Chapter 27: The Mother and The Machines
Katrina couldn't believe her eyes, her mother, dead for what seemed like an eternity now, was standing right in front of her, as if not a day had passed. She looked almost exactly like Katrina, but had a bit of gray in her hair, as well as light wrinkles in her skin.
"...Is that really you?" Asked Katrina, unsure of what to think at this point.
"Yes, Katrina, it really is me," she said with a smile, and Katrina was about to run up and hug her, but stopped, wanting to be sure it is her,
"Can you prove it?"
"That last day we saw each other, I told you to run into the woods, and wait for help, to not move until you saw the lights from the police cars." Katrinas' eyes welled up, and she hugged her mother, thankful she is seeing her again.
"H-How is it p-p-possible?" She asked, trying her best not to blubber up her words, and failing.
"It's your reward for your victory," explained her mother. "You found the strength in yourself to defeat not only the God of War, but a vampire king and his soul wraith rival as well...I'm proud of you Katrina. And I know she would be too." Katrina looked down at her mothers arms, now seeing a beautiful, fair skinned baby girl, with the same brown hair and facial features as Katrina, but her eyes were different, they were more of a familiar electric blue.
"She has her fathers eyes," said Katrinas' mother, and the Goddess of War herself could barely hold back her tears anymore, seeing what her baby could have looked like. She held out her arms, wanting to hold her, while her mother was ready to let her hold the baby, until a violent earthquake shook them, making Mrs. Lagos pull the baby back, to make sure she didn't get hurt. Katrina kept her footing, but was concerned as to what shook them. "Feels like something is happening in the real world," she said, "it'd be best if you head back. But hopefully one day we can spend the rest of eternity together...just not any day too soon," she finished with a wink. Katrina was about to approach them again, but another quake hit them, making Katrina blink once...twice...
Katrina opened her eyes, finding herself back in Raidens Sky Temple, tears streaming down her face, and an explosion rocking her off her mat. She stood up, grabbing Soul Reaver and running outside.
Once she was outside, she saw several monks fighting. Their opponents, however, caught Katrina off guard.
"Are those...robots?" All the monks she saw were engaging gray colored robots in combat, who seemed to be locked in a stalemate. That soon changed when one of the robots forced a monk on his back, reared up a foot to stomp on his chest, but never got the chance as a blade slashed through its chest, knocking it back as Katrina helped the monk to his feet. She dashed for the robot, tearing her blade from its chest and slicing it in half at the waist. She then had two more fly towards her, so she held out one blade, slicing off the top of its head, and her other blade she swung downward, catching the second robot right in the center of its head. With three robots down, she made a move to take out a fourth, only to see it get fried by a lightning bolt. She turned to see Raiden running out of the Sky Temple, electricity flaring in his hands.
"The Lin Kuei Cyber Initiative," grumbled Raiden, "Ninja Assassins turned into machines, but they were shut down years ago." Katrina gave Raiden a look,
"Obviously not," said Katrina, gesturing to the remaining robots, but right then, they all stopped fighting, teleporting in a flash of white light, and reappeared a good distance away, leaving a space open as two men, a robot, and the biggest creature Katrina had seen yet to walk through them.
The creature had orange and white fur with tiger stripes, a black ponytail at the top of his head, golden blades protruding from his wrists...all four of them. As for the robot, it had dark gray amour and blue glowing eyes. But what she recognized immediately were the two men, and her rage already began to bubble.
"Kessler and Mercer, what a surprise," she said, tightening the grip on her blades. Kessler raised his hands,
"Calm yourself, Goddess of War, I'm not here for you," he assured.
"Then why are you here?!" She demanded, losing her patience, and what's with the giant tiger creature?"
"We're here for the robots," said Alex, "or specifically, Triborg here." He gestured to the dark gray robot next to himself, who made no acknowledment to the hooded man. "Zetaro here," he gestured to the tiger striped creature, "is simply here for the ride."
