So, this chapter's a bit late due to a combination of work, Fallout & Pokemon distracting me, and not having much to work with, so this one's also a short chapter. Still hope y'all enjoy it regardless!
In an unknown location that looks quite eerie, we see Sub-Zero freezing someone into a block of ice, the person inside looking like some sort of Spartan Ghost with equally strange weapons to match. Once he was fully encased in ice, Sub-Zero steps back to admire his work, looking quite proud of himself.
"A pity you could not have cooperated." He mused, suddenly being surprised as a cyborg in yellow deactivated its stealth camouflage and approaches him. Said cyborg is Cyrax.
"You are ordered to return to the Lin Kuei Temple for assimilation." He ordered.
"Cyrax!" Sub-Zero gasped in shock. To think that the Grand Master actually went through with his plan... It was very disheartening.
"I am Lin Kuei Unit L-K-4-D-4. You will come with me." Cyrax ordered once more. Sub-Zero assumed a fighting stance.
"I am sorry for what they did to you, but I will not comply!" Sub-Zero refused, going after the cyborg with all he's got. As the fight went on, something in the chamber nearby seemed to be waking up, very annoyed by the noises outside. It slowly starts to form as the fight goes on, Sub-Zero managing to come out as the winner in the end. Seems as if cyberization didn't mean automatically better.
"I will face the Lin Kuei when my task is done, not before." The blue Lin Kuei Assassin boasts, but as Cyrax manages to teleport away. Sub-Zero turns to see Sonya and Jax entering the chamber, the two looking around curiously at this strange place.
"The readings were pretty strong here, and now they're gone. I-" Sonya stops at the sight of the ninja.
"Sub-Zero?!" Sonya gasped, "But... you're dead!"
"I am not the Sub-Zero you speak of. He was my brother." Sub-Zero corrected.
"Your... brother?" Sonya looked confused.
Sub-Zero nodded before speaking, "As for why I'm here, I'm only here to learn of his fate."
Sonya and Jax look at each other for a moment before Jax nodded his head on approval.
"He was killed by someone named Scorpion." Sonya explained. .
"Where would I find him?" asked Sub-Zero.
"Try the Coliseum. That's where-"
A strong vibration suddenly emanates from the Soul Chamber itself. A wave of partly formed souls float out and around the area, starting to fully form into its physical form: Ermac.
"You have disturbed our regeneration process." Ermac speaks as he's complete, floating in the air.
"Ermac!" Jax shouts as he rushes the ninja and grabs him by the throat, "Gotcha!"
As Jax attempts to throw a punch, Ermac stops it by raising his glowing telekinetic hang. The then uses his other glowing hand to telekinetically remove Jax's choke hold. The man is unable to stop his arms from being moved out to his side. Suddenly they start vibrating with green energy and he starts screaming in terror. With telekinesis, Ermac brutally explodes Jax's arms into bloody pieces and shoves him to the ground.
"Jax!" Sonya shouted, rushing over to him and quickly cauterizing the bloody stumps that were Jax's arms with her wave energy blasts, "Stay with me, Jax!"
Ermac faced down Sub-Zero, not caring about what he just done. "We will break you as well."
Sub-Zero shook his head in defiance. "Not if I break you first." He warned before another fight broke out.
"This is an awful long walk to the Coliseum…"
"At least Jin's having fun."
"Pretty bird!"
Kung Lao chuckles as he and Liu Kang were heading towards the Coliseum in the distance, Jin now walking with him. The boy stays close to his older cousins, admiring a colorful Outworld breed of parrot as it flies overhead. There wasn't any major problems so far, and any minor problems they had was burned to ashes immediately. Kung Lao was sure Liu Kang was having way too much fun with his new bracers at this point. Up ahead, they see a village by the coast line, and both monks had the same idea of going to rest for a bit.
"Stay close, Jin." He tells the 4 year old, Jin doing just that as they go into the village. Many Outworld races lived here together, Jin whimpering a bit as he saw a few Tarkata that seemed to make this village home. The two older men looked to be very on guard as they looked around, greeting some of the natives that didn't look threatening or harmful. However, they see familiar faces heading into a nearby building. Raiden was being helped by Rei and Khameleon, Bi-Han resting on the brim of Raiden's hat. Raiden looked to be in a bit of pain despite still floating in the air. Liu Kang rushes over, Kung Lao taking Jin's hand to follow him.
"Raiden!" Liu Kang calls out, getting the Thunder God's attention. Raiden looks delighted to see Liu Kang, turning to him with a smile.
"Hello, it is a welcome sight to see you and Kung Lao unharmed." he says.
"Too bad Raiden took an arrow to the knee." Rei says, "Kammie got it healed the best she could, but he's not gonna be able to put any weight on it until we get back to Mom and the others."
"Who is Kammie?" Kung Lao asks, Jin staying close to him.
