Chapter 5
Judgement
"Speech""
'Thoughts'
Location /Date / Time Change
Sonya flipped a few switches before she pushed a button on her panel. A blue portal to Outworld opened up at the refugee camp, making Toxik smile. "All right, kid. This should take you home."
The assassin bowed in respect, a bound and subdued D'vorah on his shoulder. "Thank you for this. I'll make sure Kotal knows of your kindness."
"This one will break free and turn you all into food for her children." The Kytin cried out, trying to break free. "And she will-"
"Shut up, ladybug." Cassie said, slapping a gag on her mouth. The device expanded and wrapped around the bug woman. "See you next time, scales?"
"I look forward to it." He replied. Toxik turned to leave, only for Xiuhcoatl to shoot off his wrist and pull him into Cassie. Her mother glared at the action before the Outworlder pulled back. "Sorry, she has a mind of her own sometimes. But she should know not to DO THIS."
The snake hissed back before wrapping around his wrist. "I don't mind." Cassie replied, pecking his cheek.
A small blush on his face, Toxik quickly turned and walked through it. "Oh, damn I forgot to ask if the other two made it." He turned around only for the portal to close. "Oh..."
The people of the market looked at him in confusion while some just went about their lives. A few soldiers noticed him and started talking before Toxik walked forward, D'vorah squirming the whole time. "Well, well, look who finally showed up again." Erron said coming up with a squad of guards.
"Erron." Toxik said as the soldiers surrounded him. "I take it Kotal stationed you here for my return."
"Or when Shinnok came crawling here." The cowboy replied. "Now you need to come with us. Kotal Kahn wants a word with you. Right now."
Toxik simply nodded before placing D'vorah on the ground. The soldiers grabbed her and lead the Kytin away as the Zaterran hybrid followed Erron Black. The guards were behind the two as they walked through the streets, people staring at them. The palace came into view as the guards lead D'vorah away.
The two men entered the palace before reaching the throne room. Kotal Kahn sat on his throne as Ferra/Torr stood on the left and Ermac on his right. Erron stepped to the side and Toxik bowed to the Kahn, Xiuhcoatl slithering off his wrist in respect. "You return to my feet after betraying me."
Kotal leaned on his hand as Toxik made no effort to defend himself. "Tell me everything that happened in Earthrelam."
6 Months Later
Koliseum
The arena was filled with people as they huddled into the building that once held the Mortal Kombat tournament. A shirtless Toxik was held in place by chains on his hands and feet attached to stone pillars. Erron was off to the side with Xiuhcoatl in a small cage as Ermac held a large sword club. On a stone throne Kotal Kahn sat above the arena floor.
"You sided with Earthrealmers and failed to return with Shinnok's amulet." Kotal declared from his throne, making the crowd murmur. "However, you also helped to defeat Shinnok and returned with the traitor who freed him. I cannot kill you for this, but you are not pardoned. Have you anything to say before your punishment is delivered?"
"I did what I though was best for Outworld." Toxik replied. "I will accept whatever punishment you deem fit."
The emperor raised an eyebrow before chuckling. "As loyal as ever." He said before a hooded man with barbed whip walked forward. "A traditional Osh-Tek punishment then. Twenty lashings." The masked man nodded and pulled his arm back before snapping it forward. The whip struck the hybrids flesh and he winced in pain before a second one hit him.
The crowd just watched the punishment take place. His back began to welt up as a few lines started bleeding. The lashings done, the black clad man undid the binds and Toxik dropped to the ground. Panting in pain, he looked as Kotal Kahn walked over to him and finished the punishment by pouring salt into the wounds.
Toxik gripped the sand and screamed in pain as Kotal Kahn offered a hand. "Now stand. I shall need you by my side as an ambassador to Earthrealm."
