Hi, I'm back! Sorry for the wait as there's a lot on my mind at the moment. Please enjoy!
Chapter 54
Nash's P.O.V
The figure that Quan Chi summoned from the shadows was in clad black robs, a mask and I noticed the two sickles that were in both of his hands. I knew who this guy was! The one who was the first Sub Zero before the current one with Azril who had gone rogue:
Noob Saibot.
"I know who you are," Azril stated, his eyes focusing on the wraith ninja. "And I know why you and Quan Chi want me but I have to turn down the offer. I have other things to do than become a mindless revenant or carry out the dirty deeds."
Riana and I were this close to attack the black wraith when he brought out his sickle but Quan Chi raised his hand.
"Hmmm, you are very articulate and observant, dear boy," he commented. "No matter, I will still get you. Noob Saibot, get him."
This was when Azril was locked into a fight with the black wraith while my sister was still dealing with Jade who began to attack like a tigress on the prowl. Ermac was really handling Kitana with ease despite the revenant princess using her fan blades to create a gust of wind.
I guessed Ermac knew and used it to his advantage.
"As for you, boy," Quan Chi grabbed me by the ankle with the help of his necromancy. "I never thought I would find some use for you. But I have heard a lot about you, Nash. Trifling with women more than the emperor with his concubines?"
I said nothing because I'm sick and tired of people reminding me! Do they want me to carry this guilt for the rest of my life.
"I know what you're trying to do," I spoke quietly, holding the urge to beat the living shit out of him. "You want me to permanently break Kitana and Jade's trust in me."
Quan Chi nodded before chanting something that almost ripped the lower part of my legs. I struggled from those deadly hands coming our from the ground, feeling the blood. I better not have sand or anything rubbed into the wounds!
Whatever it is, I must break both of the Edenian ladies from this necromancer's control.
As usual, it's not Mortal Kombat without another fight. Quan Chi decided to fight me while I pray that Riana and Azril are alive in this bloodbath.
I used my hammer to swing at the oncoming hands, my eyes were too focused on the bald sorcerer. If I take him out here, there is a chance about us getting back to the surface. I don't want to be down here forever!
But Quan Chi had done something I did not expect:
He basically summoned more undead soldiers and warriors from the ground!
I'm starting to get tired of grinding my way with these guys instead of the main boss. So blindly, I began to swing and even use what ever muscle I have in my body to pummel whatever's in my way. I'm getting overwhelmed...I-
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" a shrill yet sultry voice shrieked. My jaws dropped when I saw who it was and I'm feeling a bit hot under the shirt.
Mileena was here and she brought the duo Ferra/Torr with her!
The duo were charging all over the undead army, at least knocking Kitana and Jade down so that it will buy us time to recover. Torr, that brute of a man decided to slam down Kitana before clobbering her face brutally like the Hulk. Ferra has leaped out from Torr's back before landing on top of Jade. She then proceeds to slash her in a frenzy!
"Wha-" Before Quan Chi could process what was going on, I went for the kill.
It sounds crazy that an average teenage boy like me is going all out on a powerful necromancer but this is for everything! My friends, this world, our chance of going home...
Besides the hammer, I used everything that I have to beat him up. What's more relieving was that Mileena decided to help me by using her twin sais to jab Quan Chi in the torso before using her high heels to crush the most vital regions.
"Shall we do this together, Nash?" Mileena asked with glee in her tone. I smiled, nodding before the both of us decided to bond through beating up Quan Chi.
...
"Well, this is unexpected," Riana let out a breath of relief. Quan Chi was beaten to a pulp where I can hardly recognise his face. Hell, I don't think he can move now that Mileena tore off his ligaments and his ability to conjure up magic spells.
Ermac had bound Noob Saibot upside down while Azril was... practicing his dagger skills on the wraith. He was the only one left in this hellhole so it's best that he talks about Shao Kahn's plans. Ferra and Torr were also keeping themselves busy by...
Breaking the spell from Kitana and Jade...
Don't ask me what they had done but at least I didn't ask my sister to make another ram go into heat.
"Nash..." Jade breathes heavily. I am trying to compose myself since both the Edenian princess and general are nude.
"What is she doing here?" Kitana demanded, narrowing her eyes at Mileena's direction. The Tarkatan princess just bared her fangs and snarled.
"At least I'm not the one naked in a place full of fire and undead creatures~" Mileena purred in amusement. "Shame that you and Jade fell from grace after Nash was banished."
Not wanting the three Edenian women to be nude throughout the Netherrealm, we decide to let them wear our tops. Us three guys I mean...
I wonder what Kristina sees in Ermac now that he removes his cloak: He's almost skeleton-like! Don't get me started on how Azril may be lean but those muscles...
Enough about that! Something needs to be done about Noob Saibot and what does he know of Shao Kahn's plans.
It was agreed among us that Jade and Riana would interrogate Noob Saibot while Ermac holds him down.
...
Riana crossed her arms as Jade was interrogating Noob Saibot. I guessed she's standing there with Kurt on her shoulder in case he needs a jab but is it really necessary?
