Love & War 4
Chapter 1: On The Run
At the Himalayan Mountains many years ago, a blind swordsman named Kenshi in his MK9 skin was being hunted down by a organization known as the Red Dragon. He was carrying a little boy with him during the chase.
"Arrows behind us!"
Kenshi uses the power of telekinesis and his sword, Sento to repel the arrows. One of them impaled his right shin.
"Even your telekinesis gets tired when you've been running all night, Kenshi." The man standing before him was none other than Hsu Hao, a member of the Red Dragon. Kenshi told the boy, Takeda, to run.
"You will regret following me, Hsu Hao," said Kenshi.
"You knew the consequences when you betray the Red Dragon, Kenshi. We'll dismantle your body, then dismantle your boy. Daegon commands it!"
Kenshi threw Sento at Hsu Hao's chest. Unknown to him, a kunai connected to a chain impaled a Red Dragon member by the throat from behind. Hsu Hao continues to mock Kenshi.
"I expected a better fight, Kenshi. I figured you might kill a few of us. Instead you hid in the wilderness."
"Not hiding... trespassing..."
Suddenly, the same kunai that killed a Red Dragon member attached itself to Hsu Hao's cybernetic heart.
"GET OUT OF HERE!" It was Scorpion! He punches a gaping hole through Hsu Hao's head!
"Red Dragon, you trespass on Shirai Ryu territory. Leave!"
"Even you can't take us all at once by yourself, Scorpion," said a Red Dragon operative with a recurve bow.
"Final warning! Get out of here!"
At the Shirai Ryu temple, Kenshi and Takeda were impressed by the new members of the reformed clan.
So many Shirai Ryu... Where do you find these fighters?" asked Kenshi.
"I sought warriors who lost their families in the Netherrealm War. Sole survivors like me," said Scorpion. "You helped me out of the darkness. Now I help them. Who is your apprentice?"
"Takeda. My son."
"You don't have a son."
"Turns out I do."
FLASHBACK
"I was running a deep cover mission hunting the Red Dragon's cult leader, Deagon. A real 'Heart of Darkness' job. Suffice to say my cover was blown.
CLASSIFIED LOCATION: JAPAN
LAST WEEK
"For weeks, I cranked a generator to charge a satellite phone that never rang. Only one person had the number."
NEAR LAMPANG, THAILAND
"She told me the Red Dragon sent a message claiming I had a son in Thailand, and the facts were adding up. I raced, didn't care if it was a trap, but in the back of my mind I knew, I couldn't be fast enough."
"You the bitch with Kenshi's bastard?" asked A Red Dragon member.
"I'M THE BITCH WITH A BLADE!"
Kenshi continues, "Suchin was smart. She sent the boy away. It's better that he never saw the scene. The neighbors helped me find him in the next town."
END OF FLASHBACK
"Another survivor," said Scorpion.
At night, Kenshi placed Takeda in bed.
"Didn't you see what he did to those men? He's a wraith from hell."
"Everyone wrestles with demons, Takeda. Hanzo conquered Scorpion years ago."
"I don't trust him and I don't trust you. You've lied to me... my mom's never coming back, is she?"
"No."
Later...
"What's your next move?" Hanzo asked.
"Finish what I started," Kenshi replied. "Find out how the Red Dragon knew about Suchin and Takeda."
"And the boy?"
"If he knew Suchin was murdered, he would run away seeking revenge... and find death. He thinks his mother's death was an accident for now."
"Lying to him won't make him trust you."
"But it will protect him. You of all people know what happens when you devote yourself to vengeance... without discipline."
Young Takeda wasn't able to sleep, so he set out by morning before he was stopped by Hanzo.
"You are a survivor, Takeda, but the Shirai Ryu do not run, we fight."
THE RED DRAGON NEAR LINXIA, CHINA
The temple was under fire...
"Deagon save us! It's a massacre!"
"Mavado said bringing the damn thing here would be trouble."
"That's got nothing to do with this. Who'd blaze a building down just to steal an old knife?"
"You'd be surprised."
"Holy shit!"
"SUB-ZERO! Look man, I never mess with Quan Chi..."
"Quan Chi's in the past," said Sub-Zero. "Right now, I need to get through that door. Can you open it for me?"
"Daegon will devour my soul..."
"You don't have a choice!"
Sub-Zero kicked a member through the door. "Thank you for your help."
He steps into an empty chamber.
"Those guards wouldn't protect an empty chamber. Whoever's in here, I will have that dagger for Lord Raiden, surrender it or..."
Before Sub-Zero could finish, he was ambushed by Kano with a laser to his face.
"Thanks for distracting the Red Dragon, Sub-Zero. You made my job a lot easier."
Kano took the dagger and cut Sub-Zero down his face.
"The dagger... it's cursed!"
"Raiden lied to you, mate! It's time you learned the truth about the curse of the Kamidogu..."