Con't VII - Corruption
Nightwolf abruptly woke up with heavy breathing and drenched with sweat, his heart racing fast and hard like a tribal drum. He was laying on a cot similar to the infirmary of the mountain base he used to operate in, as if he came to while experiencing another one of his night terrors of Onaga. Kiba was whimpering beside him, as if he felt the same horrifying terrors as he did...
The shaman assumed his pet sensed the evil too, even a dream from Raiden. "I must get that chip ready."
The alarm went off as if an intruder breached the Academy. Nightwolf rushed to the main chamber and punched around his motherboard! The sensors shown him a pile of rubble about eight feet deep, then his eyes narrowed as his face grimaced when he sensed an immense evil from it.
Kenshi and Aiko just took the portal back to Liu's Tomb when the blind swordsman's ears perked up; as if like a dog's, with its keen sense of hearing kourtesy of his blindness and telepathy.
Despite their fears...
"Aiko. Let me use your heart gem. I believe it might magnify my telepathy, like with your song, so I can warn the monks of this electrical, foreboding threat. They must get to safety!"
She did just that as she handed over the crimson jewel. It was encased in a turquoise hue, even the katana, while Kenshi was transmitting the message. However...he nearly dropped it as he received their frantic cries instead!
He immediately gave the jewel back, "Aiko, the monks are frantic! Someone is attacking them!" She hurriedly followed her partner to the location of the disarray, near the Temple of Light!
En route, they met up with Nightwolf, who was klosing fast with Kiba yelping by his side! He and Kenshi kame to the konclusion, aside from Kiba's fur sticking up, that Raiden was still alive... Even in a familiar aura though just as menacing...
Several feet away, Kung Lao, Hanzo and Ermac were chasing after the ominous force as well, when suddenly, Liu's spirit felt as if it was pulled by a tractor beam, as if he'd no kontro!l! With his strong soul kinesis and having many spirits in him, Ermac took possession and dragged him back inside the dragon amulet!
"By the Elder Gods, I am getting so goddamn sick of this!" The fiery monk irritatingly spoke.
"Aiko!" The former monk ran to his uneasy lover, Nightwolf and Kenshi.
At the Jinsei Chamber, Raiden was still hunched over and wailed in anguish! Fujin went over to his side in a concerned matter. "Fujin...! I can sense myself, my own soul, but he is not me at all. He seems more threatening, malicious...! And yet...I can somewhat feel my very own essence."
The Wind God was just as flabbergasted, "That shall explain the red lightning I witnessed in Outworld...!"
Raiden slowly rose his head and he wore a terrifying komposure, "Brother... As a former Elder God, have you not learnt to make a duplicate of yourself?"
"Yes, but-I never used it. It always required so much vitality. Even half your essence."
"He has the majority of my soul. I transferred my energy onto him! As an Elder God I noticed I can make a copy of myself! Much like Shinnok. Before the blast, I knew my time was at hand, and so...I regretfully spent most of my energies onto him as he was being revived in Earthrealm, to save myself from imminent death."
When Fujin teleported Lao and Nightwolf to safety during Raiden's sacrifice on Onaga to be exact! He was dumbfounded as to why he'd do this...
He learnt to create a mirror image of himself, as he believed Shinnok kould do the same. He heard his evil duplicate incanting a haunting spell earlier, to which it kan be used...
At the lost Houan Temple...!
"He's going to attack the Academy, with Liu Kang as his dark avenger! You must stop him!"
Nightwolf, Kenshi, and Aiko picked up intense energy as Kiba growled! The shaman offered the swordsman to use his telepathy and kommunicate with Raiden. Although the attempt was null and void as he heard his distress instead.
"Raiden mentioned I must konjure a rainstorm and make sure my weapon is ready. An EMP needs to be charged; I must summon my ancestors' spirits to power up the weapon and develop that pure rainstorm of natural energy to kounter this evil."
"EMP...! An electromagnetic pulse?" Aiko was astonished by this.
Ermac offered help to expedite the process. Kenshi, Kung Lao, and Aiko headed straight to the Academy while Hanzo volunteered and remained with the duo.
Fujin added he shall kreate a microburst, a violent wind to descend and gather an enormous thundercloud restoring Raiden's strength as much as possible; however, he'd need Nightwolf's help to do so.
Feeling Aiko's astraphobia as she whimpered in fear, Kenshi offered to block her nerve receptors, although he warned it was temporary as further inaccessibility may cause some neurological damage.
