Just One Woman
Hours have passed. Jax stares at his screen in awe along with the others. Hundreds of millions dead in a matter of minutes. Never had anyone in the Special Forces thought such a thing would happen. Even worse, the Special Forces is the only organization capable of communicating with the other countries. Somehow, Anomaly had blocked the comm signals brought by the satellites, as well as most communication towers. Though the others were warned early, Jax knew they've never seen anything like her before. They don't have a Special Force facilities outside of the United Stares and Japan. And it was hell getting Japan's government and the United States to all them to establish a base there. And the Brotherhood incident in Russia led the country to close its borders to other countries. Even threatening a conquest if no complete resolution is given for it. So sadly, the last stand must happen in Japan. No one liked the idea of sitting and watching the realm burn, but it was the wisest choice.
"I want as many as we can afford to guard this country's border. Get them to allow access to any that doesn't look like those in question." Jax turned to Sonya and Johnny. "I need the two of you to come up with a few rally points and bases we can use for survivors, defense, training, whatever can give us an edge."
"If I may," Shujinko butted in, "would it not be wise to send out MOKAP to deal with her? It might not be enough to stop her, but it may buy—"
"If that soulnado keeps increasing, we'll lose everyone. Aylin says not to let those with strong wills face her and fall into it."
"The MOKAP program is still new. Do you really think they pose as great a risk as she says?"
"Our children are missing because of their will to bring an Outworld criminal back." Johnny said.
"Fair enough," Sonya said. "We'll work on those rally points right away."
Anomaly approaches the shores of the European Continent. She finds herself and her Army greeted by numerous navy ships soldiers preparing to take them out.
"This greeting tells me the document didn't work like you said it would," Anomaly said to Metric.
"The Soulnado should help you stand a chance against them. Wouldn't you say?"
"To waste my power on fodder—"
"Even in the right hands, fodder can pose a serious threat."
"Hm," Anomaly contemplated on his rebuttal. "That is true." Anomaly raises her hands in the air. Many illusions of the woman appeared at shore and rushed the men. Bullets whistled across the war zone. Anomaly's illusions withstood as much as they could to reach the men and begin there attack. Many of the men pierce, stomped, mutilated, and burns by the illusions. Anomaly continuously pulls her arms back as the souls of the deceased warriors drew towards her. Their souls allow her to keep up with the illusions, but she starts to wonder if the assault is a waste of her magic.
She finds herself leaning over to catch her breath as her muscles tensed. The illusions were starting to vanish at a much quicker rate. She pulls out a portal stone attached to the bladed part of her naginata. With a toss toward the battlefield, she opens a portal leading to the continent of Australia. She twists the naginata around to the other side and does the same thing, this time opening a portal to the continent of Africa. Many souls from those still living began dragging into the two soulnados behind those portals. Their bodies began dropping. Coming out of those two portals were two new additions to Anomaly's Undead Army: Vorpax and Queen Kreeya.
"Perfect timing," Anomaly said, still trying to catch her breath. Kreeya spits on the ground and rushes towards the battle. Vorpax smiles and walked up to the Sorceress. She places her hand on her shoulder and leans down to come face to face with her.
"To think this would be our life centuries later," Vorpax said.
"I told you…," she muttered, "Shao Kahn's rule would end. I said...we'd be free. I brought you back." Vorpax moved away from her.
"Right," she responded. She had a disgusted look on her face before turning toward the battlefield.
Anomaly's body began to restore its energy as she starts removing the remainder of her illusions. She finds the military bringing in tanks. Before they could fire on her, Kreeya lifts one of the tanks and uses it as a melee weapon to destroy the other legions of tanks. She kicks one of the tanks that embodied the dead soldiers who's souls had been removed by the soulnados. Vorpax joins her in destroying some of the other tanks as well as many other soldiers. Anomaly laughs and turns to Metric.
"You were right," she said. She observes the battlefield seeing the numbers of her detractors had dropped from hundreds to as little as a few dozen within minutes. She raises her hands as she starts to conjure a new soulnado.
However she stops. As if she had a sixth sense, she feels the presence of another enemy approach from her left. She leans back and reaches her left hand upward, grabbing the wrist of her assailant, Skarlet. The woman held a short blade in her hand, which was certainly meant for Anomaly. The two locked eyes. Anomaly noted that it looked like Skarlet had been crying. Anomaly looks at Metric who seemed startled by her presence. He definitely knew her before she thought. Anomaly released her grip before kicking the woman away. Skarlet cuts the back of her hand and places her palm on the ground. The blood trickles along the ground marking it red. She steps atop of the markings made by her blood and propels herself toward anomaly at a swift pace. She forces her blade into Anomaly's stomach. Anomaly prepares to blast the woman in the face, but feels the sharp pain of numerous blades coursing throughout her body. She sees Skarket's bloody hand pressed along the wound cause by her blade. The blood within Skarlet had traveled into Anomaly's bloodstream damaging her from the inside. Her souls struggled to keep her alive long enough for her to move away from the woman. Skarlet was surprised that the woman could even escape her trap as she shouldn't have been able to move with Skarlet having control of her blood.
