The Land of No Return
When Bobby opened his eyes he wasn't in the Palace he knew that. He didn't see a glass ceiling overhead but a black, smokey sky. He didn't smell candles he smelt a roaring fire and black smoke. He looked around to see he was on a large piece of earth elevated hundreds of feet in the air. Behind him was a long set of stony steps that climbed high into the clouds. But he was not alone.
There was dozens, probably hundreds of people crammed into this little rock with him. He began looking around for anyone familiar or someone who could tell him what's going on. That's when he saw Sub-Zero.
"Sub-Zero!" He ran over and stood before the man." What's going on? Where are we?" But there was no reply." Sub-Zero?" Still nothing." Are you okay? What's wrong?" He shook Sub-Zero by his shoulders and that's when he noticed something. Sub-Zero felt weightless. Under normal circumstance Bobby should not have been able to move him as much as he did but Sub-Zero moved as if he was made of jelly. His skin was pale and his eyes were all white. But it wasn't just him.
Everyone there had the same look about them. Bobby looked around trying to find someone or something to help him. That's when he heard something strange. A cheery, light-hearted beat although the voice that sang it was deep and menacing.
Bobby looked up to see two figures standing on two floating pieces of rock above him.
The one on the left was familiar. It was Scorpion the man who killed the first Sub-Zero. Next to him on the rock was a lever. He stood solid like a statue unlike the man to his left.
He was big and covered in cloths black as shadow. He danced back and forth kicking his legs up and swinging his arms left and right with a big battle ax in his hand. Bobby couldn't put his finger on it but the man seemed somewhat familiar. This was Noob Saibot wraith of Darkness.
"If your blue and you don't know where to go to, why don't you go where fashion sits?" He sang and then pointed to Scorpion, waiting for him to sing. Scorpion did not so Noob continued." Different types who wear a day coat, Pants with stripes and cutaway coat, perfect fits." He once again pointed to Scorpion who this time rolled his eyes in annoyance. Noob now turned his eyes down to the crowd below." My, My. Look what we have here." He glanced at Scorpion." I'd say it's time to send these folks on their way." Scorpion only nodded and placed his hand on the lever next to him.
Then Bobby felt the ground shake beneath him. Starting off slow and then speeding up the rock he stood on began to change shape. The end of it began to turn into a tunnel that extended down. When it shifted some more Bobby saw the destination.
Hundreds of feet down below them were pits of fire and lava. Screams of tortured people and evil laughs echoed out from the fire below. The ground began to change and all those on it began to fall down into the fire.
"HaHa!" laughed Noob as he watched them go." I LOVE this job!" One by one the hundreds of people fell over and began falling into the fire none making any attempt to do otherwise. All except for Bobby.
He ran from the tunnel and towards Sub-Zero.
"Listen to me Tundra!" He said shaking him." We have to get out of here!" But he did not move." Think about Kitana! Think about-" But that was as far as he got since the ground below him began to change. Bobby lost his footing and was being propelled down towards the fire.
But he would not go. He slid down some distance but managed to swing his arm out grabbed onto the edge of the tunnel. The lifeless people flew over his head and below him was the abyss. Bobby managed a glance over his shoulder to see the bodies flying down to be consumed by fire and smoke. Then he looked forward to see Sub-Zero flying down towards him. He went up and over Bobby's head and would have fallen with the others if Bobby didn't reach out and grab him. Once again Bobby was happy he was lighter.
But the two still hung there for several more minutes as the last of the people flew over their heads. Then after they stopped the rock changed back to it's original form. Bobby quickly put Sub-Zero onto solid ground so he wouldn't fall. But was going to try and figure out what was wrong with him but he looked at something else.
"Look guys." Said Bobby getting to one knee." There's been a-" But that was all he could say before Scorpion grabbed him by the neck and hoisted him into the air.
"It appears two didn't go down." Said Scorpion over his shoulder to Noob Saibot. Scorpion then held Bobby over the edge of the cliff and prepared to drop him. Noob walked up and stood behind Scorpion.
"No! No!" Bobby kicked and screamed.
"Wait!" called a third voice. Everyone turned around to see a man with skin white as snow walked over to them. "What is the trouble here?" He asked.
"Quan Chi." Scorpion said." Two souls didn't fall over. We were just about to remedy that." The Sorceror Quan Chi looked at Sub-Zero.
"A familiar face." He smiled to Noob Saibot. Then he turned his attention to Bobby. And there was an obvious difference between the two. Bobby unlike Sub-Zero was fully conscious. He could speak, his eyes were not white or his skin pale. But that didn't matter to Quan Chi.
"Toss them over." He commanded.
