The OtherRealms

Part 2

Sixteen Months Later

The Vogel Estate, Los Angeles. EARTHREALM

Major Briggs had seen it on tv a few times, but those shots did the mansion no justice. It was huge, with dark gothic architecture that certainly stood out compared to the more modern houses not even ten miles away, two wings on either side connected by long open walkways.

The lawn was littered with expensive cars, making it hard to maneuver the Lenco Bearcat into a tactical position. If it was up to the man in the passenger seat, he'd roll right over the brightly-colored Ferraris like a monster truck derby. The thought of a mountain of paperwork stopped that idea, and the armored van, in its tracks.

"This is as best as it gets, Major," a soldier called from the driver seat.

The major nodded and turned back to his squad. The soldiers, decked out in black and silver riot gear, checked magazines and strapped on helmets. All except one, a young soldier who was tying her blonde hair back.

"Feeling the wind in your hair, Corporal Blade?" The major cocked an eyebrow.

"Gotta feel it while I can, Major" Blade jabbed back, garnering a round of ooo's from the rest of the squad.

The Major beat on the ceiling two times. The soldiers snapped to attention.

"Alright, ladies; I don't have to tell you how quickly a typical hostage situation can go south," He spoke with plain assertiveness. "I'm happy to tell you: This is not a typical hostage situation. Our intel says there's seventeen civilians and four confirmed members of the Black Dragon gang. A bunch of assholes who don't know what's about to hit 'em."

The soldiers grunted in agreement.

"Keep your heads screwed on tight," He continued.

"Aw come on, Maj," a soldier piped up. "Don't spoil it for us!"

The soldiers grunted again, louder this time.

"Special Forces! Move out!" The major commanded.

The soldiers unbuckled their harnesses and rose to their feet. Locked and loaded, they quickly shuffled out of the van's rear. The Major watched proudly as they secured their position and began to follow them out-

"Major!" The driver called out. "You might wanna see this."

The Major peeked his head back through the cabin. The driver pointed through the bulletproof windshield at the front door. He reached for a pair of binoculars strapped across the passenger side's headrest, hoping for a better view.

At the front door was a tall, well-built man in a tuxedo and sunglasses, who only stopped banging on the door to check his watch before beating the door again. He swore inaudibly. The door swung open and out came another man, a Latin-American in his mid-30s, wearing a sleeveless orange vest with green cargo pants.

"Jarek," The major growled.

Jarek and the tuxedo argued for a moment before the tuxedo talked him down. Tuxedo began to walk in, but Jarek stopped him again, body language less tough. More like, The Major thought, a fan?

Jarek asked Tuxedo a question, something Tuxedo didn't seem to need much convincing of. Jarek excitedly stepped out of the doorframe, digging in his pocket before pulling out a cell phone. The two turned their backs to the yard full of fancy cars and took a picture, Jarek hesitantly throwing his arm over Tuxedo's shoulder. The Major quickly turned his sights on the phone screen, trying to get a good look at Tuxedo's face. Jarek and Tuxedo both scowled as the phone snapped their picture.

The flash perfectly framed Johnny Cage's face.

Chapter One

The Kobalt Mines of Shokan – OUTWORLD

There were no days or nights in the cobalt mines, only shifts. There were no clocks in the mines either. Overseers, barking orders with their multi-headed flails raised above head were all the indication necessary to continue working. And the prisoners, be they the indebted, or broken warriors past their glory, or the captured enemies of Outworld, all united to carve into the earth until they died atop their tools

The dysfunctional symphony of metal striking rock, whips striking flesh and the cries of pain they reaped, the heavy tumbling of not-so-infrequent rockslides, the heavy stench of sweat and shit, Jade had heard about the chilling horrors of these mines. The late sorcerer, Shang Tsung had spent the better part of a century here and would choose execution over returning. Jade quickly began to share the same sentiment.

She wondered why Shao Khan spared her life. She'd failed him after all, Kitana too, and the Khan was not known for his forgiveness. And even so, she still drew breath, even on the stone cold ground.

Upon hearing the news of the Princess' death, Jade hadn't seen any emotion in the emperor's eyes. There wasn't so much as a sigh. He didn't raise a hand, contrary to expectation. He returned to his throne and looked at her, down on her, red dragon-like eyes boring into her soul.

"Take her to the mines," He said simply. And the guards, without a word, did just that. She did nothing to resist.

The question gave way to more: Had she truly been spared? Or was this fate worse than death itself?

Jade knew this would be another shift with little sleep.

Chapter Two

The Knysna Forest, South Africa. EARTHREALM

A crash of thunder booms suddenly through the clear sky. The vervent monkeys in the trees scream in alarm, scattering in small groups. Small wildlife below scamper for cover in the wet underbrush, some almost scorched when a flash of lightning strikes the ground. Three figures step out of the lightning: Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and the Thunder God, Lord Raiden. The jungle teems with shrieks and cries, the beating of wings, before quickly falling silent.

"Not exactly the quietest entrance," Kung Lao remarks.

"Where have you brought us, Lord Raiden?" Liu asked, observing his surroundings.

"There is an entrance to the chambers that hold Kamidogu somewhere in this forest," Raiden began. "Though I can not pinpoint its exact location, I have arranged a guide to assist you in your search. He will have received my signal and be here shortly."

