Mortal Kombat
Ermac and his army had returned to Outworld. They hadn't even been back for a full five minutes before Shang Tsung took them to see the Emperor, now doubt wanting to preach of the mission's success. However he didn't know the full truth.
The Emperor Shao Khan sat in the middle of the throne room. On his left sat Kitana in a small chair with her bodyguard Jade behind her. And to his right sat Mileena with her bodyguard Skarlet standing behind her. Kitana had one of her fans out and fanned herself while Mileena strummed her fingers against her chair with one leg draped over the armrest.
The doors swung open and Shang Tsung walked in followed by Ermac with the Lin Keui behind him and whatever remained of the army after them.
"Hail Great Emperor!" Shang Tsung said when he stood in the middle of the room before his master and his daughters." I have come with news of our war in the foreign realhm."
"And what news it this?" asked Shao Khan. Shang Tsung stepped aside and looked to Ermac who held all the answers. However the monster was silent.
"Ermac!" He snapped quickly. The monster shook his head looking as if he had awoken from a dream." Your Emperor has asked you a question." Ermac looked at the Emperor but remained silent so Shang Tsung repeated the question." What happened with the war in the foreign realhm?"
"It is over." Ermac replied." We have lost." Silence filled the room as everyone was shocked. Shao Khan flinched in his chair his fingers shooting out from their place on the armrest.
"Lost?" Shao Khan repeated. Shang Tsung chuckled nervously.
"A minor malfunction your majesty." He said." The simple creature." He pointed to Ermac." He does not know what he says or what it means." Shao Khan glared at the Sorcerer." What he means to say is we won."
"No." Ermac spoke aloud. This was highly irregular as Ermac only spoke when spoken to." We faced our enemies in battle and they defeated us. The battle is over." Shang Tsung was to frightened by Shao Khan to even notice Ermac's strange differences.
"Your monster has lost it's bite!" Shao Khan roared." I think I shall reward his failure!" Shao Khan's hand began to glow green with magic.
"But good lord it was not only Ermac who was present. "Shang Tsung said." The Lin Kuei were also there. They have underperformed as well." The Emperor turned from Ermac to the Lin Kuei, now angrier than before.
"And I thought the Lin Kuei were the deadliest warriors of Earthrealm!" They Assassins cringed at the sight of Shao Khan all except Sub-Zero who stood at his massive height unafraid of what might happen next." I will send your bones to your master as a token of his failure." Sub-Zero slowly armed himself with a shard of ice in his right hand behind his back.
"Father No!" Kitana yelled as she stepped up before her father.
"Daughter?! What is the meaning of this?!" He boomed.
"You are tired father, weary of news." She put her hands on his chest and slowly pushed him back into his throne." Sit, drink." She snapped her fingers and Jade placed a drink of wine in her hands. She then took it and handed it off to her father, helping him raise the glass to his mouth." This is only a minor setback. There is still so much we can do."
Shao Khan stopped drinking the second she took the glass away from his mouth.
"Speak your mind daughter for I grow impatient."
"There are other ways to take over the realhms father." Kitana explained.
"The Mortal Kombat tournament father!" Mileena said suddenly putting herself into the conversation. The Emperor stroked his chin.
"A marvelous idea daughters." He said standing up and placing a hand on each of their shoulders." See how simple things are when you two get along?" He turned and walked away from them so he did not see Kitana's glares at her smirking sister. Now and always Mileena had always tried to steal the spotlight, today she had succeeded. At that moment Sektor the son of the Lin Kuei Grandmaster and leader of the group in Outworld approached Kitana.
"Princess Kitana." He addressed her." Our thanks." Mileena hissed getting his attention." And yours as well Pricess Mileena." Sektor bent the knee before the two Princesses and instructed his followers to do the same. Smoke and Tundra did as commanded but Sub-Zero did not. His eyes were on someone else entirely.
"You are right to thank her Lin Kuei." Shao Khan said." But be warned I will accept no further failure."
"Understood Emperor." Said Sektor. He turned and led his men away.
"Shang Tsung." The Emperor called.
"Yes your majesty?"
"Take your monster to the flesh pits and remake him. Perhaps he could still be of some use." Shao Khan turned and left.
"Yes your majesty." Shang Tsung bowed. He then turned on his heel and led the way and stopped to turn back and see if Ermac was following him. He wasn't he was standing there with that dream-like look on his face." Ermac!" He called rousing his attention." Follow me." The monster turned and followed his creator into the flesh pits.
Soon after he was laid down on the table looking up at the ceiling while Shang Tsung paced back and forth looking for his tools.
