Chapter 2: The Power of the Choice
There was a tremendous flash and an intense cold as Sub-Zero tried to focus his center toward the Frost. His chi was off balance, and because of this, the power he was accumulating within erupted violently from his hands without control. The jet of frozen ice took off with amazing speeds without control towards Frost, his teacher. She jumped aside with ease as the jet shot past her and struck a wall, turning it to solid ice. Upon seeing this, Sub-Zero hung his head in shame and anger as he struggled to understand why he could not master this technique.
"Why did you lose control of the power building within you?" Frost asked as she walked over to him and looked him in the eye.
"I don't know…..I could not handle it perhaps…" Sub-Zero answered as he hung his head once more.
"Fine then, perhaps you are not worthy of such power after all." Frost said shortly as she turned his back on him and started to exit they cave they were training in. Sub-Zero just stood there, but then he saw images in his mind of his father being murdered by Scorpion's hands, and he saw his villages in flames as the townsfolk were slaughtered without reason. He let out a cry of anger and yelled out after Frost, "No! Wait, I can and will learn this. I am truly ready."
Upon hearing this, Frost stopped walking and whispered, "Show me then."
He knew he was ready, he had to be. Especially now that Frost had flung herself at him in an attack that was a dangerous as it was fast. He had no time to block, no time to dodge; he could only defend with a strike….or a shield, A Frost shield. Before he knew what was happening, an inner cold erupted from within his soul. This time though, he was in control of it. Then suddenly before Frost could strike him, a shield of Frost emerged around him. It enveloped him and he could feel the power resounding through his body and his chi. it was like nothing he had felt before; the power was overwhelming, too overwhelming. Suddenly the world went black.
"You have the power. It is strong in you." The voice in Sub-Zero's head observed. "Use it for me, I can save your clan, I can save your brother, and I will aid you in your quest." The voice continued.
"Who are you, and what is your name?" Sub-Zero heard himself say in a dream-like state.
"Know this; I will come for you from the chaos. For there I am king….." The voice trailed off as though it was getting farther and farther away from Sub-Zero.
"Wait, what do you mean, help me…."Sub-Zero tried to say, but he was overtaken by darkness once again.
Sub-Zero opened his eyes to the bright sunlight and squinted, he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Frost helped him rise to his feet; he was outside of the cave. He was on grassland now. She looked at him with admiration of a sort, but not so much as though she let on.
"You are strong Sub-Zero, and you have learned Frost Shield. Now you must harness it in order for it to be effective." Frost said as she instructed him.
"How will I know when I am ready?" he replied in a daze, still in confusion from his "dream".
"Like all great warriors, you will have to make a choice, and when that choice is made you will know when you have learned it." she replied darkly.
"What choice?" he inquired
"The choice to use your skill for good or evil." she said simply.
"Oh, I am sure I have already made my decision on that." he said with a smile.
"And what is that?" she said with a hint of a smile herself.
"Good, of course." he said getting uneasy by this questioning of supposed obviousness.
"Do not be hasty, for you will not make your decision until you power is complete…then and only then can you make your decision." she said looking up at the sky.
Sub-Zero just stood there motionless, searching his soul for the answer he thought he knew so well, but found was not as though he has thought.
Over the next couple weeks, Sub-Zero became a Master of the Frost Shield. He could call upon it at will and even sustain it for long amounts of time. But to him, this was a mere trifle in his thoughts. He was far more concerned by the unsettling thought he had on his direction of morality. Who was that voice in his head, and what did it want? Better yet, what did I want? These are the thoughts that raced through his mind over and over again without answer. Frost had sensed these thoughts, he could tell. But she seemed to see it fit or either did not care. In the long run, it was his choice….and knew he must make it when the opportunities presented themselves. His family, his clan, his honor and his soul all rested on it.