Aiko's face brightened a little, "Wow. I never knew you learnt so much during your time in the Special Forces, let alone with your blindness."
"We must hurry! Kung Lao and Liu Kang are closing fast! Do you know any safe havens?"
"...The...Dragon Grotto. That's all I can think of."
Kenshi rose a hand and Aiko's head was engulfed in a blue hue for a few seconds; she kould've sworn she felt suddenly numb, as if being covered by Nayru's Love while feeling nothing emotionally.
"Good. Let's go."
They saw the kalamity as orange, hot flashes licked klose to the panicked monks! They were nearly hit, but as the krowd thinned, their eyes, kounting Kenshi's sixth sense, beheld a horrifying sight! They became awestruck watching Liu Kang in his placid, green body, dragging numerous chains and letting out some incoherent moans! He then roared as he recognized the two intruders!
Aiko gasped, "No...! It can't be you!" She was too stupefied to say any more, but it didn't take too much telepathy to know that the undead slave was just as terrifying as that Revenant from her dystopian future!
Seconds later, red zigzags crashed and descended to the ground, making their feet vibrate, and a more ominous version of the Thunder God they knew greeted them, complete with soul-piercing red eyes, his war-torn robe koated in black! The exact polar opposite of the heavenly being, now presenting himself as if one of the Devil's apprentices!
He rose a hand to stall the undead from advancing, even from bowing to him...
"What-? What are you!?" Kenshi snarled.
"I happen to be resurrected here in Earthrealm. And with a lot more power I might add! So good for you to join us, Aiko and Kenshi. You will be within our ranks shortly, I assure you, with my enforcer, the Champion of Mortal Kombat. You see, I revived him, kourtesy of the sacred dark arts of the lost Houan, a tribe of necromancers, whom I decimated centuries ago."
"You...you work for Onaga then!" Kenshi hypothesized.
"My sacrifice to Onaga has granted us this gift, Kenshi! I shall punish those who pose as a threat to Earthrealm. I will no longer be passive to the warmongering denizens of this world or others. I have my own agenda, though the followers who won't defy me and threaten the earth would be more than welcome to fight for me!"
"So... you're just ruling this realm with an iron fist!"
"All those who shall defy me would meet their demise, just like that foolheartedly, naive Shujinko! I made him pay with his life after he was unknowingly working for a greater evil, despite the falsity believing he was working for a greater good!" His eyes sparked as he tossed the elder's severed head! Filled with a violent lust, the zombified servant was pent up for battle as he ignited and let out another snarl!
"Aiko! Get everyone to safety, I'll handle these two treacherous bastards!" She never had to think twice as she turned tail and ran when Kenshi drew out his blade!
Dark Raiden just simply rose a hand and streaks of red electricity licked Kenshi's trembling body! Even his blade, Sento, acted as a rod! The warrior kollapsed in a heap!
"Finish him!" Raiden growled, allowing his servant to mop the Temple grounds with him!
Liu's possessed body was hit from behind by a flying, spinning saucer! Which happened to be Kung Lao's hat!
As it returned like a boomerang, the owner teleported before the revenant's and even the corrupt God's eyes! Lao was flabbergasted of those abominations!
"Kung Lao!" Dark Raiden greeted him with glee.
Liu's better half wasn't too thrilled, "By the Elder Gods...what have you done...?" He was especially disheartened by the flaming damage his own shade made.
"Nothing I will regret! I'm only loyal to my own kreator!"
"I thought you might say that...!" Lao stated as he adjusted his hat, then made his usual fighting pose. Deja vu struck him as iif he was revisiting that crucial test on battling his own revenant and seeing Aiko's ruined life.
Raiden ordered his puppet to slay Lao, then Liu offered to share his partner's body to which he obliged; it was kourtesy of Ermac holding onto the dragon amulet for him!
With the looming storm, Ermac, via his soul kinesis, lent Kenshi away. Kung Lao simply distracted the monstrous monk!
Lao klosed in with his lethal Whirlwind Kick which seemed to make Liu falter, but not for long. His resilience was incredible, being blindly loyal to his maker! He even used his own chains both as a sword and shield; they seemed to cause some lacerations onto his bitter rival. The living Champion once hesitated as if they can actually kontaminate him and make him as a zombie too, after hearing murmurs in the White Lotus Society, even about the ancient evil known as the Houan, and how Raiden barely killed the occult.
"Those chains must be kontrolling him! If we can just kut them off..." Liu echoed in Lao's mind.
It wasn't the best time to think, as it gave his undead kounterpart a chance to unleash his fury with his fierce Flying and flexible kicks!
