Chapter Five: Answers

As they journeyed to the lair of the Red Dragon Clan, Tomas constantly looked to his sides and glanced over his shoulder at the cloaked men who surrounded him. They made no move to attack him, but the silver-haired still did not trust any of them, especially their leader Mavado. There was just something about him that felt off. Sinister even. Enenra thought the same, which was fortunate for Tomas so he would know that he is not just being paranoid.

"Be wary of this Red Dragon, Tomas. I do not believe their intentions to be pure."

Tomas arched a brow, but he made sure to respond to the demon telepathically. "Yeah, I kinda figured that after they went through the trouble of burning a whole town just to draw me out." Sighing, Tomas looked to Mavado, who was walking in front of him. "I want to ask you something."

Mavado, who had been rather quiet during the expedition, stopped and allowed Tomas to catch up to him before walking again. "Of course. What is it?"

"You said that your clan prefers to stay a secret. Why have you chosen now to show yourselves?"

"I have already answered that. We came because of you."

Tomas frowned. "But how did you even know that I was in Prague? You were not even aware of who this… "sacrifice" was."

"One of our spies that was stationed in Vesnice Rudá informed me of a peculiar individual. Someone he had not seen before today." Mavado looked to his henchmen briefly before turning back to Tomas. "When we saw no one of interest during our exploration of the village－"

"You mean "invasion"." Tomas interrupted the black-clad man and his frown deepened. "You stormed into Vesnice Rudá and terrorized its citizens. For all I know, someone is lying dead somewhere in the village!"

Mavado chuckled, which only angered Tomas even more. "You worry too much, Tomas. We were under strict orders not to kill anyone unless absolutely necessary. Be glad it was not absolutely necessary."

"Yeah, well, I guess the guys who attacked me didn't get that memo."

Now Mavado was the one frowning. "You were attacked? Do you remember the faces of the men who attacked you?"

"No, I…didn't see any of their faces." Tomas lied, unsure of what Mavado would do with those that attacked him. The silver-haired could see the fury in Mavado's eyes and he could tell that the black-clad man did not appreciate having his orders ignored by his subordinates. There was no doubt in Tomas' mind that his assailants would be killed if Mavado knew of their identities. He was sure that the villagers would take care of them once they were conscious. Which would probably be a while.

Mavado took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, his anger subsiding for the moment. "I see. Unfortunately, we do have a history of rogues from our clan."

"Speaking of rogues－" Tomas looked away from Mavado and down at the ground as he walked. "Those men who were responsible for…what happened years ago－"

"You killed them." Those words caused Tomas to again look at Mavado, whose face has grown serious. "Did you not?"

"…I was not in control of my actions."

Mavado scoffed. "They deserved it. After what they did to you."

Tomas said nothing else and they continued their journey in silence. Soon enough, however, Mavado raised his fist to signal his comrades to stop. Tomas turned to the black-clad man, confused. "Why have we stopped?"

Mavado smirked at Tomas. "Watch." The man then grabbed the gauntlet he was

wearing and quickly undid the straps. He took off the garment to reveal the brand on his hand, the Red Dragon symbol. Mavado held his hand up to the trees that stood before them and the symbol soon begin to glow. Tomas watched in awe as reality seemed to tear right in front of him, a portal being created to show another world beyond the forest.

"W-What…is this?" Tomas asked, his eyes still on the forming portal.

Mavado had already placed his gauntlet back on his arm and he began to walk towards the portal. "A precaution for those who tread where they are not welcome. Come." With that, Mavado stepped the portal and vanished from sight. Tomas just stood there for some time before the stares from the Red Dragon members around him began to make him feel uncomfortable. Were they waiting for him to make a move?

Reluctantly, Tomas slowly passed through the portal to follow Mavado and the moment he was on the other side, he was met with an unexpected sight. In contrast to the lush forest they had just passed through, these woods were almost barren and the trees that were left had only a few red leaves growing on their branches. Beyond the trees was a huge stone doorway that Tomas presumed to be the entrance to the Red Dragon's hideout. Mavado had already stepped across the threshold and was waiting for the silver-haired man to catch up to him. Tomas eventually did so and the two men followed by Mavado's minions walked through what appeared to be a dimly lit cavern. It did not take long for them to reach the heart of the lair.