"Me!" Khameleon says with a wave, "I'm Khameleon, but Rei calls me Kammie for short."
Kung Lao and Liu Kang greet her with a bow. Jin runs up to Raiden.
"Uncle Raiden is hurt?" He asks, seeing the makeshift bandage on Raiden's leg. Raiden nods, picking him up to hold him.
"Yes, but I will be fine, little one." He assures with a kind smile before it takes a 180 when he looks at the two monks with a glare.
"Why, for the love of the Elder Gods, is Jin here in Outworld?" He asks through gritted teeth, Rei and Khameleon stepping away at the tone of his voice. Kung Lao looks defensive.
"You rather I leave him with my aunt and uncle, who couldn't even protect him from the Tarkata horde that took most of the other monks?" He asks. "I feel he would be safer with me and Liu Kang. Liu Kang's practically a Fire God with those gauntlets!"
"No, he's a living nuke with those gauntlets. Anything in the Dragon's Fire category in Purgatory is part of the Destruction Archetype of the Fire Element. Be thankful Mom didn't give him the matching spellbook." Rei corrects, "We would all be fucked if he had access to it."
"Now I kind of want it." Liu Kang jokes, Rei glaring at him.
"Dream on, dummy."
"Are you two needing a place to stay for the night too?" Khameleon asks, "I can get you rooms here if you like?"
Kung Lao and Liu Kang look at each other and nod.
"That would be lovely. Plus we wish to hear of your little adventure so far." Liu Kang says with a nod. Jin looks happy, hugging Raiden, who smiles back at the boy's innocence.
"And I would like to keep an eye on Kung Jin for the night." He adds, "I know most everyone in Sun Do is friendly, but I refuse to take chances."
"Aww~" Rei cooes, "Raiden has a Papa Wolf side~"
"You don't know the half of it." Liu Kang grins, "Raiden raised me and Kung Lao. He's practically our father."
"They're your kids? Oooh! Raiden, you gotta tell me stories!" Rei clapped her hands, looking eager to hear stories of Raiden raising the two monks.
Raiden beams with pride and joy at both comments. Rei sees this and her smile grows more. Raiden was too cute when he is happy.
Back where we left off, we see Ermac collapsing to the floor as Sub-Zero was
"I remain whole, for now." He remarked, not noticing that Jax had passed out due to the blood loss and pain and Sonya speaking into her communicator.
"Sonya Blade to Command. Sonya Blade to Command. Do you read? Sonya Blade to Command. Do you read?" She tried to get a response, but none came.
Sub-Zero walked over to join the two. "You have stopped the bleeding." He noticed.
"Yeah, but he needs a medic as soon as possible." said Sonya.
"I must go to the Coliseum." said Sub-Zero, ignoring Sonya's comment. Said woman looked at him.
"But I need your help to get him t-"
"There is a portal to the south. You can use it to transport yourselves back to Earthrealm." He advised before walking off, leaving Sonya by herself.
"Motherf..." She cut herself off from finishing that comment before musing.
"That portal better be close..." She picks up Jax's motionless body and carries him off. Sub-Zero rushes for the Coliseum, not stopping for anything. He passes by the man in pink from earlier, who was leaning against a tree napping soundly and looking calm. The assassin thought it was quite strange for someone to be out here and asleep or why a man would willingly wear that shade of pink, but he didn't have time to figure it out either, the Coliseum up ahead.
In the Coliseum, where Kitana is fighting a Shaolin monk, with Shao Khan and all his subordinates watching. Sub-Zero arrives just in time to see Kitana knock the monk to the ground. She readies her bladed fan for the killing blow, but hesitates.
"I have failed." The monk spoke as he was on his knees, "I deserve death."
Kitana remains still, her earlier words to Liu Kang echoing in her mind.
"I have failed my father. You must kill me."
"Kill him!" Shao Khan demanded, bring Kitana back into reality. She looks over to her father. The Khan growled impatiently and blasts the monk with a burst of green magic.
"Kitana! You will join me." He ordered. The blue assassin takes her place at Shao Khan's side as a Tarkatan carries away the monk's charred body. Sub-Zero then walks up to the throne.
"Shao Khan! I challenge Scorpion, the murderer of my brother!" Sub-Zero demanded, "You will bring him before me!"
"No one makes demands of the emperor!" Shao Khan boomed, "Reptile!"
The Zaterrean assassin faces Sub-Zero and assumes a fighting stances, growling expectantly. Sub-Zero was silent as he threw the first punch. Even with his reptilian speed and special abilities, Reptile is no match for the skill and powers of Sub-Zero. The Lin Kuei soon has the Outworld servant defeated on the ground.
"I would kill you, but that is not my purpose here." He noted, watching as Reptile rolls away. He faced the emperor again.
"Your followers hold you in high esteem, warlord. They fight and die for your amusement. My brother participated in this folly. I do so only to face his killer!" He spoke.
