Con't VIII - Noob Saibot

As Lao was with Hanzo, Liu Kang and Ermac heading straight for the Nexus, he made a solemn promise to reunite with Aiko again despite her anxieties, although his Shaolin brother was more confident that they'll succeed.

Ermac came across that same immense dark aura, he hesitated. The group looked back and the soul kinetic pointed out the pile of steep rubble. "We just passed the Houan Temple that Raiden mentioned."

"Guys, look!" Hanzo pointed out the old man's fried and barely recognizable body, slithered and steaming! With his head missing...

Lao muttered his angst as he shook his head in disbelief, "Shujinko... Raiden DID slay him as his corrupt self...!" He sighed irritatingly, "Goddammit, it's all up to us now!"

Hanzo then coaxed Lao, "Do you remember wanting to take the Earthrealm Kamidogu?" The former monk nodded, "Now's the time to perform that foolish stunt; this may distract and lure the Dragon King onto us. As long as we find Havik."

"I believe the Champion of Outworld is still Goro. Let's do this!" Liu's spirit urged.

He then followed the remainder of the Champions to the Nexus gateway.

Somewhere in Articka, at the new Lin Kuei Temple, one of the ninjas alerted their Grandmaster, Kuai Liang, of a girl seeking asylum.

"Have her enter."

Moments later she had as she was being escorted by a few of the guardsmen. He wasn't sure if she'd actually withstand the below zero air, let alone if it was a human. To his surprise, she wasn't fazed by the uninhabitable, frigid climate at all!

She was a slim woman with half of her head consisting black locks of thick hair, while the other side was white. She even had very thin klothing, almost as if wearing a hot velvet leotard of sorts. Sub-Zero was just as flabbergasted as his own kolleagues, even Smoke and Frost!

Still, she walked straight toward the throne without any distress from the sheer cold, she made a curtsy as she greeted, "Sub-Zero, I presume?"

"Yes? And you?"

"I see you have a different, thinner tone, even a lighter complexion. I recognized you from several years ago."

He was dumbfounded, "May I ask who you are?"

She responded without hesitation, "Certainly. My name is Sareena, I'm defecting from the Netherrealm. I am here to alert you on the predicament of your brother, Bi-Han."

Everyone began to mutter in some strange tongues, Frost and Smoke were silent, while Kuai just muttered, "What...?" He eventually retained his komposure, "What...do you know of my brother, stranger?"

"I found him amongst the Brotherhood of Shadow, as a wraith, encased in komplete darkness. I knew of him several years back, before the first Mortal Kombat tournament. He spared my life and I guided him thru the evil depths until I assisted him on fighting Quan Chi. We bested him in kombat, and I allowed Sub-Zero to escape before I was shot by Shinnok, and banned to the fifth plane for betraying them...

"Then, I recently felt his icy aura, though he never looked, nor acted, like himself.

"I have heard that he went by the name of...Noob Saibot amongst the fanatics." This was nearly too hard for Sareena to say.

After a few minutes being tended by Smoke and Frost, he regained his stamina. "Where...is he?"

"I escaped from the Netherrealm as I observed Quan Chi once he activated a portal to Outworld. I... kept away from that Oni and was retreating from Bi-Han too. I have an ally named Ashrah; alas, she cannot leave the Netherrealm unless she were to slay a demon of immense power and evil. I believe that wraith to be her salvation."

"So... You believe he's still in Hell." Smoke hypothesized.

"Either there or in Outworld, but I'd also heard of a dragon roaming around."

"That must be Onaga! We...lost an associate of ours recently. I bet the beast has been resurrected there; the Deadly Alliance must've been successful after their defeat! I'm surprised I never heard anything from Kenshi or Master Raiden yet." Kuai recapped.

"Then...we must head there at once." Frost suggested eagerly.

"My brother...yes. Sareena, can you remember the portal's location?"

"It was near some sacred runes; they mentioned of the dragon's revival."

"Let's hope we can stay low, avoid Onaga's and his army's watchful eyes." He hesitated for a few moments, then turned to his disciples. "Frost, Smoke. Are you willing to assist me and take that risk?"

Feeling the dread of the Dragon King and the certainties on being ambushed... The two accepted as they nodded.

The Lin Kuei wished the quartet luck before they set foot into enemy territory.

