied. "We must also prevent them from calling for assistance like they did in Arctika."
"Agreed," Reiko said. He now looked at Sub-Zero, who had remained completely silent - a side effect of the Blood Magik - to his right. "We should hit them from all sides," he said to his slave. "We must keep them from setting up any defensive lines or organizing to resist us in unity." He narrowed his eyes and focused them on the Cryomancer's blue ones. "Let none survive, Kuai Liang," he told him. "Kill everyone. And I want you to personally stop them from calling the other Earthrealm Champions for help. You have the greatest knowledge of Earthrealm technology, my friend. Do not fail me."
"It will be done as you have commanded," the Grandmaster robotically replied.
"Good." He smiled a faint but wolfish grin as he looked back on the valley below. "Rain, divide the army into four units to attack from each direction. I want you, Kuai Liang, and Havik to lead them in order to keep the Shirai Ryu distracted."
"And will you be leading the fourth?"
"For a short time," he replied and then looked at the Hydromancer with an impish grin. "My work is far too important and I will be fighting as little as possible. But when we reach the heart of the valley, I trust you three to handle the warriors who remain while I find Earthrealm's kamidogu."
Rain bristled at that, but said nothing more on the matter.
Now Reiko looked forward again. "Gentlemen, we outnumber the Shirai Ryu, but do not make the mistake of underestimating them in combat. They are extremely adept, taught and led by one of the most ferocious warriors Earthrealm ever produced. Even the children should be treated as an extreme threat." He paused, looked from Rain to Sub-Zero, and back to the valley again. "And keep Scorpion away from me. I do not need to be distracted by him as I look for my prize. Kill him."
His men nodded and then went to divide up the army as Reiko instructed. Meanwhile, the General looked at his Cleric. "My patience is running thin, Havik. I need her back."
"As you well know, my friend, I must wait for the proper time to cast the spell," the other replied. "The stars have to be in a specific alignment-"
"Yes, yes," he waved his hand in annoyance. "I know all of that. Just do it."
Havik bowed his head in acquiescence then joined the others to begin their attack.
The sun, obscured by the cloud cover like it was, began to set by the time all four units were in position and ready to march onto the Shirai Ryu Temple, but it scarcely mattered. Two of the greatest warriors in all the Realms, joined by a Chaosrealm Cleric and arguably one of the best Generals ever to have lived, laid siege to an army of warriors that never stood a chance to begin with. Magical energies and mystic powers blasted through Scorpion's forces as the Tarkatan horde surged over the valley like a swarm of deadly locusts. Around the edges, the Shirai Ryu foolish enough to stray from their comrades found themselves peppered into chunks by volley after volley from the ranks of the Edenians manning the war engines. Unable to fire back - naturally, none of these fighters, who were mostly children, were equipped with any sort of a gun or cannon of their own - they ran for shelter within the shallow ravines that crisscrossed the plain only to die quick deaths.
The Tarkatans' armswords, which had been decorated in various colorful patterns and carvings, sliced through flesh as easily as parchment. Sub-Zero's kori warhammer whirled in murderous arcs, detonating anything unfortunate enough to meet with the blunt head it boasted on one side, often piercing two or three Shirai Ryu at a time with the bill on the other. Rain wielded his storm sword with deadly precision, often interjecting his powers into the battle to lift men in the air in a bubble of water, letting them drown midair before releasing them. Havik casually walked through the melee, swinging his morning star at people's heads, crumpling them in like a tin can, and moaning in immense pleasure every time one of the yellow-clad warriors got lucky enough to wound him back.
The ground was damp and slippery, equal parts mud and blood. The Shirai Ryu, particularly the younger, inexperienced ones who'd yet to set foot on a battlefield, stumbled about like newborn deer first learning to walk. Rain coldly watched a teenager stumble over a corpse, his tabi boots sliding and churning the earth, and for a moment the Hydromancer merely shook his head in disbelief at how inexperienced the boy was. By the time he was this age, he'd already participated in three separate battles against Cryomancer raiders. He quickly cut the boy down with his storm sword then lifted his weapon over his head and shouted, "For Edenia!" Other Edenian voices took up the cry, rallying his countrymen to fight ever harder.