"I'm slightly impress, Nash," Kitana stood beside me as we watched Jade and Riana interrogate Noob Saibot. "You somehow managed to make Mileena and the symbiote work together without a bloodbath. Still, I'm not considering that monster for a sister."
"Kitana!" Sindel hushed her daughter. "Although I may agree with you but if this is our only way to escape the Netherrealm, then we must tolerate."
Mileena crossed her arms, smirking at the comments.
"I'm surprised that you work with Mileena," Azril commented at both Ferra and Torr. He was cleaning his daggers.
"We want to save friends!" Ferra told him proudly. Friends? She considered us as friends? Torr grunted an agreement. I hope that's what he is saying...
"But how are we going to get back?" I asked. "Sindel, you know how to teleport. Do you think it's enough for all of us to escape?"
The old Edenian queen pondered at the thought. I had to give her my top since she has the most filled out if you ask me!
"True but this is the Netherrealm," said Sindel. "The powers here are much stronger than ours. We need to know what information Jade has extracted out of Noob Saibot."
Azril became quiet as the rest of us were chatting to come up with something. I wonder if he's disappointed at the fact that he fought the brother of his mentor? I bet he might tell Sub Zero about this encounter.
I think out of all of us, Azril must have went through a lot from his home life to the point he was turned into a cyborg.
Just then, Jade and Riana returned, both of them looked like they were thrown into a tiger pit. Riana's glasses were askew, her hair was fluffed from stressed while Jade...
She looked exactly as she was when she fought Tanya in the tournament.
"What happened?" I asked, trying to make sense of our situation.
"Noob Saibot was slippery," Riana reported, bringing Kurt out of her top. He's been hiding in there this whole time? But then I realised something.
Where was Ermac?
"Was Ermac with you?"
"When that wraith decided to teleport," Jade explained, her heels clicked as she leaned against her glowing bojutsu. "Ermac went with him. To be honest, I don't know if we should trust him considering his servitude to Shao Kahn and the sorcerer."
"But Ermac has been helpful to us," I insisted. "If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have found the Tarkatan camp to convince Baraka to join our side. Plus, he knows the insides of Shao Kahn's fortress."
But the Edenians, especially Kitana does not look convinced by my explanation.
"Nash," Kitana began. "I have known Ermac for years now and I will warn you that he changes sides just as much as that scum of a mercenary named Erron Black. When the revelation of Shao Kahn was not my father and everything else, I..."
There was no more to be said. If Kitana wants a fight to see if we allow Ermac into this mission. After experiencing what Ermac could do and my encounters with the construct, I would say that he is on neutral terms with the whole war going on.
Tough luck for Kristina if she hears about this!
So, it was decided that Kitana and I will spar in the meantime. I know that our life's on the line but what can we do? Mileena and Ferra/Torr were teleported here because Quan Chi. I want to prove to everyone that I'm not the same guy that was exiled for what I did.
And I was going to prove on everyone just that!
...
3rd P.O.V
Ermac was at risk of losing himself.
The struggle between him and Noob Saibot in an inter dimensional space was starting to wear him down. Now Ermac was a neutral believer but he does acknowledged the existence of the Elder Gods who started the tournaments.
He has never had a dimension-within-dimension fight with anyone before, from Noob Saibot's portals to his own teleporting abilities. He has an idea of where he might be dragged into but he mentally screamed for his souls to cooperate for once!
The last time they will ever cooperate was when Kristina or that mercenary Erron Black were involved.
"Give up, construct!" the raspy voice from the wrath growled, having the sickle slowly pierced Ermac's delicate neck like a guillotine.
"Rest in pieces, otherworldly entity," Ermac echoed with the multiple souls joining into his voice before using the glowing green energy that surrounded his body. He was going to break out of this purgatory and he knew exactly where he was going to send his enemy.
Meanwhile at the Lin Kuei temple, Grandmaster Sub Zero was readying his men and Frost into combat. They were going to help Azril and his friends defeat Shao Kahn's army with the help of their fully grown dragons.
He gave a sad glance at Frost, who was more agitated and frustrated than the rest of the members. He knew why: Azril. His disciple was doing the best he could without asking for help, which troubled the grandmaster. From how he observed Azril since his arrival, he has little to no emotion about things yet his eyes held a hint of exhaustion or sadness.
The only time he has ever caught Azril off guard was if he was praised for his actions. He never probed into the matter of asking him if there was something on his mind. That young man deserves such compliments and he was proud of the fact that both him and Frost were getting along.
Getting along too well~
Suddenly, a purple-green portal opened in front of him and his clan, making everyone readying themselves into a fighting stance. He watched as two figures emerged into the dojo, wrestling each other with two different energies.
"Ermac?!"
"No...it can't be..."
"Brother?" Sub Zero's voice became a hushed whisper at the sight of what used to be the former member of the Lin Kuei. When he was young, Kuai Liang has always looked up to Bi Han before his corruption. Seeing his once brother in this state really broke Sub Zero's heart.