With the help of Sareena, she was able to conjure a portal leading to the location of the last rip.

They emerged at Sareena's discretion as they noticed the exotic markings on the stone walls. "This is the place where I saw Quan Chi escape to, and followed him out. I was relieved he didn't notice me. And these symbols here tell of Onaga and his dominance by his zombie army. They required many souls to do this."

Kuai nodded, "Indeed. Kung Lao, Liu Kang and Nightwolf put a stop to them, however, the Soulnado was activated, and we lost Hanzo and the Champion too..."

Frost and Smoke sulked, but he changed the subject. "Mui přítel, I doubt that Frost and I can handle the tepid environment of the Netherrealm, but...we may be of some assistance to the forces of Edenia."

"Wait, why can't I come along!?" Frost objected Tomas' words.

"I'm sorry, but Smoke is right; you two must stay in Outworld if the worst should happen to me. If you see a threat of either Onaga, his army, or even Bi-Han, don't hesitate to fire.

"As I have the Dragon Medallion, I can withstand the intense heat." He spoke to Smoke, "Besides, I believe my brother might spring a trap on you since the Lin Kuei are technical."

"I had seen ancient machinery there. So, it's likely."

"Smoke is a cyborg, Sareena. The Lin Kuei had the cyber initiative, till Oniro was slain, and the cyber protocols fell out of favor. Now, Smoke can utilize both ways. He can be a vital part to the Edenian resistance."

"You are mortal, so you can't lose your powers. And with that kind of adaptation, you might be stronger than Bi-Han."

"Don't I... have to be tainted to enter the Netherrealm?"

"Yes, but you have a demon. I can help you access it."

"Good, let's go." Kuai pledged as he turned to his komrades. "Stay safe, and may the Elder Gods protect you."

They nodded and the two stepped into the literal depths of Hell after Sareena konjured the portal there.

The pair just stood awestruck but very much alert. Smoke scanned and deciphered the ancient runes konfirming the demon's warnings. "How can we trust her? How do we know she won't be leading Kuai into a trap?"

"I can trust her, Frost; she had helped Bi-Han, which was during his journey to attain Shinnok's Amulet and best the sorcerers. After all, she never shown herself to be a demon-" They heard a shuffle of feet in the distance and Tomas shielded the apprentice as he dove for his nearby switch allowing him to use his cyber armor. Seconds later, they heard the same scuffle and Smoke and Frost braced for the worst when they took aim!

"It's only me! Hold your fire!" A tenor rose. Smoke shown a light onto the intruder.

"...Nightwolf?"

"What's he doing here?" Frost added.

"Ah, I saw a bright gleam from here, thinking it was Onaga or his followers. I was about to prepare myself for the Sin Eater ritual. With the growing army, I should gather enough souls to make me tainted so I can enter the Netherrrealm and bind Onaga once he's weak enough."

"Kuai went to the underworld with Sareena in search of his brother, Bi-Han."

"I shall wish him luck. Onaga and his followers should be here at any minute."

"We should stand by and protect him, Frost." Smoke stated. "If mui přítel shall make a safe journey back and restore his elder brother..." His anxieties were beginning to cloud his mind with doubt.

The intense heat wasn't a problem for the two, as the Dragon Medallion emitted cool, fresh air around Kuai's body, while Sareena as a demon was more resistant. As he followed her to the area of gears, his mind began to act up, with Kenshi not around, he needed all the help he could get, especially dealing with his corrupt brother whom he presumed would be as wrathful as Scorpion.

They soon came across some screeching, golden, ginormous gears throughout the plane, "This must be the fifth plane of the Netherrealm, where your brother was resurrected. He's an evil incarnate, and while he serves under the sorcerers, he seems to only be full of himself. I sympathize, Kuai Liang, but you must discard your lightheartedness towards him. No honor shall befall from him either."

"So, he wasn't possessed by one of the Elder Gods..." He recalled his pep talk with the Shaolin Monks, Liu Kang and Kung Lao, way back...

"No, it was Quan Chi. Most unclean, so Noob would be just as vicious. I'm afraid there may not be a way to save him, as he's bound here for so long. But if I can find Ashrah-! Look out!" She tackled Kuai down before a large icicle made of sharp ice particles and dark energy struck down and into one of the gears! It dissipated into dust afterwards.

