I'm finally coming back to this story after such a long time. I kind of neglected it because I wanted to get out some more chapters for my Mass Effect story, I started a whole new MK story, and just finished another. I plan to start giving this story some love again. Also, I had an idea that I'm going to test out here first. Basically, at the end of this chapter I will leave a written trailer of the next one. Any comments or opinions from you readers on this is appreciated; is it cool, is it stupid, not that entertaining? If you leave a review please tell me what you think of it.

If a small town was supposed to be here, they're wasn't much left of it now. Noob decided to forego his stealthy approach; with the constant fiery glow and growing lack of foliage for cover, it was pointless. Now Noob stood at what once must have been the entrance past the meagre wooden wall that surrounded the town. The defences may have adequately protected the townsfolk from dangerous wildlife and poorly organized bandits, but it clearly stood no chance against Reiko's soldiers, or whatever it was that set this place ablaze.

Noob stepped through the gate; treading carefully so as not to disturbed any of the burnt structures that looked like they were hanging onto their supports for dear life.

The men that Reiko sent here couldn't have done this, even if they did have torches these fires are burning too...deeply.

Noob took Saibot's suspicion to heart; not that he had any choice in the matter really. After pressing on towards the centre of the town, he started to find signs that people had indeed lived here, once. Now all that was left was bodies, charred and broken, not unlike the houses they once lived in. The fires cast shadows off their bodies, the black things as dead as their better half.

Better half? Right.

Noob rolled his eyes at Saibot's insult and continued on, staying alert for any signs of life. As he searched Noob found more and more bodies; men, women, children; some lay on the ground like they were dropped there and others were propped up against whatever object they managed to cling to before they succumbed to their wounds and died. Noob knelt down and inspected the body of a woman; her skin flaked off at his touch and left an ashy stain on his fingers. She had a laceration on her chest, over her heart; the tissue and muscle had tightened and shrivelled up from the burns but there was no mistaking that this wound is what killed her, or would have killed her had she not been burned. Anyone that was halfway skilled with a blade could have made this attack, it was common place among assassins, like when he was a Lin Kuei agent, he knew it was...

Boring.

"Quick and painless..." Noob said aloud to block out Saibot's thoughts.

Your thoughts!

"Reiko's men must have reached this far into the town and faced resistance." Noob said aloud for the same reason as before.

That still doesn't explain why just about the whole town, and apparently everyone in it, have been burnt to the ground.

"Don't you feel it? This heat is, familiar. It feels like the Netherrealm."

It feels more familiar than even that, be prepared for anything.

Noob stood up and continued on. He was now surrounded on both sides by charred and crumbling husks that used to be houses; he must have been on the main road. Whether he liked it or not, he was committed to wherever this path took him; doubling back was pointless and traveling along the rooftops looked unwise due to the state they were in. The more he moved in, the more death he found. Entire families slaughtered whilst embracing each other, others died knowing they had been abandoned, and he started to find traces of the local militia, as well as individuals from Reiko's scout troop. He noticed something peculiar about the next body before him. He kicked it onto it's back and nodded in realization.

"Kitana." He stated with disdain.

The man wore the armour of Kitana's resistance fighters. Reiko had told him that Kitana wanted to garrison soldiers here; she already did it seems.

A three way battle? Damn, we really missed out on a good time.

Suddenly, Noob heard a yell, a terrified yell. He started running in the direction it came from, and it wasn't lost on him that he was running towards the blazing inferno.

"Somebody help!" The screamer pleaded.

Noob turned onto the new path to find a man with his back to him; he was dressed like one of Reiko's soldiers.

"Please, stop! No, no!"

The man's scream was drowned out by the lash of fire that engulfed him; and continued on towards Noob. The sight of the fire swallowing the fearful man forced the memory of his own death to come back to him. The reddish orange light illuminated his matte black skin and clothing, and his wide white eyes. Noob was frozen with fear, all he managed to do was raise one of his hands as if it were a shield.

"Wait..." Noob coughed out.

The fire was still charging towards him.

"Wait!"

What are you doing? Move!

Noob was petrified; his training as a Lin Kuei, his newfound power and ambition as a wraith, it had all been burned away.

I, said, move!

Suddenly, everything fell silent. The crackle of burning wood, the whoosh of the air igniting, Noob became deaf to it for an immeasurable moment. Everything he saw darkened also; this feeling that came over him tamed even the blinding fireball that charged him; it was like he had closed his eyes, but he couldn't recall doing so. Finally, all of his feeling and sensation vanished. This lack of sound, sight, feeling, this lack of anything really, it felt like he was asleep, dead. Again. When he awoke, or came back to his sense, he really didn't know what to call it, he was standing at the ready and to the left of where he was, a spot which was singed by the fireball which he was about to be killed by.

