Alright, here it is: The concluding chapter of Mortal Kombat II. I made it short but effective. Enjoy!
Chapter 9: The Vow
Sub-Zero stood alone in the Wastelands of Outworld and practiced his katas. His mind was on one thing and one thing only: Revenge. Though his purpose in this tournament was to finish what his older brother could not; to assassinate Shang Tsung, he also had a score to settle with Scorpion now that he knew about the Hellspawn's presence. Before he died, Sub-Zero's brother told him about his journeys in the Netherealm and about he met Scorpion there. The deceased Lin Kuei's tale was over exaggerated of course, speaking about Scorpion as if he were a deranged lunatic with an endless killing spree. When Sub-Zero received word that his brother had perished at the hands of the Hellspawn Spectre, he vowed to destroy Scorpion in honor of his dead brother, not knowing that it was his brother's own doing.
Sub-Zero's katas were interrupted by a Shadow Priest approaching him from behind. The dark figure told him that his match with Scorpion would take place at an arena known only as the Pit. Sub-Zero nodded and followed the Shadow Priest back to the Emperor's palace. Once there, they went to the highest levels of the palace and found the Pit. It was a wide, rectangular arena, of which was three hundred feet above ground level, with concrete floors and a small bridge that served as an entrance and an exit. As for the ground below, nothing more than a desolate rocky surface for any unlucky fighter to fall upon.
There was no sign of Scorpion anywhere. Sub-Zero cautiously walked about the arena, waiting for the Ninja Spectre to arrive, but he did not show himself on the bridge. He waited for about ten minutes before he started to approach the bridge. Suddenly, Scorpion finally appeared on the other side of the narrow bridge and began to cross it. Sub-Zero, eager to deal out punishment to Scorpion for his crimes, paced back to the middle of the arena and stood in his comfortable stance, a fighter's stance that mimicked that of his brother's with his left fist at his side and his right hand in front of his chest.
Scorpion crossed the bridge and halted his approach. Sub-Zero charged his Fa Jing and readied his frozen arms. Scorpion simply stood there with his eyes lowered to the ground. Sub-Zero, seemingly impatient with Scorpion's lack of attack, released an ice blast at Scorpion. The Ninja Spectre responded by vanishing out of sight before the ice blast hit him. Sub-Zero immediately began to search the arena, with no trace of Scorpion anywhere.
"Show yourself you coward," shouted Sub-Zero, angered by Scorpion's apparent cowardice. Suddenly, Scorpion appeared directly behind him and grabbed his neck into a head lock. Sub-Zero grabbed the arm that choked him and began to freeze it with his Fa Jing. Scorpion kept a firm grip as he reached for his Kunai with his free hand. Sub-Zero heard the steel of the weapon cry as it was unsheathed. He focused on freeing himself from Scorpion before the Spectre had a chance to impale him with the blade. Scorpion refused to let go of the Lin Kuei and tightened his grip, causing Sub-Zero to lose his strength as his Fa Jing slowly diminished. Accepting defeat, Sub-Zero waited for Scorpion to thrust his weapon in his back. A coward's move, Sub-Zero thought.
Suddenly, Scorpion loosened his grip and forced the Lin Kuei to turn around. Without time enough to react, Sub-Zero suffered a vertical slice over his right eye from Scorpion's Kunai. The attack did not cut Sub-Zero's flesh, but instead burned him. The burn quickly scared Sub-Zero's face without any real damage to his right eye. Sub-Zero quickly paced back and cautiously waited for Scorpion to continue his attack, but no movement came from the Spectre. Sub-Zero suspected another trap, so he ran towards Scorpion with a jump kick. Scorpion rolled under the attack and made no counter.
Sub-Zero, infuriated with Scorpion's methods, ran towards him again and began a punching combo. Scorpion blocked each move and only countered with a light shove, sending Sub-Zero back a few paces. Sub-Zero performed a sliding shoulder thrust but collided with nothing as Scorpion side stepped away. Enraged beyond belief, Sub-Zero ran towards Scorpion and threw punch after punch at Scorpion, hitting nothing but air as Scorpion dodged each strike until he again shoved Sub-Zero away.
Sub-Zero regained his footing and glared at Scorpion while the Spectre simply stood there before him. Unable to see the angle in Scorpion's lack of attack, he decided to talk it out of him.
"You dishonorable coward," shouted Sub-Zero. "Why do you neglect the fight? I have waited a year for this moment, and you will not deny me my right to avenge my brother! Now fight me!"
Scorpion lowered his head and quietly said, "No."
Sub-Zero narrowed his eyes in disbelief and said, "Where is the mindless lunatic that killed my brother? He told me about you before he entered the tournament, about how you were a savage of a man! A mindless, rotting soul of the Netherealm unworthy of honor!"
Scorpion brought his gaze back to Sub-Zero. "Your brother killed me in cold blood two years before the tournament. In doing so, he took everything from me. He took the life of a loving father, the life of a caring husband, and the life of an honorable fighter of the Shirai Ryu. I returned from the Netherealm to avenge my life, but in doing so I took a life away from you. You are not like your brother. You are innocent and merciful, traits I did not see in your brother. I have taken away your family, and I refuse to have innocent blood on my hands."
Sub-Zero stood there, flabbergasted at the terrible truth that was revealed to him. He knew it to be true because he had witnessed unjust murder from his brother on several occasions. He could not give a verbal response to Scorpion, for the shocking truth was too much to bear.
"I have marked you with a symbol of my vow. You will not suffer my curse as long as you live. Fear me no longer and live well, Lin Kuei warrior." Scorpion bowed to Sub-Zero and turned around, facing the edge of the Pit.
"What are you doing," asked Sub-Zero as Scorpion slowly approached the edge. Scorpion made no response and brought his feet to the edge, looking down on the rocky surface three hundred feet below.
"Scorpion!"
The Hellspawn Spectre made no response and began to lean forward.
"NNNOOOOOOOO!!!" shouted Sub-Zero as he ran towards Scorpion, but it was too late. Scorpion fell without any screams. Sub-Zero fell to his knees and touched his scar. His interpretation about Scorpion proved to be false. He was not the soulless creature his dead brother spoke of. Sub-Zero remained there with his shame as Scorpion's physical form fell.
Scorpion let his body go limp as he fell at high speed. As his body twisted and turned in the air, Scorpion closed his eyes and let his mind relax, giving him the opportunity to feel something he hadn't felt since before he took his last breath as a living person. He felt relief. He believed that his recent actions were justified. He knew that he would return to the Netherealm once his physical form hit the rocky surface below, so he gave in to his blissful redemption until he finally hit the ground. His eternal existence as a Hellspawn Spectre would be his just punishment for the life he took from Sub-Zero. He returned to the Netherealm, only to one day rise from the fiery pits once again.
Sorry about the short length. I had that way so that I could illustrate Scorpion's vow even further. The next chapter will mark the beginning of MK3, and I am very excited to see how that turns out, being that it more about war than a tournament! See ya next chapter!