"Are you sure you won't accompany us, Lord Raiden?"

"There would be less blood spilled if we were escorted by the Thunder God." Liu added.

"I'm afraid not," Raiden said. "I am needed elsewhere."

Liu looked to Lao for backup, but he was already bowing in respect. Liu followed suit.

"I'll leave you to your quest," the Thunder God said with finality. And with an almost silent flash of lightning, he was gone.

"So what now?" Kung Lao removed the hat from his head and let it hang off his neck, the light shine of sweat already on his brow. "We just sit here until someone approaches us?"

"I don't see why not." Liu took a seat under the dense shade of a tree, Eyes closed, and breathing slowed, he could feel himself becoming more aware of the forest around him. His posture remained straight, even when it felt as if he could sink and become one with the earth.

Kung Lao rolled his eyes at the sight. "Well, I'm going to find us water."

He got a calm "hm" in response.

The sun had begun to set, shooting golden-orange shafts of light through the dense overgrowth. The once silent forest had given way to normal routine; the ambience full of droning insects and monkeys calling. All this, and still no signs of a guide. Just the steady increasing number of light beams poking through the trees. Kung Lao had counted them, and counted them again, and again, and again, and again and–

"I'm starting to think our guide slept through Lord Raiden's signal," He groaned.

Liu, still seated with his eyes closed, said nothing.

"Hey," Lao called. "I know you can hear me."

"I'm choosing not to."

"You've chosen that this whole time. How's that been?"

"Peaceful."

"Fair enough." Lao adjusted the hat back on his head, its brim now shading his eyes. He pushed off the tree he was leaning against, now standing. "We can't just sit here forever. I can't sit here forever."

"The tragedies of skipping meditation at the Academy," Liu said sarcastically.

"You look foolish sitting in the same position for hours." Lao quickly retorted, which got a quick smile out of Liu.

"You think this is a test?" Liu asked, finally opening his eyes.

"I think we're way beyond the point of tests," Lao said, almost reflectively.

Silence hung over them like a heavy fog.

"Kung Lao, I'm worried… we–"

The snapping of branches quickly drew the two's attention to the left. Footsteps approaching them at a steady pace. The monks quickly snapped to attention, now in their fighting stances. The steps continued to grow closer, and finally a man emerged from the thick brush.

He appeared large, even from a distance, brown-skinned with white tattoos striping his chest and arms. His hair, short brown cornrows, were adorned by the maroon headband that coordinated well with his matching garb. As he stood in the treeline, the monks could see his walking stick was for more than just getting around.

The man looked from one monk to the other, and they looked at him, then one another. A moment passed, and the look on the man's face softened into a smile.

Chapter Three

The Kobalt Mines of Shokan – OUTWORLD

There were no days or nights in the cobalt mines, only shifts. Jade was starting to lose track of how many she'd served. They were all long, arduous ordeals, the dissonant tink-ing of the tools colliding with ore serving as a poor replacement of a clock's tick. There were hundreds of thousands of tinks in a shift. She would lose count after a while.

Jade barely noticed the withered man to her right collapse to the ground. She didn't hear him plead weakly for help before the Overseers found him like this. He begged, with a dry voice that was no match for the surrounding cacophony. She didn't hear him, nor the shouting giant who approached with flail raised. She kept working at the wall.

The pickaxe she held, built for creatures with larger, stronger hands, barely had enough momentum to swing off the ground. It missed the cobalt poorly and completely, clanging on the floor. She fell into the momentum, and was suddenly on the ground looking up at the wall.

She groaned, struggling to push herself off the cold stone. Blood pounded in her ears, rhythmically muffling the footsteps that pounded her way.

"You. Here!" A loud deep voice commanded. Jade heard the sounds of a pickaxe clanging on the floor. "Work! WORK!"

"Okay, okay." A smaller, feminine voice obliged. Jade could see small hands struggle to take hold of the pickaxe, before a heavy hand grabbed and hoisted her by the back of her neck. Now dangling in the air, Jade could see the young dark skinned woman before her, clean and new to the filth around her.

"You. Sleeping?" The loud voice asked with seething anger. The large fingers tightened around Jade's neck. "You. Want. SLEEP?!"

"Hey!" The young woman shouted at the loud voice crushing the life out of Jade. "Put her down," She shouted at first, but that didn't get the response she was looking for.

"Okay, sorry. How about a trade?" She reached in a pocket under her vest and pulled out a shimmering dark purple crystal. "How about this? Bet you've never seen anything like it."

The voice grumbled, and Jade felt the fingers around her neck quickly loosen their grip. Again, she was on the floor before she realized it, this time heaving for air. She clutched at her neck, quickly sitting up. The voice, she could see, belonged to a large four-armed Shokan that was covered in black striped orange fur. He took the crystal from the young woman's hand and went to hold it up near a torch. The young woman quickly pulled his arm down.

"Be careful with that! It doesn't do well with fire." She warned. "Just give us a minute. She'll be working the next time you see us."

The Shokan sneered at her, then closed his fist around the crystal and brought it down to his hip. "Get. To…Work," He said with much effort, then continued his patrol through the mines.

Jade stood on shaky legs, the young woman ready to catch her should she fall again.

"Thank you," Jade finally spoke.

"Don't mention it." The young woman flashed a smile. "I'm Tanya."

END