Their eyes beheld a shadowy, masked figure, his bright blue irises piercing almost like Greek fire as he sneered onto his new victims! He leapt from one of the higher landforms and greeted the duo, "Hello, brother!" His voice was slightly altered by the demonic reincarnation, but his tone was still the same as they recognized.

Kuai stood as if frozen by the Dragon Medallion as if losing control over it. "B-brother...!"

"Oh, I see sweet Sareena has returned! Where have you been deserting yourself from our cult!?"

"I've had enough of your twisted occult! Especially with you and Quan Chi! You should perish for your treachery! After all I and Sub-Zero had done for you!"

"What you two had done was meaningless, Sareena! Ever since Scorpion murdered me, I was reborn here, with a higher purpose..."

"The corrupt Lin Kuei and the damnation warped your mind!" Kuai protested.

"Once I'm done with you, I'll ascend to Earthrealm and assassinate Scorpion myself, then the Brotherhood of Shadow shall conquer both realms! I hadn't forgotten of Shinnok's imprisonment. Thank you for leaving him vulnerable, Brother!

And you will return to our ranks very soon, my dear."

Kuai gasped, "You were...part of the Brotherhood...?"

"-Quan Chi enslaved me as one of his assassins, if-if it weren't for Ashrah-" She was suddenly caught in a blinding blizzard by Noob and remained stiff in her imprisonment of ice and dark energy!

"Silence you traitor! I will finish you, and if you won't join my side, you'll wind up with the same fate as the Shirai Ryu!"

"Brother... What has become of you!?" Disgusted by Noob's corruption, Kuai let loose his lethal skills utilizing the Medallion; turned out to be something valuable to Noob as a way to increase his prowess. "You have no right!"

It seemed to be a mirror match, although Noob had more strength than his benevolent brother. His ice blasts were oozing just as much of his dark essence as his entire being! Kuai was able to put up a fight, yet he didn't have as much endurance and brute. Instead, he mostly relied on his enhanced cryomancy courtesy of the powerful artifact, despite questioning himself if the effects would last on account of the horrid environment and Noob's necromantic persona.

Alas, Kuai's strength didn't hold up for long as he kept receiving severe blow after blow. It wasn't because he was holding back...

Kuai soon hunched over, a sign of impending defeat while Sareena was haplessly encased in an icy petrification that is still being held strong by the umbrakinesis and the sinister realm!

"I will take your medallion AND your soul! Farewell, dear brother.." He wound up and his palm was surrounded in a bright blue tint. Then his body was engulfed in what looked to be in bright, sunny rays! The golden streaks began to irritate Noob as he wailed and shielded his eyes! He backed away a few feet, and that same beam refracted from one of the distant gears! It followed Noob to stun him again, but it moved and shone thru Kuai and Sareena's tomb! With the gentle aura, it dissolved the omnipotence almost instantly! The warmth also encased Kuai and restored some of his strength, even Sareena's!

"Let him be, Noob Saibot! Kuai, Sareena! Run!"

She leapt down with her Nature's Torpedo, squarely hitting the wraith with her spin and rapidly kicking legs which launched him into the air. She then casted her Heavenly Light which made him descend hard! She fired a Lightning Blast which nearly connected though Noob was nimble but still battered. With her holy might, she was able to resist both Noob's umbra and cryokinesis! She knew it won't be easy to lunge in for her Kriss blade; she knew all too well that the wraith may be wounded, but still dangerous and reckless than ever. She wasn't about to lose her prey this time!

"I have been looking for you for eons, Saibot!"

"So have I..!"

They each fired their own elemental volleys forcing to cancel one out! It was a blinding battle of stamina and will as the neon blue and black streaks clashed against the sun rays! Noob's body jolted forward and into the incinerating energy seeping into his opaque stature! Little did he knew a nearby participant was still strong enough to force him forward and lower his guard.

"What have you DONE?" Noob hollered in agony. "I will always come back to haunt all of you!"

Ashrah threw the heavenly dagger and it impaled into the demon's chest! He wailed like a banshee even as the aura began to seep into his evil soul! Black streaks rose from his paralyzed body before it started to lighten and soon dissipate! The Kriss still remained with its tip in the burnt dirt. Ashrah retrieved it as Kuai and Sareena recovered.

"What did you do...?" The noble cryomancer was taken aback.