"What? How? I didn't...I can't remember dodging." Noob said confusedly.

...I told you to move.

"What the hell does that mean?" Noob asked Saibot with growing suspicion.

Saibot was silent, but Noob could feel the being's mood. It felt like his eternal companion was silently gloating, about what he didn't know, but Noob suspected it had something to do with him somehow moving unconsciously. Right now however, he didn't have time to dwell on that.

Standing ten feet away from him, a powerful and imposing man stood tall and just finished pulling his mask of a face over his skull. The spectre regarded the wraith with interest, as well as caution and, for the moment, contained hostility.

"You...are not from this place. You are a denizen of the Netherrealm." Scorpion stated.

Noob fists clenched to the point that his knuckles cracked. His blood ran hot with rage and hate; though that may have been Saibot reacting to Scorpion's presence.

"Are you an agent from Reiko? I will give you the same warning as I did them: stay out of my way. I will have my vengeance, Quan Chi will die!" Scorpion proclaimed.

"You, you don't recognize me, do you?" Noob asked with a raging tone.

"It has been some time since I've been a servant of Quan Chi. If he has found himself a new toy, I wouldn't know of it." Scorpion mocked.

"Ours is more than a lifetime of experiences, Hanzo Hasashi." Noob said, biting off every word.

Scorpion stiffened, and narrowed his blank eyes. His old name; no one alive used it.

"Who are you, wraith?"

"Have you forgotten me so easily Scorpion? I am the man who once took everything from you, and then you took everything from me."

The two undead men stared at each other, and they both started to remember the same event that bound themselves to one another in a tale of death and vengeance.

Several Years Ago

Sub Zero stretched his arms to fight of the soreness. His infiltration of the Shaolin Temple had been easy enough; the traps would only stop those with the most rudimentary of skills. The monks he had encountered however were another story. Despite being stern practitioners of pacifism, the monks were capable fighters when pressed. Regardless, they all lay beaten, broken, bloody, and some frozen in his wake.

Sub Zero took great satisfaction in the way his mission was going. A sorcerer named Quan Chi had come to the Lin Kuei seeking aid in retrieving an artifact from this temple; the map of elements. The Lin Kuei's asking price for any mission was high, but the mysterious sorcerer insisted that this mission was of the upmost importance and he only wanted the best. That was him, obviously. Sub Zero knew he was stronger than anybody else in the clan; more cunning, more stealthy, more efficient and effective. As if that wasn't enough, he was one of the pair of cryomancers that the Grandmaster was fortunate enough to recruit into the clan, the other being his younger brother Kuai Lang.

Sub Zero approached a balcony ledge and looked over it. Remembering the layout of the temple that he had been provided, he knew that the chamber containing the map was on the bottom level; nearly eight stories down. He noticed the staircase leading down, and merely snickered.

"Maybe for you brother..." Sub Zero said before vaulting over the balcony.

He skydived through the night air, smiling arrogantly behind his mask. Concentrated ice energy gathered at his hands and feet. Sub Zero created solid ice in the air and continued adding onto it, in moments creating a slide that stretched all the way down to the ground. He touched his feet to it and they froze to the slide, yet he was still able to slip down it. He jumped from it when he was only eight feet off the ground and landed quietly. Sub Zero took a moment to gawk at his creation, he was impressed with himself. His brother didn't have the concentration or willpower to make even half of this, let alone make it strong enough to hold a person's weight. Sub Zero touched his hand to the slide and commanded the ice to revert back to moisture in the air. Starting from the top, the huge slide looked like it was melting away as it got smaller, and cold mist dissipated in the air. Once he had covered his tracks, Sub Zero continued on to his goal.

He entered through a pair of heavy iron doors with ornate markings on them into a wide chamber, devoid of anything obstructive except for four pillars supporting the ceiling. However, he was not alone. Another ninja, slightly obscured by the shadows, stood at the other end, near what looked to be a pedestal with a scroll sitting atop it; the map most likely.

"Who are you? You don't look like one of these weakling monks, are you some petty thief?" Sub Zero asked.

"Your colours, you are of the Lin Kuei, aren't you?" The other man asked.

Sub Zero gathered ice in his hands to try and intimidate the man.

"I am the best of the Lin Kuei. Now, reveal yourself!"

