Ashrah followed behind Kotal Kahn, her eyes set far ahead of him, however. He was eager to get to the end of this long and arduous journey, but he did not realize the number of steps he'd have to take, that she had yet to disclose. So, together, the walked on from the small village of twenty, now nineteen.
The sky above them had a red haze, almost like dawn or dusk on Earth near the eclipse of a storm. Each moment felt like it would rain, or thunder, or something would up and grab them, but that was how it felt to live in the Nether Realm.
The cracked and salted earth beneath their feet peeled away at Kotal Kahn's leather boots borrowed from Earth Realm, and the more thin and durable boots Ashrah wore carried her faster as the day progressed. Day, of course, was just a word and had no true meaning in this realm.
Sparse words were spoken, and usually just to direct Kotal Kahn forward with turns that would lead them closer to this endgame of his. It wasn't until another village peered over the horizon that she caught up with him and put their feet to a full stop.
"That is Paci, it is one of the villages that harbors outsiders and native Earth Realmers."
"Outsiders like myself?"
"No, outsiders from this region. Demons."
"I am not afraid of demons."
"They live with an unspoken truce there, but I caution not to speak to any of them, nor eat of their food."
"I am not eager to eat, nor to speak with anyone but Jade."
"That," she paused as he tried to move forward, "I should tell you will not be easy to reach her."
"Nothing will stop me."
"Nothing should, but even I have never been passed the second gate."
This stopped him. He turned to her, eyes narrowed, mind screwed like a broken lightbulb, unsure how lit the way forward was for him now.
"Gates?"
"To reach the edge of death itself you must pass three gates, or oracles as some call them." She added, "each is different and poses a greater obstacle to your journey."
"None will stop me."
"They are not meant to stop you, Kotal, they are meant to ensure those that enter have the resolve to do it."
"You've been past one?"
"To retrieve this sword that will free me from this realm. I have and can show you, but I've never passed the second or third."
"Then I will find someone in Paci that has." He moved forward, no contention from her.
The village of Paci was surrounded by wooden spikes, great trees cut down from upper layers of the Nether Realm to pose as a barrier for the village. It was bigger than the one Ashrah had brought him to, but served merely as a port for traveller with few lingering to dine on the petty pickings which the village offered them to live on.
Inside as they passed the open way between to large spikes that then circled around the whole of the village, about forty acres if he could measure it like in Earth Realm, there was more space than there were buildings.
Immediately there were looks cast toward Kotal Kahn from all that he walked past. Each native could sense this was a foreigner of the Nether Realm, a sense Ashrah had neglected to raise to him, and ignored herself. It meant some attention as they entered, but Kotal Kahn was used to gazes, gawkers, and dirty looks.
The tallest building, barely capable of being considered two stories was the tavern. It was a demon run tavern and only one of two, but Kotal, having decided to neglect Ashrah's concerns, chose this as the best means to test the waters for information.
Within the tavern there was a hearth at its center, as all homes would have, but this was big, and around it stools and benches of wood that humans, humanoids, and demons alike sat around the flame as it cackled and licked at their feet.
Little alcoves traced the round construction with the barkeep built into the biggest alcove. The man was demon, born of the pits of the Nether Realm unlike the humans and humanoids he could recognize some sense of emotion or empathy with. The eyes that stared back at him were black and almost lifeless black holes of apathy as they met with his.
"We don't serve your kind." The demon hissed.
"We will sit then." Ashrah pulled Kotal away.
Unwilling to break into a fight, Kotal parted from the wooden bar and followed her. Past three alcoves he eyed each table. Occupants in robes, simple linens and downcast glances or dirty looks right back at him. The fourth by the entrance was empty, Ashrah took the left closest to the fire, and Kotal Kahn took the right, easiest to see the rest of the tavern. None paid much more attention to them as time progressed, which made Kotal feel uneasy and aching for something more than just whispers.
"We have rested enough and should go."
"I agree," Ashrah wasn't about to spend another minute here, but she added, "I still cannot give you information about the second gate."
"What about her?"
The cliche glance across the room to a shadowy alcove, someone indeed had kept their attention on Kotal and Ashrah. Female, adorned in black hood and robe and black markings that trace down her eyes, much like her hair, save for a single set of hair that cascaded down her cheeks, tucked by the hood, contrasted with its pure white coloration.
"Don't know her, but we have no allies here." She wrote it off.
"Then let's go. We'll see what hell presents us. You can take me to the first gate, I'll go through the rest."
"And lose my chance at escaping this realm?" She leaned in to him, "you're not the only one who wants to defy the natural order of things."
"You're doing this for yourself?"
"It's not selfish to want something better for yourself." She added as she leaned back, their voices still low beneath the ambiance of the tavern. "It's not selfish to want to stop the pain and suffering you spend each day of your life living. What's selfish is how you reach that goal."
"How do you?"
"Not here." She pulled from the alcove and moved for the entrance. He followed close behind.
The wanderlust in the eyes of the hooded woman followed them out, but she did not move a muscle from the shadow of her spot in the tavern.
What constituted as night for the Nether Realm was merely just the veil of darkness that shrouded through heavy clouds over the mist and haze of red. Just slightly darker, but never was there ever any light source to black out, just the constant drift of ambient red haze. When alone again out in the cracked salt flats about three hours out from the village, Kotal and Ashrah felt safer here to make camp than inside Paci. They stopped by several outcroppings of rock that would hide them and across the horizon could watch the small stream of occasional caravans and travelers to and from the village.
No fire, no heat and no food to fill him. Only water she had in a leather pouch that would have to be shared between them. Sure, they could have filled up in the village, but the eyes of the woman on Kotal Kahn was enough to convince him a prolonged visit would be too dangerous.
"Did you know those eyes?" He caught Ashrah's
"Yes, and no." She explained, "I've seen her before, but I don't know her. I don't know many of the travelers in Paci, I don't ask."
"Do you know anyone that might help define the way?"
"You wish to cheat death, Kotal Kahn, no one can tell you how to do that., not even the Wraith."
"The Wraith?"
She paused and leaned back in her robe. The silk that draped over her conical hat hid her expression of regret. She should not have said that.
"Tell me." She knew he would not stop until she spoke, so she answered him after a moment of silence to best word and ward him.
"It is another foreign creature, like yourself, at least in the sense that it does not belong in the Nether Realm, but was created here."
"By Quan Chi?"
"No, a specter by the name of Scorpion."
"Scorpion is no maverick of creations."
"Not to my knowledge, but when those of other realms are dragged between worlds in the moments of passing, they are twisted and devoured by hell itself and caught in some sort of flux. It's hard to explain, you'd have to see it to believe it."
"I have seen many things and many realms. Having served under Shao Kah, this Wraith does not frighten me."
"It should, and that's all I'll speak of it."
She tightened herself in the tomb of cloth she wrapped around herself and leaned back against the rock.
"We've spoken too much already," she was about to continue, but he cut her off.
"Yet not enough it seems."