"Then why are you attacking the Sky Temple?" Asked Raiden, ready for a fight. Kessler kept his distance,
"I didn't..." he pointed up, "...they did." A sonic boom sounded off overhead, and right in front of Raiden and Katrina landed a red robot, followed by a yellow one, then a black one leaking smoke, and a blue one with icy air seeping out of its mouth piece. Katrina raised an eyebrow curiously,
"What am I looking at?" She asked. The red robot held a sideways fist over where his heart should be, and spoke, his voice sounding just as cybernetic as he looked,
"I am Grandmaster Sektor, LK Unit 9T9." The yellow robot spoke next, followed by the black one and finished by the blue one.
"Cyrax. LK Unit 4D4."
"Smoke. LK Unit 7T2."
"Sub Zero. LK Unit 52O."
Katrina glared at the robots, unsure what to make of them, until Sektor spoke again,
"We are the Lin Kuei! More stealthful than the night! More deadly than the dawn!" All were ready to fight, when an ice ball flew past Katrinas' head, nailing Sektor in the chest, freezing him solid. Katrina turned around, seeing a man in blue, with dark hair, a beard, ice blue eyes and a scar walking up to her and Raiden. He was followed closely behind by another man dressed in yellow, with a bandana and two swords hanging off his back.
"Grandmaster Sub Zero," greeted Raiden, "and Hanzo Hasashi?"
"We'd explain if there was more time Raiden," said the yellow clad man, "but for now, I think you and your monks could use some assistance." The human Sub Zero glared at Kessler and Alex, who were practically hiding behind the four colored robots.
"What do you two plan to accomplish by reactivating the Cyber Initiative?"
"We were needing the forces in our own world," explained Kessler, "but Sektor wished to eliminate the unusual source of power he detected here. In return, he gave us Triborg."
"And let me guess, that source of power was me," said Katrina, clearly unamused. Sektor then broke free of his temporary ice prison,
"Source of power detected. I will show NO MERCY!" He aimed both fists towards the Goddess of War, and shot a large plume of flames. She barely dodged, the flames catching her side as she leaned out of the way. She straightened herself out, casting a rune over herself to fix her damaged clothes, and lined back up with Hanzo, Raiden and Sub Zero.
"Okay, so how are we doing this?" She asked, looking at the four colored robots.
"I'll fight Cyrax, therefore I could try to save him," said Sub Zero, lining hinself up with the yellow robot.
"Sektor was the mastermind behind the death of my family and clan," said Hanzo, "I will have his head!"
"Well the black one looks tough, so I call dibs," said Katrina, and she lined up with Smoke. Raiden prepared to fight the Cyber Sub Zero, and soon all eight of them began fighting.
Katrina kept her Blades of Exile up, blocking all of Smokes metal punches, and attempting to take a slice at him whenever she sees an opening. She manages to do so, and leaves a pair of cuts in Smokes' armor, and even makes him stumble backwards. Katrina saw an opening, and threw both her blades at his chest, anchoring them in, dragged herself to Smoke, tore her blades out, slashed across his waist, then his neck, and kicked his torso out from between his severed legs and head, bringing one blade down through his head and slicing it in half for good measure. She then saw Raiden having trouble with Cyber Sub Zero; The Thunder God using a staff against the blue cyborgs ice sword. She saw the blue cyborg encase himself with frost, and allowed Raiden to hit him, freezing him solid, allowing the blue robot to break the ice sword against him, sending the Thunder God flying. Cyber Sub Zero then forged an ice hammer, ready to bring it down on Raidens' chest, until it sas shattered agaisnt the serpentine blade of Soul Reaver.
"Cudos on beating the God of Thunder," said Katrina, "now let's see how well you do against a Goddess of War!" She forced back Cyber Sub Zero, twirled Soul Reaver in her grip, spun around once, allowing the blue cyborg to form another sword, spun twice, allowing him to leap into the air, a third, allowing him to aim a dive kick at her, and lept up at him as he dived, forcing them to collide weapons, shattering his, and slicing him in half from his right shoulder down to his left hip.
"Two down," she murmured, looking to Hanzo and the true Sub Zero, still fighting Sektor and Cyrax, "Two to go."
A/N: Going to cut this chapter short, because it is starting to get a little long again. Stay tuned!