Shao Khan looked rather amused. "And you shall." He spoke. Quan Chi clenches a fist that glows with green energy. A moment later, Scorpion appears in a flash of hell fire. After looking around, he sees Sub-Zero and scowls.
"What is this? You are not Sub-Zero." He noted.
"I am his family and clan. I fight for his honor." Sub-Zero shot back.
If Scorpion could laugh, he would. "He had no honor! And you will die as he did!"
They fight. The battle is even more visceral and bloody than when the elder Sub-Zero fought Scorpion. Unprepared for the increased power of the younger's ice attacks, the hellspawn specter finds himself at the disadvantage and Sub-Zero mercilessly presses the attack. After a hard fought battle, Sub-Zero finally knocks Scorpion to the ground.
"For my brother!" Sub-Zero declared, but as he prepared to finish Scorpion off, several Lin Kuei cyborgs teleport into the Coliseum and surround him.
"No! You-"
The cyborgs restrain him with their pulse charges. Scorpion takes the opportunity to teleport away. Cyrax and Sektor teleport in and approach Shao Khan's throne.
"Who now interrupts the emperor's tournament?" asked an annoyed Shang Tsung. It was at that time Azriel, Johnny, and Smoke arrive at the Coliseum.
"Azriel! That's Bi-Han's brother! Save him!" Corliss spoke up, Azriel rushing forward immediately.
"BUCKLE UP, BUCKETHEADS!" She roars as she leaps into the air. With a chant of something in a language no one in the Coliseum knew, she slam dunks a large blast of energy into the Coliseum, a explosion of magic blinding everyone but Johnny, whose sunglasses actually came in handy for once, as he was able to see Sektor and Cyrax teleporting away a second before the blast hit the ground. Once the dust dissipates, Sub-Zero is unharmed, but the cyborgs around them were nothing but dust in the wind. Before Sub-Zero could start to comprehend what just happened, Azriel scoops him up from the ground and rushes back to Smoke and Johnny.
"You can thank me later, hun~" Azriel says with a smile as she puts him down. Smoke looks so grateful to her, but was more focused on ensuring his friend was ok. Azriel, turns to Shao Kahn with a rather displeased look.
"Can't even control your own tournament. For fucking shame, man! Onaga got poisoned by this motherfucker? He's rolling in his grave right now!" Azriel taunts.
"Why don't you fight me yourself, Elder God?!" Shao Kahn says, smacking the armrest of his throne and getting up, "I'll be more than happy to shut you up!"
"You think I would, but naaaaah." Azriel grins, looking devious, "It's not *my* part to fight you. Someone else has that honor, and I'm not gonna be a bitch and take it from them. So why don't you sit your royal butt back down and be a good little Emperor, or else I'll just go "fuck it" and blow this realm to pieces just like I did with Uekyuu."
Shao Kahn thinks it over before sitting back down, grumbling something to himself. Azriel chuckles happily, satisfied.
"Good call." Corliss adds.
"I...what…" Sub-Zero was slowly coming out of his stupor, just looking around at everything. Smoke gets his attention by waving a hand over his face. When that didn't work, Azriel decided to drop the bombshell.
"Oh, by the way: Sub-Zero, your brother's fine. He's with my daughter and Raiden for a task." She tells him. Both Sub-Zero and Smoke look so relieved to hear that news. Johnny looks rather surprised, but smiles at the good news as well.
"That is such wonderful news, Great One. We were sure he was dead." Sub-Zero bows to her, "When will they return?"
"After they've bombed the Soul Tombs for me. Shouldn't be much longer." She assures him.
As this was going on, Kitana looked ready to sneak attack them, but was stopped by Shao Kahn calling out to her.
"Kitana! How is it that Earthrealm ninjas brazenly appear before me when my daughter, Princess of Outworld, was sent to intercept them?" He asked in a angered tone.
Kitana looks a bit disheartened. "Father, I-"
"Begone!" the Emperor ordered. She looks saddened by this, leaving the Coliseum. Shao Kahn turns to Shang Tsung.
"Go to the Soul Tombs. Stop them from destroying it through any means necessary." He orders, "I don't know what Azriel is planning, but I refuse to let her win a Mortal Kombat tournament ever again." He ordered. Shang Tsung nods before he leaves as well.
Back with our ragtag group of heroes, Azriel sees Kitana walking away and has an idea.
"Alright my pretties, listen up." Azriel faces the three Earthrealmers with her, "Kitana's faith in ol' Shao Kahn here is dwindling quickly. We need to try and sway her to our side so we have more manpower to curbstomp Outworld."
"I assume we're gonna follow her then?" asks Sub-Zero.
"Bingo, Blueberry!" Azriel says, Sub-Zero blushing under his mask at being called such a thing, "Let's go before we lose sight of her!" She skips off, Johnny rushing to follow her. Sub-Zero looks at Smoke with a "wtf" look. Smoke just shrugs.
"At least she's on our side….?"