The assassin nodded and took the hand before standing up. Erron walked over holding both the cage and Toxik's vest. "Gotta admit, I'd miss having you around." The cowboy chuckled, opening the cage and letting Xiuhcoatl slither out. "It's nice to know where stand."
"Up wind of you, for preference." He replied, gingerly putting the shirt and vest back on. The three walked back to the throne and Kotal sat in it as drums started playing. Ferra/Torr stomped out holding a chain before they pulled on it. D'vorah lurched forward, arms, neck and stingers trapped in a stock.
The symbiotic pair walked over as D'vorah struggled to break free. "D'vorah... you betrayed me, released Shinnok, killed my soldiers, and nearly destroyed all of reality." Kotal said, making the crowd jeer her.
"This One does not intend to grovel to an Osh-Tek." D'vorah declared before thrusting her chest forward. A larva shot out at the Kahn only for Erron to shoot it down.
Kotal Kahn stood up and Ermac handed him the sword club before the Kahn walked towards her. "I gave you a home, a purpose and this is how you repay me?" The Osh-Teck said, aiming his club at her neck. "I will not allow your corruption to spread. You will never poison Outworld."
He swung his club as Toxik blinked. When his eyes opened he found that Ferra/Torr laying on the ground, Kotal recovering a swing and D'vorah was gone. The three servants raced over the two as the large creature convulsed. Ferra was already dead from the hole in her heart as Toxik tasted the wound. "Poison..."
The crowd was in a panic as Kotal Kahn walked over to them. "How did she even get out of the stocks?" Erron asked.
"I don't know. I just blinked and she was gone." Toxik asked.
"I do not care!" The Kahn shouted. "Search all of Outworld! Then search every realm in between! Find her! Find her!"
The three nodded before racing out of the arena before Erron stopped. "Things have changed in the last two months here. I've got some informants to follow up with. You two see if you can find something here." Toxik and Ermac nodded before the three split up.
Toxik sniffed the air as he pushed through the panicked crowd before a scent caught his attention. "Ermac! This way!" The spirit vessel raced over to him as they entered the bowels of the Koliseum. Prisoners beat on the bars as animals snarled at the two. In the very center was a spiraling portal of what seemed like sand.
"Did she go through that?" Ermac asked.
"That's what my nose is telling me." Toxik replied. "This might be a trap, so we need to go together." The two shared a nod before they raced through the portal as it closed behind them. The sand pushed against their bodies before they stumbled to the stone ground.
"Where are we?" Toxik asked as the two pushed themselves up. The structures around them seem like they were about fall apart as tiles chipped on the ground. A few red shingles hung of their roofs before one fell off. Toxik stepped onto a rotted wooden stage and looked out at the corpses that littered what look like stands.
"We know this place." Ermac said, dusting off an alter. "This is the island of Shang Tsung."
"The soul sucker?" Toxik asked, wincing as he jumped down from the stage. "What would D'vorah come here? What could she possibly want?"
"We do not know, but she cannot be allowed to escape." The collective said. Toxik nodded and started sniffing the air before running through the island. The two raced across an old stone bridge as thunder rolled across the sky. "Wait..." Ermac called out making the hybrid stop. "Something is wrong."
Red lightning shot down and the two jumped to the sides. Raiden appeared dressed in black robes and dark armor, his eyes changed from a soothing blue to a belligerent red. He wore a golden cuirass with Shinnok's amulet on it. He possess gold shoulder pads over his robe, and gold gauntlets covered his hands.
"Raiden..." Ermac whispered.
"Don't worry." The assassin reassured his comrade. "After everything with Shinnok, we should be on good terms again. And don't forget why we're here."
Toxik walked forward and quickly bowed to the god. "Lord Raiden, defender of Earthrealm. We seek assistance in an important matter. D'vorah has escaped our custody and fled here." The lord of thunder said nothing as he looked up at Ermac.