The impact sent him tumbling onto his feet and he managed to hold one of the enemy's legs before konjuring a licking flame; luckily, Liu made sure to leave some space to prevent from incinerating Lao's palm! He sent a few tricks of his own before he unleashed some of Lao's moves, including his Tornado Kick engulfed in aerosol! Yet still, the undead fought back with a ferocious Bicycle Kick! However, Liu thought twice as he took a few blows and just Teleported underneath! He performed some of Lao's own Shaolin Slams stunning the foe, even his Shaolin Throw, yet still he gained his footing.
Witnessing impending defeat, Raiden's hand glowed as he took a few steps. Then blinded by a sudden funnel! Even the two warring Orientals paused! Raiden just simply blocked himself before outstretching his arms, breaking the current! Fujin landed on his feet.
"Fujin! You should never be involved in this!"
"I must, disciples!" He just leapt up, coaxing his warped sibling to chase after him while the Shaolin fought below. There were some flashes of white lightning between the tan clouds; it made the warring gods waver for a split second before Raiden resumed!
The aerial kombat was a bit of a standoff, but due to the darkness empowering him, the dark god seemed to have the upper hand, even when he was able to land some shocks onto Fujin, making him vulnerable to more onslaughts. An impact forced Fujin to land, and while the two monks felt the impact, Lao was soon able to best his rival, thanks to Liu's strategies, although...it wasn't enough konfronting the dark God who electrified them! Utilizing the razor-rimmed hat as a metallic rod, they were greatly paralyzed!
A few feet away, Nightwolf was guiding the microburst toward the so-called deserted occult hangout... Then, the monstrous storm cloud sounded and if as it began to burst! With that same deafening krack, the storm down poured in torrents! The enormous mound kontinued to strike within it, and Fujin was beholding his brother glowing in a turquoise hue!
All Nightwolf did was just whisper to the heavens, "Hurry, Raiden...!"
Dark Raiden's hand ignited with a crimson hue, his eyes of the same color and his smile gleaming...! "You two have no choice but to join me in my konquest..!" He pressed his boot hard, krushing the mortal's body!
He was hit nearly off his feet by a sudden shockwave! It made him stamper before he regained his balance, as if it had no effect. He tested his powers again, which seemed minimized. Though he was not fazed. "Is that the best you puny humans kan do!? An electro-magnetic pulse? That pathetic stunt kan only stun me! I kan walk this off in a minute, yet still I've enough strength to perish you and make you as another undead pawn, Kung Lao...! Two of the best monks in my servitude, once again."
"Not yet Raiden!" Nightwolf ran into the fray, but he only tackled the immobilized hero, ordering him to get down and kover his ears!
The terroristic deity just marched up to the duo, till he was held and struck from behind! His body illuminated brighter and brighter like the sacred fountain from the Sky Temple; Nightwolf kept Lao down as they shielded their eyes, encased in a green forcefield! They kould've sworn Liu's doppelganger squealed as he was being nuked by the harsh, white lightning bolts!
Ermac created a neon green wall to keep the frightened escapees at bay from the raging storm, which they heard ear-piercing cracks of thunder!
As if there was an explosion near the Dragon Grotto, the monks startled as they, Kenshi and Aiko heard the lethal thunder wave, which was just enough momentum to quake it!
"I've never heard nor felt the likes of such a kalamity... This kan be no act of nature...!" Kenshi wondered, fully recovered from the sacred springs.
Nightwolf rose, though Lao was incapable. Hanzo rushed to them, as the shaman was greeted by a reassuring hand.
"You know what you must do."
The shaman nodded to the echoing tenor.
All a sudden, a flash of immense light nearly blinded the refugees! The Indian rose a hand, calming them they're still safe...and that Raiden meant no harm to them.
Slowly, the Thunder God konjured the Jinsei encasing Lao's and Fujin's immobilized bodies, before he stood and faced his children after the teleportation beneath the ground. Everyone kouldn't help but gasp and mutter in astonishment before some cheered while others bowed! Raiden kouldn't help but smile, reunited with his devoted followers!
The cardiokinetic could hardly adjust, until a glimmer caught her eye. She slowly stood up, recognizing it was... "Kung Lao! Kung Lao!" She called amongst the loud crowd.
Hearing his name, the Oriental, not housing Liu's spirit, followed her shrieks. "Aiko-? Aiko!"