But he had other ideas on this matter!
If the wraith was here, he might also know Shao Kahn's plans and the whereabouts of his own disciple with his friends.
With a blast of ice emitting from his hands, Sub Zero has frozen the two fighters in an icy lock. Ermac's glowing green eyes blinked when he noticed the grandmaster's presence.
"Azril and the Edenian women are in the Netherrealm," Ermac reported, his hands not leaving Noob Saibot. "So are the other two Disciples and the symbiote called Ferra/Torr."
"Grandmaster!" Frost approached the grandmaster hastily. "We gotta get them out of there now! They could be dead! Azril could be dead!"
But Sub Zero was pondering at the sight of what was once his brother. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he decided that half of his men could go fetch Bo Rai Cho and some of the members from the Lotus temple to assist them in this war. He specifically told one of them about getting Master Hasashi and the Shirai Ryu on their side as well.
"But what about-"
"We will get to there," he interrupted Frost. "I need you to be patient with this. If we save them now, it would be what Shao Kahn wanted. He wants to merge all realms into one for his conquer, right? He wouldn't just want us to simply waltz in to save what he intended as bait."
"Azril is bait?" Frost repeated those words, her eyes full of concern and worry for the disciple she grew to love. Sub Zero patted her shoulder.
"I know you worry for Azril and I am too. But we need to take down most of Shao Kahn's army and lackeys before they overwhelmed us. Azril is a logical young man who could get himself and his friend out of the situation. Although he is not a cryomancer like you or me, we need to put faith in him."
Frost sighed but nodded hesitantly.
"Ermac," Sub Zero approached the construct, whose glowing green eyes gazed up at him. "Whose side are you on?"
"We served and follow whoever is worthy of the Kahn title," Ermac replied. "Shao Kahn and his successor Mileena are going to make the realms imbalance with their unhinged logic. We are tethering towards the Osh Tekk, K'oatal."
Sub Zero thought about it for a moment before releasing Ermac from his icy prison while Noob Saibot was kept in his. Ermac began to levitate, eyeing Sub Zero carefully.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Ermac," he nodded. "You need to teleport to where K'oatal is and try to get the remaining Disciples out. Were you planning on anything else?"
"Not in particular..."
Sub Zero was suspicious of the answer but decided not to dwell too much into it.
From there, Ermac teleported himself to where the Osh Tekk was while Sub Zero needed something from what was once his brother.
...
"Nash is getting stronger," Riana commented while she watched her own brother fighting Kitana with such focus. Kurt has decided to lay on her lap this time. What was even interesting was that Mileena was not trying to rip her apart.
"Well, he's not into dear sister~" Mileena purred, petting the bearded dragon. "It's good to know that he's got his head somewhere but..."
"But what?" Riana turned her head towards the Tarkatan princess, one gloved hand clenched in case something happens.
"I wouldn't mind," Mileena began, flashing her fangs at the young woman. "If Nash and I have a little skin party if this war is over..."
Riana realised what she meant by that and covered her mouth to hide her red cheeks. She wondered if Azril knew what she meant since he was next to her, polishing his daggers while talking abruptly to Torr.
"Anyways, Riana, I am glad we have move on past the eating phase," Mileena stood up. "I've been thinking about visiting your world but all of you are unsure about how you were dragged here in the first place?"
"It's true," answered Azril, not taking his eyes off his dagger. "I figured it is Shang Tsung but now that we're stuck here, I don't know."
Riana knew Bryan has been trying to get into other dimensions but maybe his technology isn't enough. There needs to be something more. The longer Riana has been in Mortal Kombat, the more doubts she has about going home.
"You look troubled," Mileena commented, inching closer to Riana, much to her discomfort. "Was it this upcoming war or he didn't take it well?"
Riana blinked, caught off-guard by Mileena's question. Azril stopped polishing his dagger to listen and even little Kurt had his head perked up.
"I'm sorry?"
"Reptile," Mileena giggled. "Don't tell me you and him are not together now because you are carrying something~ Something that's both a curse and a blessing..."
"Impossible," Azril shook his head. "Riana and Reptile are both of different species. It's unlikely that she is pregnant."
"I'd rather not discuss this!" Riana replied hotly. "Syzoth and I were very careful with this. Besides Azril's answer, getting pregnant in a time like this would be a death sentence for me."
Suddenly, the ground shook once more, making the young woman got on her feet quickly. Was this another of Shang Tsung's sorcery? She thought that Quan Chi was already dead due to her brother and Mileena's tag-team effort?
Before Riana knew it, she was engulfed by a dark force, her vision became blurry and her mouth unable to scream for help...
Riana...are you sure about that?
Well, Nash is the leader of the Disciples, despite Azril and Riana are supposed to be the oldest. In case you guys are wondering their age, here it is!
Nash: 17
Kristina: 18
Bryan: 15-16 child prodigy
Riana: 20
Azril: 21-22
Next chapter, there will be steam and it's hotter than a sauna!