Reiko, elsewhere in the battle, dropped the point of his scythe at the last possible second and drove a lance formed from the ether through the chest of a man in a yellow tunic, lifting him completely off his feet until at last, he let it collapse and he tumbled to the ground. He gave him no extra thought as he stepped over his corpse and towards a small child who stood in the middle of the melee, crying. The General saw through his flesh and organs to the soul that glowed in hues of green in his vision, and watched his heart rapidly pump blood through his body. Innocent was his first thought, but easy target ran a close second. Quickly, he stretched forth his powers and, with a simple flick of his wrist, he stole the boy's soul and was already drinking in the intoxicating and rejuvenating energy of youth before he continued on his path to the Temple.
At the same time Reiko was sucking the life from the five-year-old, a spear thudded against Havik's shield, but he scarcely noticed. He stalked towards the heart of the valley as well, slashing down at every foe he passed with his morning star. Dimly, he heard cheers from the Shirai Ryu further inside the battlefield when their beloved Grandmaster Hanzo set numerous Tarkatans on fire with a single, hellish breath. In response, Havik charged over a yellow-clad archer, opened a spearman from shoulder to armpit with one of his many knives, and smashed a man in the face with all the weight of his morning star and arm and charging body. He took off half the man's head. The shock of the blow sent pleasurable jolts through his body, and he groaned like a man embraced by the arms of a beautiful woman.
But Sub-Zero felt nothing but surging power as he paused for a moment and watched the scene unfold around him. Shirai Ryu were crawling up the river, men burned and bleeding, coughing up water, staggering, most dying. He led his unit onto them, delivering quick deaths to those who could not stand, with those who could running from his creeping ice. They seemed little things, to him, fearful and weak. One particularly big brute made a stand against him, however, and he easily eviscerated him with a single swipe of a kori sword. Behind him, the Edenians and Tarkatans began to chant "Cryomancer! Cryomancer!" as he stomped on, unmoved by their cries.
Once Reiko's minions had succeeded in tearing down the Shirai Ryu's defenses, the Fire Gardens were quickly besieged. He wished he could see the look on Scorpion's face as the Tarkatans ravaged his ancient, ancestral homelands just as Quan Chi had done years prior. But the General did not pity the Grandmaster. Behind everyone's bad luck, he knew, was their own stupidity and laziness. Scorpion, for all his prowess as a warrior and teacher, was foolish not to reinforce his defenses when he'd had the chance, and instead had relied once again on the natural obstacles to shield his lands from attack. He was far too trusting. Once more, this trust proved to be his undoing.
Reiko, no longer hindered by any real competition, broke into a run towards the remains of the old Temple built into the cliff face when he cast his locating spell to find the treasure he sought. Drawing deep within, he put on a burst of speed, sprinting faster than he ever had towards the opening. The wall loomed before him, growing ever closer. But Reiko didn't so much as slow. Instead, his scythe sliced through flesh as easily as parchment, whirling in murderous arcs, destroying anyone unfortunate enough to meet its sharp blade. He waded through the thickest of the enemy, letting kunai spears and katanas rebound impotently from his armor. His scythe rose and fell with an almost monotonous precision, leaving only carnage in its wake. It flashed each time fire glinted off its weathered steel.
Just outside the imposing walls of the ancient Temple, the General looked within the shadowy hollows in determination, ignoring the sounds of shrieking and fighting behind him. Years ago, Raiden had entrusted Scorpion with protecting Earthrealm's kamidogu, undoubtedly believing that the Grandmaster could protect it better than any of the other Champions. But his faith in his friend was misplaced. The warrior hadn't created any elaborate wards or spells to deter potential thieves. He'd merely hidden it away in a place no one would think to look. Calmly, Reiko raised both arms to the sky, his eyes sliding shut in concentration, as he focused his thoughts, his mind racing through the rocky caverns and darkened corridors, probing them with his powers, his spell pointing him to one definitive conclusion.
With a wolfish grin, he marched inside.
"IN THE NAME OF THE SHIRAI RYU, I WILL KILL YOU, LIN KUEI DOG!"
In the midst of the battle, Sub-Zero's head snapped around, hunting the source of that youthful voice, and saw a young man barely more than a teenager appear between two trees. Unlike most of the warriors here who were of one Asian descent or another, this one had black skin stretched over a large, menacing frame bulging with well-defined muscles. Rage twisted his expression into a scowl and made his clenched fists shake uncontrollably. He'd have been infinitely more frustrated to know that his threat didn't so much as phase the Cryomancer.
"My name is Fox," he snarled, "and I will take your head to Grandmaster Hasashi on a platter!"