"Ice? Aw, Sub Zero." The man said, stepping into the light.

Sub Zero could tell by his clothing that he was of the Shira Ryu, the mortal enemies of the Lin Kuei. But the kunai and chain at his belt, Sub Zero knew of only one man that would carry that as his primary weapon.

"Scorpion, it's been awhile."

"If you don't leave now, you'll be thinking it hasn't been long enough."

Sub Zero ignored the threat and stepped closer. Scorpion did so as well, and the rivals found themselves circling each other.

"What are you doing here Sub Zero?" Scorpion asked suspiciously.

"That is no concern of yours; all you need to know is that the Lin Kuei have business here and that it would do you well to leave before I lose my patience."

"I have a reason for being here as well...it seems we are deadlocked."

"No, you are just dead!"

Sub Zero shot forth two balls of ice in quick succession, one from each hand. Scorpion, anticipating such an attack, quickly dive rolled out of the way and immediately followed up with his own attack. Scorpion threw his spear forward with incredible speed and accuracy. Sub Zero's keen eyes saw the kunai coming for his head, and he barely managed to move his head so that the blade just grazed the side of his mask, although this did make enough of an impact to disorient him momentarily. A moment was all that was needed.

Scorpion ran performed a spinning jump kick that hit Sub Zero in the chest and knocked him off his feet. Sub Zero turned this to his advantage; he used his momentum to roll backwards out of his fall and back to a crouch. Scorpion was still trying to overtake him, and so Sub Zero was able to used his lower profile to uppercut him right on the jaw. Scorpion flew back and landed with a heavy thud.

"You are getting lazy Scorpion; making amateur mistakes." Sub Zero taunted, approaching his opponent.

Scorpion grunted whilst getting to his feet, rubbing his jaw.

"And you are, as always, too sure of yourself."

Scorpion drew his spear again, making it look like he was going to throw it forward. Sub Zero immediately moved sideways, expecting a direct attack. Scorpion instead used his spear like a whip, and swung it in an arc. Sub Zero had unwittingly moved himself right into the path of the blade, and it cut him from his left chest down to his right ribs. Sub Zero gasped and clutched at his wound with one hand and shot a stream of ice from the other. Scorpion dodged it and closed the distance between them.

Sub Zero ignored his bleeding wound for the time to focus on fighting. Scorpion was of nearly identical strength and stature, and both of them were masterful hand to hand combatants. Scorpion attacked with a flurry of punches; the first aiming for the head, but the second attacking Sub Zero's wound. The pain made him vulnerable to the next punch, which struck him right across the jaw. Sub Zero retaliated by kicking at Scorpion's shin and following up with a heavy straight kick to the body, which winded Scorpion and pushed him back.

Both men cautiously took a respite while keeping their opponent well within their sights.

"If you surrender now, I'll let you leave Sub Zero."

"Huh, are you getting tired Scorpion?"

"I'm not the one thats bleeding profusely, fool."

"I am the greatest warrior that the Lin Kuei has ever trained in it's long history, you will not best me with this meagre...", he winced at the intense pain, "this meagre scratch."

"For years we have been rivals, the best our clans have to offer. I know, better than you apparently know it to be yourself, just how vulnerable you. All your boasting of your power, all your confidence in your abilities; you really remind me of an impudent child."

Sub Zero's wounded pride fuelled his hate for Scorpion; his hate fore weakness and failure as well. Scorpion reached for his kunai again, prompting Sub Zero to ready himself.

"You are so mad with power that it clouds your judgement and affects your mind for the worse. You know the saying; power corrupts..." Scorpion dashed towards Sub Zero.

To Scorpion's confusion, Sub Zero made no attempt to block the attack, and his kunai cut deep into the blue ninja's shoulder. It was not a fatal attack, Scorpion hadn't intended for it to be, he expected Sub Zero to try and evade it, but he hadn't. Scorpion tilted his head to look at Sub Zero; he found cold blue eyes staring at him with killer intent. Scorpion gasped suddenly; Sub Zero had forced his open hand into his gut. Scorpion then felt extreme cold building up in his midsection.

"And absolute power..." Sub Zero whispered in his ear.

Sub Zero gripped Scorpion's frozen liver and crushed within him.

"Is a whole lot of fun!" Sub Zero finished.

Scorpion keeled over, coughing up blood that pooled into his mask. Sub Zero lifted him by his shoulder and hit him with a devastating head butt, causing Scorpion to fall to the ground. Scorpion's vision was blurred for a few moments, but the intense pain within him couldn't be ignored. Scorpion clutched at the injury that rested just beneath his bruised skin; he could feel the frozen shards of his liver under his skin, while watching Sub Zero take the map from its pedestal.