"Welcome, Tomas, to our headquarters." Mavado said, full of pride. He then motioned his hand to more of the Red Dragon's members, who were busy handling weaponry and sparring in the various fighting cages that were set up. The last thing Tomas had expected was for the Red Dragon to be so modernized with the cavern looking much more like a lab than an actual cave. The floors were mostly metal and there were long, rusty pipes hanging from the ceiling, steam spewing from the openings within them. There were even a few large test tubes spread around the cave, big enough to fit a whole person. The thought immediately reminded Tomas of his time in the Flesh Pits, the laboratory of the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung, and the Tarkatan clones that the sorcerer had created.

Mavado noticed how tense Tomas had become upon looking at the tubes, and he placed his hand on the silver-haired man's shoulder. That simple action was enough to pull Tomas from his thoughts and he instantly turned to face whoever had dared to touch him. He calmed down when he realized it was only Mavado. "S-Sorry."

Mavado waved a hand. "No need for apologies. Let us continue. There is someone else would like to meet you."

Tomas frowned, but he said nothing and followed Mavado further into the cavern. The red-cloaked men who had accompanied them from Vesnice Rudá had suddenly dispersed and had joined the other members of their clan, leaving Tomas and Mavado alone. The two walked for some time before reaching a huge metal door and a keypad had been placed beside it. Mavado entered a code into the keypad, making sure not to let Tomas see for security reasons, and he stepped back as the door slowly opened. Once it did, the silver-haired man could see an empty room that looked much like an arena. There was a hexagonal metal platform on the floor and two flood lights were hanging above the area filling the room with their light.

"It is time for me to take my leave." Mavado stated and patted Tomas on his back before walking away. "Do relax, my friend. No need to be so tense."

"W-Wait! What am I supposed to－!?" Tomas tried to stop Mavado, but it was too late. The black-clad man had walked out the door and it had closed behind him. Tomas sighed. "Great." He crossed his arms and looked around. "I guess I just have to wait."

"Tomas."

Tomas smirked, happy to be reminded that he was not alone in this unfamiliar territory. "And he speaks! You've been quiet for a while, Enenra."

"I was just…thinking."

"About what?"

"This whole situation, Tomas. Something is not right. There is no way a whole clan determined to stay hidden from the outside world would suddenly reveal themselves for just one person. Least of all, you."

Tomas let out a small gasp and put a hand on his chest in feigned shock. "Enenra, you wound me!"

"Boy, be serious."

"Okay, sorry. You're right." Tomas paced back and forth around the platform. "Humor helps me cope."

"Yes, I know. But you really need to focus on the task at hand. And figure out an escape route in case things go south."

"Good idea. Maybe we can－" As he turned around to walk some more, he jumped back when he realized someone was standing behind him. He again put his hand on his chest, but his shock was not fake. "By the Elder Gods, makes some fucking noise please!"

The newcomer clasped his hands behind his back. "I called out to you multiple times, but you must have been lost in thought. But I do apologize for my sudden appearance." The man spoke calmly and allowed Tomas time to calm himself before speaking again. "Welcome, Tomas Vrbada. We finally meet."

"Yeah, great." Letting out a breath, Tomas replied to the stranger's greeting sarcastically. "Everyone seems to know me, but I didn't even know this "Red Dragon" existed until a little while ago." It was then that Tomas actually examined the stranger. The man was bald and a dragon tattoo could be seen on the left side of his face with a scar crossing over his blind, right eye. A golden sigil of the Red Dragon Clan shined on the man's black belt, which was connected by suspenders to his spiked shoulder pads. And his red pants were adorned with gold linings with black boots to finish the look. Those of higher rank within the Red Dragon, like Mavado, have better attire than the red-cloaked henchmen, so Tomas figured that this man must be a high ranking official. More than likely the leader of the entire clan.

"Then I suppose introductions are in order." The man bowed his head to Tomas. "I am Daegon. It is an honor to meet you, Tomas."

"Daegon?" Tomas heard Enenra suddenly talk within his mind. The demon sounded surprised. "As in…no, it cannot be."