Sub-Zero now dispassionately watched the young warrior stomp towards him, but he wasted no time forming a kori axe with his powers. Wielding it high over his head, he heaved it down with all the force he could muster to eliminate the threat. His muscles rippled with energy as the weapon sailed on a collision course for Fox's head.
And then, with barely enough time to spare, the Shirai Ryu skirted out of the way and landed to the side just as the axe slammed into the dirt, wedging itself upright. Fox wasted no time throwing a kunai spear back at the Cryomancer, but, having already recovered from his missed shot, Sub-Zero calmly plucked it from its course. His surging blue power immediately raced up the rope as he yanked on it, tugging the warrior straight into his boot. An ugly crunch filled the air. Around them, frozen rope threads broke and glittered to the ground like glass. Fox, meanwhile, stunned by the blow to his chest, crashed onto the ground on his back with a pained groan.
While Sub-Zero marched towards him, the young warrior heaved himself to all fours, grimacing from the fire scorching his lungs. The Cryomancer stepped into a knee strike aimed at the Shirai Ryu's ribs, but was stunned when the young man lashed out with rigid fingers and hit a pressure point on his inner thigh. He immediately dropped to his knee as pain zinged through his nerves. While he was distracted, Fox yanked a katana from his hip and leaped at his enemy from a crouch on the ground.
Once again, Sub-Zero proved too quick for him. Immediately, he leaped to the side as the sword hacked downward and barely missed him a second time. Now the Shirai Ryu growled because his weapon bounced off the ground and accidentally slipped from his fingers. As the warrior scrambled for it, Sub-Zero ran behind his enemy, whirled gracefully around, and sliced into his back muscles with his own kori sword. The young man reared back and punched the Cryomancer in the chest with his other hand.
The air instantly left the Grandmaster's lungs as his old rib injuries from many years prior screamed in protest. He fell into a nearby tree with a hard crack and then slumped to the ground while the man twisted around and booted him in the chest a split second later. Fire crackled through his body and he wheezed and gasped for air. Fox watched him heave in pain and chuckled in satisfaction.
"Do you and your pathetic friends really think you can defeat the Shirai Ryu in our own home?" he sneered. His voice was decidedly deep.
He swung his katana, which he'd already recovered, at the Cryomancer again, but his target quickly rolled out of the way before it hit him. Fox stumbled forward and groaned, startled by his opponent's lithe movements, but was not so stunned that he didn't see the ball of glowing blue energy flying towards his head. He caught the ice ball with his blade like a batter hitting a home run. Suddenly, a pained howl escaped him as a blue-white frost instantly consumed the weapon and frostbit his hands. Instantly, his katana shattered like glass.
Infuriated, Fox charged after the Cryomancer again, but at the last possible second, Sub-Zero leaped into the air and kicked him in the back. Though the blow didn't have enough momentum to hurt him, it had enough force to make his enemy flail into a tree. He roared like a lion as he whirled around to face him, and then he lunged at him. This time, Sub-Zero threw his hand and all his powers towards the Shirai Ryu. Immediately, his cryogenic energy became an icy spear that lodged itself so hard into Fox's ribs that it pinned him to the tree trunk like a moth in an entomologist's box. The warrior groaned as his hands wrapped around the makeshift weapon. Blood bloomed at the corners of his mouth and trickled like little rivers down his chin.
Sub-Zero, meanwhile, had already wrapped his icy hands around his victim's neck and let his powers flow into his body. Instantly, the Cryomancer felt the man's skin turn to a thick layer of bluish ice, and he punched him directly in the chest. The ice shattered beneath his knuckles and gave way to his heart and lungs, both of which immediately solidified into blocks of ice that exploded underneath his fist's powerful momentum. In less than a second, his hand broke through the man's spine and back, but Fox was long dead by then.
Emotionless, he backed away from his kill, but then a column of flames exploded behind him a moment before a sharp weapon raced through the air and plunged through his thick blue tunic. With a violent jerk, it yanked him backward.
"Get over here!" a demonic voice roared as Sub-Zero flailed helplessly along on the rope like a fish on a hook. Quickly, a kori sword formed in his hands and he chopped through the cord. His body rolled to a stop at the feet of his attacker.
Above him was a very familiar figure clad in the black and yellow ninja garb of the Shirai Ryu. His face was free of its mask but shrouded by a thick beard, and faint wrinkles and lines had begun to form at the edges of his eyes. Fire burned within them, begging to be set free.
"Kuai Liang, what have you done?" he demanded to know. If the Cryomancer had some semblance of feeling left in his heart, he would've heard the unmistakable sadness and disappointment in his old friend's voice. But there was nothing, only the mission. Reiko's mission. And his heart was unmoved.