A hole made of light just descended and laid over Ashrah, who could've sworn she was taken off her feet. Sure enough she was ascending, even though the sky was hardly noticeable. Seeing this, Kuai and Sareena actually ran and grabbed her by the feet, and they seem to be carried up as well!

Moments later, their eyes cleared from that light show, and it took Kuai a while to notice they were laying in a grassy field in Earthrealm! Even the blue though patchy sky and the cool wind was so welcoming for all of them!

Just as they had time to stretch out their weary muscles, and maybe lay and roll on the fresh grass, even Kuai who honestly missed the feel of nature, a rumble of thunder was heard in the distance. Without seeing a thundercloud, he had a hunch it was...

A crack banged as a lightning bolt touched down. The flash emerged the thunder god himself. "Sub-Zero!"

"Agh-Lord Raiden!" He bowed low to him.

"Arise now. Who is this demon?"

He silenced her. "Her name is Sareena; she was just defecting from the Netherrealm."

"Is that Ashrah who stands before me?"

She was awestruck as she walked to him, then made a curtsy. "Raiden... At last we meet. My faith has kept me hopeful ascending from the Netherrealm.."

"It's about time. However, I won't welcome a demon."

"Uh-Sareena can help defend Smoke and Frost in Outworld, they await my return," Kuai added.

"Then you two shall help us fight Onaga and his undead and loyal followers. I'd already sent Nightwolf there in preparation of the Sin Eater ritual. I'll still need Ashrah's assistance on vanquishing the evil from Sonya, Jax, and Johnny."

"Those three are contaminated!?"

"By Onaga, yes."

He then remembered the successful endeavor by the Deadly Alliance, when Sareena explained it all...

Ashrah took out and looked down at her sword. "With Kriss I might be able to imbue them. It'll be easier if the ancient cryomancers can pitch in. Yes, I know of your history, Sub-Zero. I certainly don't want you to wind up tainted like your brother."

"Then it's settled. Kuai and Sareena shall rendezvous with Frost and Tomas in Outworld and fend off Onaga and his warriors. Ashrah, before you go, there is still one; revenant. Johnny is imprisoned at the Temple of Elements and would possess the last Kamidogu if he is not stopped. I will lead you there.

"Go now, to Outworld!"

Raiden opened a portal with his bolts of lightning; Kuai then Sareena leapt into the passage to the foreboding frontier. Moments later, the protector of Earth conjured a different rip leading to the Temple at the northern plains. Sensing there was still immense evil, she headed straight to it!

A/N: Just like in my last epic, Mortal Kombat: Vengeance, I did NOT want to go with the lore given about Smoke; that he was left imprisoned in Outworld years after Kahn was exterminated! Then, he was found by Noob Saibot, and being he and the Lin Kuei had impressive technological knowledge, he'd hack and brainwash Smoke like the former Grandmaster did! I'm just so pissed off that nearly every villain had retained their evil ways without any legit reason, same deal with Goro! Much like the Shokan, I didn't make it happen!

Instead, he and Frost shall be involved with Nightwolf in Outworld and prepare for Onaga and his horrid followers, with Kuai and Sareena pitching in. Ashrah and Sareena had their chance to shine, much like Noob, although I wasn't into them much... Not a huge fan of these guys, but good to lend them a free pass.

Songs include Springing the Surfer from Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer as Hanzo and Ermac pointed out the death of Shujinko (sorry, not sorry), Snow Mountain from Donkey Kong Country as Sareena explains to Kuai of Noob Saibot, Staff Cavern from Starfox Adventures as portals are activated, Sareena Battle from Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero plays when she and Kuai enter the Netherrealm, Noob Saibot Theme - Re-recorded from Mortal Kombat: Conquest - Paul Unfaces plays during the faceoff, and Spirit of the Universe from Matrix Revolutions (start at 1:28, end at 2:48) plays when the heroes ascend; too bad I can't find the appearance of Shinryu in Dissidia 012, damn you, Squeenix!

I seem to have killed a few birds with one stone! Whether it'd be about Ashrah ascending after she killed Noob Saibot, Sareena allying with the Lin Kuei and redeeming herself from Quan Chi, and just getting rid of more trouble without harming those such as Kuai, Smoke and Frost! I might..kover the Kriss and its true effects some other time, maybe if I should write Armageddon, but I still have Onaga and his undead and loyal warriors to deal with! See you then.