"No! No!" Bobby yelled. Scorpion leaned him over the side as Noob Saibot grabbed onto Sub-Zero." No! No!" he yelled.
"Hold!" commanded another voice this time. This voice was deep and caused the entire place to shake. Scorpion leaned Bobby back onto the rock as did Noob Saibot with Sub-Zero.
Then everyone watched as a figure took form in mid-air. A combination of smoke and shadow revealed the form of a man. His skin was also white with a large red head-dress and long black cloths that blended in with the shadows.
"What is going on here?" He asked turning to Quan Chi.
"Lord Shinnok." The Sorcerer said." We are simply doing as you have commanded and sending these souls down into the abyss." Shinnok turned his attention from Quan Chi and to the two souls. One was pale and lifeless but one was not.
"That one. "Shinnok pointed to Bobby." Bring him to me." Scorpion released Bobby and with a flick of his finger the boy was levitated in the air and hovered before Shinnok. It took the God of the Dead no more than a second to say something." You do not belong here you are not dead." He simply said.
"I died?!" Bobby shrieked.
"No." Shinnok shook his head." Consider this a 'near-death' experience. Where did this happen, boy?"
"My name is Bobby. Last I check I was in Outworld."
"Outworld?" Shinnok said confused." You are not from Outworld." His eyes shined yellow for a moment as he gazed at Bobby." You are from Earthrealm."
"I'm from Arlen Texas." Bobby said.
"Then that is where I will return you." Shinnok said. He raised his hand and a portal appeared next to them. On the other side Bobby saw Arlen. He saw the High School, Strickland Propane, Rainy Street, Joseph's house, Connie's house, his own house. Bobby was lowered onto his own two feet." Go on boy. Return to your home." And for a minute Bobby considered it. He could go home and leave all this killing and death behind him. But he knew he couldn't abandoned his friends who needed him, especially one who needed him right now.
"I can't." He said turning back to Shinnok.
"You cannot stay here you are not dead." Shinnok told. Bobby turned and faced him fully. Looking past all of them he saw Sub-Zero laying lifeless on the ground.
"I can't go without him." Bobby pointed to him.
"He cannot go." Shinnok replied. "He is dead."
"He can't be dead." Bobby said." I'm not dead so maybe he-"
"It was by a slim chance that you yourself were not killed. But your friend's time has passed."
"Who-Who are you to make such a decision!" Bobby yelled and pointed a finger in Shinnok's face. But he did not seem to be angered at all by it.
"I am Shinnok." He announced. His voice echoed all over the place." Ruler of the Nethrealm, God of the Dead!"
"You-You." Bobby stammered. Even if he didn't believe this man he was still in awe at him." You're no God. What kind of God lets people suffer?!"
"It matters not what you think." Shinnok retorted." My sacred duty is to watch over the dead. You are not dead so you may go. But your friend must stay."
"But, but there's someone who needs him. Someone who loves him."
"Thousands lose their loved ones to this place." Shinnok answered." Of what interest is this one?"
"He's the one who could stop the Mortal Kombat Tournament. He and Kitana-"
"Kitana?" asked Shinnok as if he didn't know who it was.
"The Princess in Outworld. She loves this man." He pointed to Sub-Zero.
"Kitana?" Quan Chi said surprised.
"The Princess?" added Scorpion just as surprised. The two turned and looked at Noob Saibot, although he didn't say anything.
"And together maybe they can stop the killing in Outworld." But Shinnok did not appear to have heard him.
"The Princess is the daughter of Shao Khan?" He asked." The Emperor of Outworld."
"Yes." Bobby nodded. Shinnok wiggled his finger and Bobby was levitating before him once more.
"Did Shao Khan or his daughter for that matter mention their intentions with the Tournament?"
"Just that they want to take over all worlds. My own being one of them." Bobby answered." Why?" He asked noticing the quizzical look on Shinnok's face.
"Well the Emperor doesn't like me very much." Shinnok answered." We've had some disagreements in the past." Shinnok smirked as he heard the painful cry of a woman in the abyss below. He snapped his attention back to Bobby and his fingers as well causing him to drop to the ground.
"S-So what's all that mean?" asked Bobby looking back up at Shinnok. The God once again turned his attention back to Bobby.
"If you'd rather be returned to Outworld." Shinnok said." Then that's where I'll send you. "He raised his hand and a portal appeared behind Bobby. Then with the flick of his finger Shinnok forced Bobby off the ground and into the portal.
"No!" Bobby yelled. The last thing he saw was Shinnok standing before him with Quan Chi, Scorpion and Noob Saibot behind him, Sub-Zero lay dead at their feet.
And when Bobby reopened his eyes he was back in Outworld with Joseph and Sonya looking down at him.