Raiden pulled his arms back and blasted Ermac off the ledge with a ball of lightning. "Hang on!" Toxik slid over before he unfurled Xiuhcoatl and she shot down head first. Ermac reached out and managed to touch the tip of the weapon only for a large spike to impale him through the back. "No!" His weapon returned to him as he winced standing up.
"Why did you that!? We've done nothing-" Raiden flew at him and cut Toxik off. Electricity surged through his body before he ended up on the back.
"You Outworld invaders dare threaten the safety of Earthrealm." The god said. "And you dare insult me by allowing D'vorah to escape? Such transgressions will not be forgiven."
He entered a fighting stance as Toxik pushed up against a wall. "After everything I've done to help you, defeating Shinnok with Cassie, leaving you with the Amulet, you dare accuse me of such dishonor?" Toxik asked, wiping some blood from his mouth. "Ermac was right, you are the enemy of all Outworld!"
Acid came off his feet and he slid over to Raiden. A red lightning bolt flashed on the ground and Raiden vanished before reappearing behind Toxik, who turned and jumped before slamming both feet into the god. Raiden stumbled back as Toxik gingerly pushed himself back up before drawing a knife.
Raiden waved his arms and lightning shot out of his palms. Toxik moved to the side only for the red electricity to arch onto his knife and zap him, making him drop the blade. Shaking his hand, the hybrid was struck in the face by a staff before it whacked him in the temple. He looked up and jumped over pole before opening his mouth.
Acid shot out and hit the ground where Raiden once was. Before Toxik could react, something crashed into his back before he was taken into the air. Lightning surged through his body as he screamed in pain. Raiden pulled his arm back before a bolt of lightning forced him to the bridge.
His back screamed in pain before Raiden slammed his knee into Toxik's back. Toxik rolled away before pushing himself onto his knee. Raiden grabbed his head and began slamming his knee into the hybrids face repeatedly. Toxik's face was bloodied when Raiden slammed him against the wall. With one final kick, Raiden backed away from the downed man.
Toxik tried to push himself up only for blood to drip out of his mouth. Xiuhcoatl grew and bared her fangs at Raiden, only for the god to zap her to normal size. The hybrid crawled over and covered his weapon in a panic. "Let this serve as a warning to all Outworld." Raiden declared as the god marched towards him, red lightning arching off his fingers.
Outworld
Kotal's Throne Room
Erron walked through palace, dragging a Naknada behind him before reaching the throne room. "Boss, I got bad news and good news." He said to the Osh-Tek. "Bad news is D'vorah isn't in Outworld. I searched high and low and couldn't find the little bug. Good news is I found this guy hiding in another hole."
"Kollector..." Kotal mumbled. "This is most fortuitous. But where are Toxik and Ermac? Perhaps they found her."
A soldier ran into the room and quickly bowed to the Kahn. "Emperor, Toxik has returned from his search!"
The Kahn let a small smile cover his face as he looked at the messenger. "Where is they? I must know if they found D'vorah."
"He's in the medical room. He required urgent attention." The soldier replied.
An eyebrow raised, the Osh-Tek walked through the halls of his palace before walking into the medical room. There he found Toxik sitting on a bed, a medic nearby as Xiuhcoatl sat next to her owner. "What happened? Where is Ermac?"
"We... we found a portal in the depths of the Koliseum." Toxik answered. "D'vorah's scent went through it so we followed suit. The portal took us to Shang Tsung's island. We searched for a while before Raiden appeared. He... he killed Ermac and gave me this."
With a deep sigh, Toxik reached up and pulled off his hood. "By the mighty sun!" Kotal said in shock. Erron entered the room and his eyes went wide.
Toxik merely nodded before flipping his hood back up. "Raiden sent me back with a message. We are no longer welcomed in Earthrealm."
And here's the interlude chapter from MKX to MK 11. Wanted to show what that so there isn't that awkward jump from one game to the other. And next chapter will also give you a new outfit for Toxik. See ya then.
Beta read by General Feng Xiang.