Chapter 1: Masters and Students
This story takes place 3 years after Mortal Kombat: Time for Vengeance
In the Old Era
In Articka, Kuia Liang is meditating in front of a statue near his new Lin Kuie Temple. He thinks about the last words Cyrax has spoken to him after Sektor's death. Cyrax tells him that the Lin Kuie must start anew through a clean slate. And only Liang could do so. Before Sub-Zero could object, Cyrax initiates self-destruct and tells his old friend to make it count. Cyrax explodes, but Sub-Zero uses his powers to protect himself and he helps his friend Bo Rai Cho be put out of flames and save his life before they leave. As he figures out how to rebuild the Lin Kuie and restore its honor. Before he can think any further, he is approached by a voice.
"Excuse me?" The woman asked. Before she could even touch his shoulder, Sub-Zero grabs her wrist and flips her over on her back.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?!" Kuai Liang interrogates her, pointing a finger. He glares at her as she is pinned to the ground.
"I barely even touched you. Name's Frost. Raiden invited me to the tournament." Frost introduces herself.
"Raiden? What tournament?" Sub-Zero asked.
"The tournament to join the New Lin Kuie. We all came to audition and show our talents- OW!" Frost yelled in pain as Sub-Zero crushes her wrists, preventing her from using her ice powers.
"Not for me, you didn't. And what do you mean we?" Sub-Zero asked and he looks up. He sees more than several faces looking at Sub-Zero. They all want to join the New Lin Kuie. This surprises Kuai Liang. This leaves him with a choice. Either leave them to die, or allow them to come. "I do not know what Raiden has told you. I should leave you all out here on the Tundra. But you have made it this far. Maybe one or two of you are worthy of becoming Lin Kuie. But if you want to stay, there is one rule. Don't attack your grandmaster. Understood?"
"Yes, sir." All of the volunteers said.
"Come with me. We have a lot to figure out. And I need to have a talk with Raiden." Sub-Zero said. He expressed some annoyance that Raiden did not tell him this and wanted answers why Raiden lied about a tournament being held and why include Frost. But maybe Raiden had his reasons for doing so in the first place.
Present Day in the New Era
It has been three years since the death of Geras and destruction of Shang Tsung. Most of their enemies have retreated back to the Netherrealm. Mileena and most of the others are still alive, and Shao Kahn is once more presumably dead. Much to Liang's relief, Sektor is finally dead. The Cyber Lin Kuie no longer pose a threat to Grandmaster Sub-Zero and his friends and clan. Sub-Zero stands on the rooftop with his eyes closed, remembering everything that has happened regarding his clan, including both deaths of Sektor and Cyrax and meeting Frost for the first time. He originally confronted Raiden about his deception, but Raiden told him that he purposely lied, knowing that Liang would turn down such a simple question to join the Lin Kuie. In the end, Liang understood the late man's words. Sub-Zero has not forgotten Raiden's sacrifice to ensure everyone's survival.
That is not all that Liang remembers. He remembers both times that Frost being converted into the Cyber Lin Kuie willingly, with her original personality intact. The second time was against her own will as she bought time for her grandmaster and the others to escape from Geras' wrath. Frost feels hesitant in being part of the clan given her status as part cyborg. Regardless, she is relieved that Sub-Zero still welcomes her to being part of the Lin Kuie. Regardless, he still hopes to make Frost his successor. Cyrax and Smoke are out patrolling at the moment.
Frost has been summoned outside in front of the temple to meet with Grandmaster Sub-Zero. She wonders what this is all about. "Grandmaster Liang. I trust that you are doing well. You have been awfully silent as the night." Frost said.
"I am fine, Frost. It is I who should be asking you that. How are you feeling?" Sub-Zero asked out of worry.
"I feel like myself. But at the same, I don't. I feel like my evil self back in the Old Era. The image still haunts me to this very day. I had no choice but to give myself up for you, Grandmaster. Otherwise, you would have went through the same thing again." Frost said. She still dislikes the cyborg body very much.
"I understand your pain, Frost. It was not easy for me, given the crimes I have done for both Shao Kahn and Quan Chi. But that was in the past. Hopefully, one day, we can find a way to change you back." Sub-Zero said.
"But how did you become human again? I don't understand." Frost is confused.
"Because Quan Chi. He never trusted technology to begin with. He preferred traditional magic. He restored my original form and made me a revenant." Sub-Zero said.
"I never knew that he was so powerful with magic. He was Shao Kahn's most powerful warlock. Good riddance he's deceased." Frost said.