Without a word, he did a kip-up and poised to fight the Grandmaster of the Shirai Ryu. Apparently recognizing that his friend was lost to him, Scorpion threw another kunai blade at Sub-Zero, but this time the Cryomancer dove to the side and sprayed a cloud of ice crystals at his attacker. Small like glittering diamond chips, the shards of ice were razor sharp and abundant. Yet the Grandmaster calmly threw up his arms in response, and as he did a wall of fire burst from the ground and shielded him. The ice melted instantly, evaporating into steam and wafting through the air on a thick cloud of smoke.
Sub-Zero's elusion of the fire didn't bother Scorpion, though, who jumped into a backwards spin kick that caught the Cryomancer in the face. An explosion of white hot stars rained through his eyes as he collapsed to the ground in a heap, but he didn't waste time before he did yet another kip-up. As his vision cleared, he stepped into a roundhouse kick to the ribs that forced the Shirai Ryu to stumble backwards a bit. While his enemy was off balance, Sub-Zero back-fisted him across his jaw, breaking a tooth as a spurt of blood exploded over Hanzo's lips. Wasting no time, he then threw another punch straight into the other's eye orbit.
But before he landed his punch, Scorpion grabbed his wrist and wrenched it around. With lightning fast reflexes, he coiled his arm around Sub-Zero's, locking his opponent's elbow at a weird angle before he clasped his fingers around his neck, jerked him down, and kneed him in the face. Then he threw him to the ground with a determined grunt. The Shirai Ryu now charged towards his body on the ground, but the Cryomancer was ready for him. He drew his legs to his chest, and when Scorpion was in range, he mule-kicked him in the shins. His attacker immediately cried out in pain as he stumbled backwards, giving Sub-Zero time to jump to his feet and side-kick the warrior in the kidney.
Scorpion coughed and sucked down air, clawing at his chest as he collapsed and tried to breathe again. The Cryomancer used the opportunity to lunge at him with his newly formed kori sword to stab him through the chest, but Hanzo immediately rolled out of the way. As the sharp blade bounced off dirt, he swept Sub-Zero off his feet and then drove his elbow to his face. As he then leaped to his feet, kipping up, he threw a fireball at his enemy. The Cryomancer promptly dodged it, and neither warrior cared when it hit a tree and lit it up like a candle. To avoid the attack, Sub-Zero fell backwards through his icy portal, emerging on the other side of him to sucker punch him. But Scorpion was not fooled. He caught the Cryomancer by the tunic with his katanas and effortlessly flung him towards the fire.
With a frustrated grunt, Sub-Zero recovered his balance and rushed Scorpion, throwing a punch that the other easily deflected. Now he threw a reverse punch followed by a front snap kick. This time, Hanzo caught his foot and shoved him back before he gracefully stepped into a backward spin kick that sent the other flying. Relentlessly, he followed and threw his own punch that the Cryomancer blocked. Then Sub-Zero grabbed Scorpion's arm and twisted it behind him until he had him caught in a bear hug. With a furious shout of his own, the Shirai Ryu ran backwards with his enemy on his shoulder, and drove him into the first hard thing he could: a tree.
The Cryomancer undoubtedly expected to die at his old friend's hands, so when Scorpion backed away uneasily, hesitating to kill him, he stared at him blankly with his lost, blue eyes. Clearly, Hanzo thought a mutual understanding had passed between them, and perhaps he'd even reached him, so when Sub-Zero unexpectedly sucker-punched him in the jaw, he was totally caught off guard.
As he fell to the ground, pain surged through his face. But the other wasn't done. Scorpion started to kip-up, but the Cryomancer stopped him when he stomped on his opponent's chest and pressed him down into the ground while he twirled his kori sword gracefully over his head and around his body. When he finally acted, he plunged his weapon straight down. It plunged high into Scorpion's chest with a loud squelch and a large splatter of blood. Hanzo's eyes bulged in surprise and pain, but they quickly rolled into the back of his head and slid shut. A single tear rolled from the innermost corner.
Sub-Zero studied the man for a second, convinced he was dead, and for a moment, his soul flexed in a strange, uncomfortable way that he didn't particularly like. But it was gone as fast as it had come, and he had already moved on, this time to find Reiko.