"Who is this?" Anomaly asked Metric.
"The Blood Witch from nearly a decade ago. Wiped out nearly the entire Black Dragon Clan. She's much weaker now thanks to Lieutenant Blade. You shouldn't have any trouble with her."
"Typical," Anomaly sighed.
"You took my life. You nearly killed my sister and the Lin Kuei."
"I don't even know who you are?" Anomaly interrupted before snapping her fingers. A glowing skull strikes Skarlet in the back, bringing her to her knees. She looks up and sees a young Shang Tsung approached her. She attempts to thrust him with a blood lance, but he dodges it and kicks her in the chin. From behind, she sees Quan Chi with his hands resting along his waste. She reaches for her neck as it starts to compress. Her skin began to dry up as energy from her body headed toward Quan Chi. As her body weaken to the point she could no longer move, her view was turned back to Shang Tsung as the loud snap sound echoes on the battlefield. Skarlets dried up corpse plopped onto the ground as Shang Tsung and Quan Chi grinned.
"I haven't felt like this since the days of the Great Kung Lao," Shang Tsung said with joy.
"I thought my Soul would remain dormant in the abyss of nothingness forever."
"Taking on the dark arts of Sorcery will do that to you, as you both now know," Anomaly stated. Shang Tsung laughed before conjuring a flaming snake to kill a few soldiers intent on ambushing Anomaly.
"I can hardly recognize you anymore, Edenian. Who knew a mere servant would become such a threat?"
"What do you mean fellow sorcerer?" Anomaly joked as she sliced another soldier with her Naginata. "You found a way to ruin my plans both in life and in death."
"That makes two of us," Quan Chi said as he mugged Shang Tsung. He raises two corpses to fend off a few more soldiers.
"Yet your invasion of Earthrealm seems to be going well for you."
"I'm fighting an army who legally should not be attacking me."
"Earthrealmers are a bit more...dynamic," Shang Tsung remarked. Anomaly smiled and shook her head. She looks to the battlefield and sees that the numbers of the army have been severely decimated. She raises her arms along with the other sorcerers, conjuring another soulnado to capture the souls of the remaining soldiers as well as many civilians within the range of Europe. After finishing off the stragglers, Vorpax and Queen Kreeya return to the group.
"This war is nothing like the one waged between Lord Raiden and Lord Shinnok. These Earthrealmers are weak. Where are the Saurians? The Amazons? The Atlanteans? Hell, the Lords?"
"Away. As they should be."
"Pathetic! You hide them from me? In a time where my revenge would serve my power?"
"Mind your tongue, Kreeya," Anomaly said. "Your remaining people perished in Outworld. Your boastful nature will be your downfall if you don't keep it under control."
"She will, Anomaly," Vorpax said as she bowed. She looked at her mother who simply shook her head.
"You point out your enemies and I'll slay them. But I will never bow to you."
"By the Elder Lords, you most certainly will," Anomaly muttered.
Back in the SF Asia Headquarters...
Jax slams his fist on the console. Sonya begins to rest her hand on his shoulder, but decides not to. Kenshi continues his meditation, blocking any negative news from his mind. However, he couldn't help but fear what might happen to Suchin when Anomaly arrives in Japan.
"Fang, Metric, Capitol,…" Jax began.
"Shang Tsung…" Johnny said.
"And now Skarlet," Sonya added.
"Along with others who may be stronger than them all," Shujinko commented. "If I may…"
"You're not in charge here, Shujinko!" Sonya snapped.
"If I may," Shujinko continued ignoring Sonya, "I fear our situation will become worse if something is not done soon."
"Can you tell us something we don't know?" Johnny questioned.
"Shujinko has a point, so let him make it," Jax exclaimed firmly. Kenshi nods.
"She only resurrects those beneficial to her plan. She attacks an area, draws out those she wants, and moves to the next area. Also, she gathers new individuals who've died before. First she claimed two but had two others. After the first Soulnado, we had pings to other locations that converged toward her location in the United Kingdom. One claimed but four others arrived."
"How many will she claim here?" Johnny asked nervously.
"That is the incorrect question. What should be asked is how many others are already here?"
"Lord Raiden, Lui Kang, Kung Lao…"
"All out of the equation," Shujinko responded. "Raiden cannot die. His current presence, however, is unknown. As is that of the other Lords. "
"Shao Kahn?" Jax questioned.
"My journey to Outworld taught me that Shao Kahn was once the lord of Outworld."
"What?!" Sonya shouted. Kenshi nodded.
"Would she bring him back?" Kenshi asked.
"No," Shujinko responded. "Even Onaga would be out of the question. His power is how she's revived her army." Shujinko closed his eyes and looked away. "No, she'll likely bring back Earthrealm's deceased warriors. Specifically, the most successful victor: The Great Kung Lao."
"One man?" Johnny asked.
Shujinko looked back toward the man before looking at Kenshi. The others did the same. He seemed disturbed by something he sensed.
End of Chapter 2
(Upcoming—Earthfall)