His eyes scanned for his missing mate, until she charged into him and wrapped him in her tight embrace. Lao returned the pressure as he tended her, while also resting his head on her shoulder, even nuzzling it. They barely heard Liu's irritation on getting his spirit smushed.
Raiden just signaled the monks to silence themselves, "Thank you, brave warriors. For escorting everyone to safety. From now on, you are all in good hands," he addressed to Aiko, Kung Lao, Liu Kang and Kenshi. "However, I mustn't stay here. Earthrealm and all realms are still in peril by Onaga and his followers. I know now where they'd strike, at the Temple of Elements, where the last Kamidogu stands.
"Kung Lao, Liu Kang Jerrod and Hanzo shall head thru the Nexus. Reunite the Champions and thwart off Onaga for good while dividing the Kamidogu amongst all of you. You shall be able to move now." The cowboy lookalike and the ronin nodded. "Nightwolf...I know you must be dreading this moment, but...it must be done once the Dragon is weak enough."
"Yes, the Sin Eater ritual," he acknowledged.
"Prepare yourself, you kan do this." The Matokan headed up and out.
"Kenshi, Aiko, I'll teleport each of you back to the Temple of Elements. You must not let Onaga, and his troops possess Shinnok's Amulet. Sonya, Jax, and the Dragon's army will be marching there. Good luck to both of you. I shall be at the Jinsei with Nightwolf and Fujin." The duo gathered around their mentor. "Stay safe, fellow warriors, and may the Elder Gods protect us all." With a blink of an eye, the trio were off.
The heroes reunited with Hanzo near the Temple of Light, when Raiden addressed some sorrowful news, "My darker self... He already vanquished the false Champion of the Elder Gods, Shujinko." It wasn't too surprising for the mortals, especially since Lao and Liu witnessed his decapitated head!
"I should've known he'd use the Houan's black arts. I destroyed them centuries ago, however, their dark rituals still remained, thus..." He motioned to Liu's corpse.
"I need to incinerate that abomination!" The pure spirit growled in disgust.
"No! There's a better way, Liu Kang. For now, the Dragon King must be destroyed. Johnny, Sonya and Jax are still in his thrall, and if I'm right, their goal would be at the Temple of Elements where the last Kamidogu stands, Shinnok's Amulet."
Everyone nodded, konfirming Liu's and Hanzo's koncerns.
"And Kuai?"
"He has his own inquiries. He shall be safe at the moment. Recruit the remaining Champions and enter the Nexus. We're all kounting on you."
At the Temple of Elements, Kenshi assured to Aiko that Kung Lao shall return to her loving arms soon...
A/N: I guess I'll end it here...! So much work on that chapter, and yet so little done... Ever since I'd been doing my Females list, things'd been hectic. Maybe I'd been losing inspiration on Deception, let alone its droning Konquest; still got a long way, and I think I might start with an optional one for some Kombatants next...
Item Room Ambience from Super Metroid shall chime at the start when Nightwolf awakens, followed by Chozo Statue Awakens, Hostile Incoming, and Space Pirate Statue Chamber; it's quite a good way to build up suspense as the storm brews before Zombie Liu Kang and Dark Raiden shall make their move. Then, Kirk Saves the Day from Star Trek Generations (starting at 1:03) would play while Aiko evacuates the monks and Kenshi fails, next Ocarina of Time Middle Boss Remix'd sound when Kung Lao and Fujin deal with the pair of omnipotence, as the ending would activate the EMP; inspiration from The Matrix Revolutions btw, and I thought it'd be a good way to stun the intimidating wrathful God, if only for a while and buy enough time for the real Raiden's return... Kidfried, starting at 2:17, shall play after Nightwolf intervened against Dark Raiden, even when he gets incinerated by the benevolent God himself!
It was such a relief to be rid of him! Never liked Raiden as his darker, vicious self, posing as a threat to everyone! No mercy shown, no quarter given! Sure, his plot failed twice in the series, but he got a chance in the spotlight here. Nor did I ever liked the fact that Kung Lao and Fujin had to deal with the corruption and Zombie Liu Kang in Deception and Armageddon, only for them to die and never get their sanity, and to be reversed by lousy time travel and have Raiden's benevolent self be insane again! This better NOT happen to the more competent Fire God Liu Kang; at least HE'S NOT A BLUNDER GOD!
I always wanted Raiden to be the caring mentor for the mortals, with a little snark, not some neglectful prick like Warner Bros and Netherrealm made him to be!
So, another chapter's finally done, although the next one shall take a detour, involving certain wanderers in the Netherrealm for a chance to shine.