"Agreed. But we are not here to dwell on the past. We are here to test you. To see that, regardless of your condition, if you are worthy to be my chujin. My future successor." Sub-Zero said.
"I understand, Grandmaster Liang. I must fight you. I will try my best." Frost said.
"Do or do not, Frost. There is no try here in the Lin Kuie." Sub-Zero tells her. "Remember what I have taught you. Let us begin then."
The grandmaster and student fight. Sub-Zero brings out an ice sword as does Frost. They clash weapons with each other. Frost is able to read his movements and so does Liang. Their swords collide with each other, and Frost elbows his forehead, but Sub-Zero headbutts her back and kicks her in the chest. Sub-Zero fires ice from his hand and Frost blocks it with her sword, dividing it into two and they miss her. Grandmaster Sub-Zero spin jumps in the air and throws his ice sword at Frost. She swings it away with her own, which leaves her open for a back kick and side kick to the left waist. Sub-Zero slides and punches her neck, grabs her shoulders and throws her. Frost recovers and uses her ice powers at the ground and slides forward. Sub-Zero throws ice stars at her and she uses ice lances summoned from her cyborg wrists to deflect them. Frost stops for a moment and looks at what she just did. As she was distracted, Sub-Zero slides under her, scooping her off her feet and freezes her in midair and uppercuts her in the lower spine. Frost gets back up and sees Sub-Zero coming towards her. He throws an ice axe at her, only for her to jump backwards, use her ice powers to slide backwards, grabs the axe and throws it back towards him. Sub-Zero ducks, but Frost hops forward, stabs her lances into the ground and jumps forward to kick Sub-Zero in the chest, sending him back, but Frost freezes his feet, uppercuts him in the air, but Sub-Zero out of nowhere disappears into the ground. Frost looks around to find him, but then suddenly remembered something. She senses Kuai Liang behind her and they both throw a punch at each other's faces, sending both of them to their knees.
Frost looks at her grandmaster out of sorrow and pity. Remembering what she has done, she can't help but feel bad. "Grandmaster Liang. I am sorry. I did not mean to do what I just did. It's not part of who I am." Frost said, bending the knee for him, head down.
Sub-Zero stands up and approaches her. He looks down at her and immediately realized what she meant. "Frost. You are not to blame. You were always born a cyromancer. Not all Lin Kuie are cyromancers, but are still worthy. Even though you are part of what Sektor was prior to his death, you are still the same Frost I have known since the New Era started. Unlike him, you showed redemption. One more lesson you must know, Frost. Is that you must fight your enemies by any means necessary."
"Thank you, Grandmaster. I suppose you are right. I am not like my previous self, but I cannot let up the training you have taught me for the past five years. I need more training." Frost said, head still down.
"Yes, You do. But you have shown emotion and honesty ever since you've joined. You've also shown more judgement and good will. You will make a fine chujin. One day, you will be a master." Sub-Zero said.
Frost looks up at her master and stands up and looks at him. "Sub-Zero. I am honored. As stealth as the night."
"Deadly as the dawn." Sub-Zero said. The master and student bow their heads to each other, remembering their motto that has lived on for generations, in many timelines. Sub-Zero believes in second chances and believes that Frost will have what it takes to be his successor one day. But they must know that they will have to keep their guard up in order to fight their enemies. Their enemies however, can return unexpectedly.
Somewhere in the mountains, but not like the other ones in Earthrealm. A cold mountain. It may look like an ordinary cave, but inside is another robotic factory. Cyborgs still run free inside. They all line up. Hundreds, almost thousands of them. They all seemed to be hooked up to one singular cyborg. The army is transferring something within the leader cyborg. After all data was transferred, the cyborg awakens.
"Accessing all personal data logs. Processing all data on Lin Kuie clan members. Smoke data 100% complete. Cyrax data 100% complete. Sub-Zero data 100% completed. Sektor data 100% complete. Initiating reboot process. Consciousness upload initiated. Memory backup log upload successful. Kombat skills and weapon access unlocked. Code name: Triborg." Triborg said.
All the Cyber Lin Kuie all turn around and stare at their commander. Ready to be commanded by their new cyborg leader.
"My leader. All data has been downloaded. All is making progress as you requested. Soon, your clan will rise again." One of the cyborgs said.
"Excellent. We will have our revenge against all traitors, starting with Kuai Liang for corrupting the Lin Kuei. Without him, the Lin Kuie will be leaderless and vulnerable. Then we can move forward with the next phase of our plan." Triborg said.
"Master Triborg. We have intercepted two life forms. They are part of the Lin Kuie. They are identified as Smoke and Cyrax." One of the cyborgs said.