When he was gone, Hanzo, in immense pain, opened his eyes and managed to drag his hands to a pocket within his yellow robes. His fingers weakly brushed against the hard casing and slowly curled around the rectangular shape, pulling it out. It was his satellite phone. His vision faded in and out and he groaned as he began pressing numbers to call for help. All the while, he inwardly prayed to the Elder Gods that help would find him before it was too late.
Within the ancient Temple, a perfectly geometric octagon dais awaited him, and on it stood a throne decorated with scores of finely carved scorpions. Reiko remembered this place, he mused as he crossed the room and sat upon it for a minute. This was where he'd fought and distracted Scorpion while Skarlet stormed through, questing for the young Takeda. He'd beaten the Grandmaster soundly, and only let him live so that he could deliver his message to the Earthrealm Champions. The General sat on that throne for a moment, pondering that afternoon, but then he quickly decided the seat was quite uncomfortable and hastily got to his feet again.
Directly across from the dais and the throne was the real thing that interested him anyway. Looming above him was a larger-than-life scorpion chipped completely from onyx with eight crab-like legs and bulbous, threatening claws as big as he was. The tail sharply curved over its body and abruptly ended in a stinger that easily could've made a decent scythe for one of his weapons. All told, it was an impressive statute, but it was a twin pair of amber eyes nestled into its impenetrable armor that called to him. One eye in particular set his nerves into anxious tingles as his locating spell alerted him to the kamidogu's presence.
Reiko approached the massive scorpion statue at a casual pace, and as he moved, he sensed the beating heartbeat of Earthrealm's kamidogu steadily growing stronger as he got closer to the gigantic amber eye. He noticed that, imprisoned within the eight polished gemstones, there were real scorpions colored beige and black. The amber hiding the secret compartment didn't swing open to allow ingress; rather, it faded almost completely from sight when the General touched it with his magical powers, leaving only a wavering mirage in its place. As best he could describe the sensation of passing through those phantom bars, it felt like reaching through a waterfall without getting wet.
He tsked at the ease of retrieving this sacred artifact, even as his fingers curled around the stone blade and carefully pulled it from its hole.
"My, my, Scorpion," he quietly said to himself as he looked at the dagger, which was wrapped haphazardly in an old cloth. "I'm very disappointed in you."
Now, he was suddenly alerted to the presence of someone new, but without looking, he could sense his identity. "How do our forces fare, Kuai Liang?" he softly asked before he faced his slave and smiled a dangerous grin.
"We have defeated the Shirai Ryu," he reported.
"And what of your old friend? What of Hanzo Hasashi?"
"He is dead," he said. "I killed him."
"You have done well," he praised the Cryomancer. Then he held up Earthrealm's kamidogu for him to see. "But I'm afraid our work is not done. Our next enemies won't be so easily defeated. Are you up to the challenge?"
"I am," he replied. His voice was quite empty and robotic, Reiko thought. He preferred it this way.
"Good," he smiled, now curling his fist around his prize. "I have turned my sights to Netherrealm."
MKDemigodZ-Warrior, I enjoyed MK11 well enough, but I had a lot of bones of contention with it. I'm just really upset that they made Sub-Zero share his chapter with Scorpion, and then they gave Scorpion a second chapter of his own. WTF?! Also, the story was a little iffy. Time travel? Really? It felt like a huge cop-out to erase the mistakes Ed Boon and company made with MK9 when they killed off most of the characters in their reboot.
DannyPhantom619, totally tubular, dude ;)
Esha Napoleon, thank you!
ROCuevas, and thank God for that. I hated the idea that they killed Kenshi like that.
Westcoast Witchdoctor, oh, yeah, the face-off between Subby and Kabal is going to be tense. At least, that's my plan for it. I'm glad you liked the part with Bi-han and Tomas. I kind of wanted to show how Tomas felt now that the tables were turned. And yes, I've used "Dynamic Douches" several times since then, and I've leveled it at several of my inmates when they want to flood my tier with toilet water.
SpinoGuy Productions, I'm glad to see your reviews, and I'm very flattered you think that way. I, too, got annoyed with the same old tropes done terribly. So I've worked very hard to make them realistic and relatable, and treat them in a way most won't treat OCs. Do I always succeed? I'm sure I've made plenty of mistakes. But I think they've come out pretty well throughout the years. I'm glad you like the idea of making Sub-Zero the antagonist - albeit unwillingly. It just seemed like a great way to turn the happy family on their head. And Smoke in charge? You and I are both going to be equally surprised by what antics ensue from that. Thanks again for the lovely reviews :)