He had failed. A sorcerer named Quan Chi had hired him to steal this map for him, but someone else must have desired it as well. Someone powerful and wealthy, if they were able to hire the Lin Kuei. Scorpion closed his eyes, trying his best to keep the pain from overwhelming him. He thought of his wife and son, and the other ninja of his clan. If they could see him now...

"Not dead yet I see." Sub Zero said.

Scorpion opened his eyes weakly, Sub Zero was standing over him, staring down at him with disdain.

"You've won, you got what you came for. Leave me be." Scorpion told him.

"I don't leave jobs half finished."

Sub Zero knelt down and placed his hand on Scorpion's arm. A cooling sensation started to wash over Scorpion; at first it was rather soothing, but he soon realized with horror what was happening when his whole body started to become bitingly cold.

"Wait...stop." Scorpion pleaded.

He tried raising his hand, but he felt like his blood had already turned to ice. Sub Zero continued to slowly pour his cold energy into Scorpion, painfully slowly. Sub Zero was causing him to slip into hypothermia, and then past that to the point that Scorpion started to freeze over.

"I beg you Sub Zero, spare me. I...I have a family."

"What did you tell them before leaving?"

"What?"

"Your family, did you reassure them that you would be okay? Did you tell them that you would be back within a week, or a month?" Sub Zero prodded cruelly.

Scorpion couldn't say anything; his whole body started to shut down and ice started to encase him.

"Or maybe, you didn't tell them anything at all? Now they will be wondering where you are. They will probably cling to their hopes at first, but still be fraught with worry all the same. But, when the days turn into weeks, the weeks into months, maybe even years if they are particularly foolish..." Sub Zero took a moment to chuckle to himself.

Scorpion was now half covered in ice. His vision was deteriorating, he couldn't think clearly, but he could still hear and understand Sub Zero's cruelty.

"Eventually, they will accept the truth. That you have met death's cold embrace. Goodbye Scorpion, for the last time."

Scorpion finally succumbed to the cold, and passed away before he froze over completely. Sub Zero admired his handiwork; his most persistent enemy and arguably greatest challenger was now dead. He had proven not only the superiority of his clan, but his own superiority as well. Sub Zero left the temple, leaving Scorpion's corpse, the look of absolute hate frozen on his face behind.

Present

"Bi Han...Sub Zero..." Scorpion said in awe.

"Not anymore." Noob stated.

Scorpion noticed out of the corner of his eye something strange. His shadow was moving strangely, and it wasn't because of the flickering light of the flames. Suddenly, something humanoid in shape jumped out of his shadow at him. Scorpion reacted in time and grabbed the pitch black being's arm and flipped it over his shoulder, throwing it away from him. Saibot skidded across the ground but got back up like it was nothing. It stared at Scorpion just as hatefully as Noob, if not more so. Noob walked forward and stood next to Saibot. The shadow being started to be absorbed back into Noob's body. Scorpion watched until the two beings were half; Noob's black skin and white eyes joined down the middle to the even blacker with a slightly purple hue Saibot. Both now stared the same way at Scorpion, like they had agreed.

"Not Sub Zero, not Bi Han. Now, I am Noob Saibot. Now, I am your worst nightmare."

Next Time

Noob kicked Scorpion through a burning wall, but the spectre merely teleported behind him and pressed his attack.

"I hoped that I would encounter you again one day Scorpion; you are always seeking vengeance, now you will no what it's like to be on the other side!"

It's time to break the tie!

Sub Zero ran through the forest, relying on his map systems to guide him to his destination. Encountering Bi Han was tough enough, and he had planned on it! With Scorpion on the loose and apparently being indiscriminate in his attacks, things were bound to escalate out of control if let alone.

"Baraka, assemble the men and prepare them to head out." Rain ordered.

Baraka bowed and left to carry out his orders. Rain sat down heavily in his throne; formerly Shao Kahn's, and addressed his lieutenants, Tremor specifically.

"Show them no mercy, give them no quarter. It's time that I claimed this realm as my own. Kitana will not defeat me, if she will not submit then she will die! And if she runs, I will chase her. She can't hide anywhere, not her or anybody else."

So that was my attempt to make a written trailer. I'd really appreciate any comments about it. The flashback between Noob and Scorpion is a scene from Mythologies with my own details thrown in. Also, the absolute power quote is taken from Overlord 2. I loved it so much I had to use it. Read, review, and enjoy.