"Good. Just in time. Go. Bring them to me, but do not assimilate them. Not yet." Triborg ordered. All of the cyborgs acknowledge his command with their heads bowing before him. They teleport away as Triborg looks on.
In the cold wilderness, Smoke and Cyrax are out on patrol. They kept trackers on them in case one group gets into trouble and the other can come to the rescue. Most of the patrols the Lin Kuie have gone on have gone on without a hitch, especially since Sektor's demise at Sub-Zero's hands and with him, the Cyber Lin Kuie. Regardless, they have always remained on guard for any attack. So far, their only worry were the followers of Shao Kahn, led by Mileena. Despite keeping the peace, they believe that not everything is well.
"I have been having this strange feeling since Shang Tsung and Geras have been destroyed." Cyrax said.
"And why is that? Geras is wiped from existence and Alexander destroyed the sorcerous snake once and for all. Sub-Zero destroyed Sektor." Smoke said.
"True. But I cannot help but feel that we may fight another war because of Mileena. She is still out there in the Netherrealm. She may not be as powerful as Shao Kahn, but is devious in her plans." Cyrax said.
"But without Shao Kahn's sorcery and without Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, their army does not pose much of a threat, with all clans, Outworld, Edenia and Earthrealm combined. With all of that, there should be no need for concern." Smoke said.
"And given Mileena's lack of sanity, her leadership is good, but not as good as Shao Kahn's. On the bright side, we no longer have to deal with Sektor. But there is one thing I cannot be helped but be bothered by. Frost's condition." Cyrax said.
"I understand that. The chances of Frost regaining her humanity are slim. And given what she done in the Old Era gives some people reasons not to trust her. After she sacrificed herself to allow us to escape the same fate, I started giving Frost my trust." Smoke said.
"But my opinion on her remains the same." Cyrax said. As much as he wants to tell her how much he doesn't trust her, he refused to do so out of the wishes of Sub-Zero. He loathes cyborgs so much, since his last confrontation with Sektor. Sektor confronted Cyrax about disobeying him and refusing to kill Johnny Cage. After Sektor was defeated, Cyrax was done with the Lin Kuie after realizing that they truly intended on replacing humans with cyborgs, thinking it replaces the heart and soul of an individual.
"I understand your mistrust. But you have to give Frost a chance someday. Don't you remember that Sub-Zero himself became a cyborg?" Smoke said.
"That is different. He was converted against his own will. He regained his humanity by Quan Chi before Raiden revived him. Frost on the other hand willingly converted herself to the Cyber Lin Kuie." Cyrax pointed out. He remembered the memories he had from when he was brought to the future by Kronika and he had to work with Frost before being freed by Sub-Zero.
"Except that was the Old Era. This is the New Era. Frost was converted against her own will while Sektor and Geras watched. You have to give her a chance someday." Smoke said.
Before Cyrax could reply, he stops and senses something is wrong. "We're not alone here, Smoke."
"I feel it too. It feels too familiar." Smoke said as he and Cyrax get into a fighting stance. They go back to back with each other as they look around and see who it is.
They're hiding somewhere but within a second, more than several cyborgs appear all around the two. They stare motionlessly as they all speak at once. "Smoke. Cyrax. You will come with us and face punishment. You will answer to Triborg."
"Who is Triborg?" Cyrax asked, giving the cyborgs a cold glare.
"Your question is irrelevant. You have crimes to answer for defying the Cyber Lin Kuie." The cyborgs said.
"We finished the Cyber Lin Kuei three years ago. You shouldn't even be walking." Smoke said.
"You will answer to Triborg. You two are first. And then Sub-Zero and Frost." The cyborgs said. They start to walk closer to the pair, but Smoke and Cyrax were gonna fight. Smoke and Cyrax teleport away, but the Cyber Lin Kuie immediately teleport to the same spot where they went to and start marching closer. Cyrax and Smoke fight. Cyrax throws microbombs and swings his wristblades while Smoke fights bare handed, breaks limbs off, transports a couple in the air and slams them down to the ground and destroys them. Cyrax tears off some heads and other limbs with his skills. Despite their best efforts, more cyborgs come in and managed to get them within their grasp and crush their trackers. The cyborgs hold their arms out and start stunning them. Smoke and Cyrax attempt to break free, but it was no use. They're too immobilized to move as they are transported away.
Note: Hey, everyone! I am back with another Mortal Kombat story! It took longer than planned due to a birthday, work and crappy internet. This story will focus primarily on the Lin Kuei, particularlyFrost. And the main villain is Triborg, who only appeared in MKX as DLC.