"I give him a daughter that's great." He mumbled." I give her a bodyguard that's great. I give him a warrior that can't be beaten that's wonderful. But now that warrior failed." He turned and stood over Ermac." You've gotten me in a lot of trouble today Ermac." He grinded his teeth.
"Why?" Ermac asked curiously.
"Because you failed."
"Failure?" He repeated." Is that not possible?"
"It should have been for you."
"Why?"
"Because I created you! Where are you getting all these questions, what's wrong with you?" Ermac said nothing. He was thinking, thinking about the thing that's been on his mind since he came back to Outworld.
"What is Law and Order?" He asked.
"The only Order you need to know is the Emperor's Order." With one hand he held Ermac's face and with the other he brought a small knife down to his head, ready to start the procedure.
"We asked you a question." He said in a thousand voices." What is Law and Order?!" Shang Tsung did not hesitat and shot a magical blast from his hand and into Ermac's face. It was like an exploding grenade in his face and yet it did not faze him. Ermac's eyes only glowed green and a force picked the Sorceror up and slammed him into the wall, rendering him unconscious.
Ermac was a simple creature but he knew this much, he had to leave. So he jumped off the table and made his way down the hall. Soon after he departed Outworld to start his own journey. He would walk across all the realhms in his search of Law and Order.
Elsewhere in the palace was Jade. The loyal bodyguard stood at her post outside of Princess Kitana's bedroom door as she was ordered, her hands behind her back holding her staff. There was no one else around so the sudden sound of clopping against the ground got her attention.
She turned her head to see Kitana's sister Mileena along with her own bodyguard Skarlet walking towards them.
"Hello Jade!" Mileena hissed getting real close to her face.
"G-Good evening Princess." Jade said slowly inching herself away." Wonderful to see you as always." She lied.
"Yes I know." Mileena said with a flash of her hair and a wiggle of her body." We just wanted to drop by and visit big sister." She placed her hand on the large door behind Jade. But the second she did the bodyguard flicked her wrist enlarging her pole and striking the Princess." Ow!" she shrieked holding her hand and stepping away.
"I'm afraid you cannot." Jade said." Princess Kitana has instructed me to guard her door and under no circumstances is anyone allowed in."
"You deny me?! I am the Princess!"
"So is your sister. And I am sworn to obey her ever command." Jade said with a prideful wiggle of her head." Much as Skarlet is to you." She looked at the mute bodyguard.
"Indeed." Mileena said." So if I told Skarlet to rip your head of your shoulders, she would do it." Jade slowly turned her head to face Skarlet. The little woman in red slowly pulling out her knives while Jade gripped her staff tighter. There might have been a confrontation if someone else hadn't intervened. The three women heard the sound of stamping and turned their heads to see none other than Sub-Zero step out of the darkness. His eyes were blue as iceburgs and just as cold. And he cast his gaze upon Jade first." What are you doing here?" Mileena hissed at him. Now he turned and looked over at the Princess who shivered when he looked at her. Then finally Sub-Zero turned his eyes on Skarlet and there they stayed. He gave the Princess and her bodyguard and nod and the Princess took off running while Skarlet slowly walked after her.
Once they left Sub-Zero slowly rotated his head over and looked at Jade. Now she was struck with a fear even greater than before with Mileena and Skarlet. Slowly Sub-Zero made his way over to Jade until he stood right in front of her. Then he stood there silent and unmoving and Jade had no idea what would come next.
Then as quick as a snap Sub-Zero snapped his body downwards so his forehead was resting against her's and his right arm slammed into the door, hovering next to her head. Jade panted as she looked into Sub-Zero's stone cold eyes that never blinked. After a few long seconds Sub-Zero finally moved again. His nose twitched under his mask as he inhaled Jade's scent. He leaned closer putting his head into her hair and sniffed once more, then he went lower into her neck and inhaled once more. Jade stood back the whole time petrified.
Then as quickly as he came Sub-Zero turned and waked away leaving only a petrified Jade behind.
Shao Khan meanwhile made his way to the top of the tallest tower in the palace, a place that reached high above the clouds. For in order to call the Mortal Kombat Tournament he would need divine permission.
"Elder Gods!" He roared to the heaven's." I command the Mortal Kombat Tournament to begin. Bring the warriors of the realhms to my world, so they may defend their homes and lives!"
"You have commanded." Replied a voice in the skies above." And so it shall be." Thunder rumbled above and lightning struck the earth below. Shao Khan could only smile a black smile.
"Now let it be war upon the universe."