Seeing how puzzled look on the silver-haired man's face, Daegon smiled. "I am sure you have heard of me. Or at least your demon does. Is it speaking to you now?"

Tomas needed to remind himself that everyone here is more than likely aware of Enenra. "…Yes."

"That name…it is the same as…"

Tomas' eyes widened as he listened to the demon. Daegon waited patiently for the two to finish their conversation, but he took the silver-haired man's wide eyes as his cue to speak. "Well?"

Tomas started slowly and carefully, unsure of what to say. "Well, um… "Daegon" isn't exactly a common name."

Daegon chuckled. "No, I suppose not."

"So…is it true that you are a son of Argus? Edenia's former protector?" Daegon's smile faltered slightly, which did not go unnoticed by Tomas, but he said nothing about it and continued. "We had believed that you and the rest of your family were－"

"Killed during Shao Kahn's invasion of Edenia?" Daegon interrupted Tomas, finishing the silver-haired man's sentence. "I can assure you that we are very much alive."

"Um… "we"?"

Daegon nodded his head. "Yes. My brother and I managed to survive due to our parents' actions."

Tomas, who was now genuinely curious about the demi-god's story, urged Daegon to continue. "What do you mean by that?"

"My mother, Delia, foresaw Shao Kahn and his army invading our realm in order to merge it with Outworld. I am sure you are aware of my mother and her abilities."

"Yes." Tomas nodded. "She was a sorceress who could see into the future, right?"

"Correct. Before the emperor arrived in Edenia, Argus…my father summoned my brother and I to his throne room. I do not recall much after that, but the next thing I knew, I had awoken centuries into the future, hidden within this very cavern for my protection."

"And your brother?"

Daegon sighed shook his head. "His whereabouts are unknown to me. Only his guardian is aware of his location. But I am doing everything in my power to find him." The bald man clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. "All of this because of a damn quest…"

"Woah, woah, woah. Hold on a second." Tomas held his hands up to stop Daegon's mumbling. "I'm sorry for what has happened to you. I wish you the best in finding your brother, but I came here in search of answers for what happened…you know…"

"Ah, yes. Of course." Daegon laughed. "Forgive me for my rambling. I should not burden you with my troubles."

Tomas waved a hand. "No, no. It's fine. This is all just a lot for me to take in for one night. First, I find out that my murder was the work of some rogues and now I find out that the sons of Argus are alive－"

"I am not his son." The demi-god's serious tone caught Tomas off guard and Daegon immediately let out a breath to calm himself. "My apologies. But after what that man has done to me and my brother, I do not consider him to be my father. Not anymore."

"Oh…I'm sorry." Tomas did kind of understand why Daegon was so angry at his father. But the man must also understand that his parents just wanted to protect him, right? Maybe it had something to do with this "quest" Daegon mentioned before, but Tomas would ask about that later. That is, if he lived until later. "But I came here because that Mavado guy promised me that your clan had the answers I was looking for. So please, if you can, tell me about what happened that night. The night I…died."

Daegon was quiet for a moment, a hand raised to stroke his goatee as he thought. "…Very well. I will tell you what I can. But first, I must tell you of the Great Dragon Egg. Have you heard of it?"

Tomas shook his head.

"I did not think so. Its existence is known to very few. The egg is said to contain the essence of Outworld's former ruler. Before Shao Kahn, that is."

"Wait, you mean…Onaga?" Tomas had heard of Outworld's first emperor, but he honestly did not know much about them. "Didn't Shao Kahn kill him?"

Daegon scoffed. "Shao Kahn could never defeat the Dragon King in combat. So, he resorted to a more discreet method. Poison."

"Wow…that is actually not that surprising coming from Shao Kahn."

"Yes, but things did not exactly go his way. Onaga's royal sorcerers managed to cast a spell that would allow him to be reborn. But there was a price."

Tomas sighed. "Of course. Magic always comes with a price."

"I could not agree with you more, Tomas."

"So then…what was this "price"?"

"Simple. A host." Tomas froze, which Daegon took as the silver-haired man coming to a sudden realization. "Do you now understand? Your death was for a purpose."

"I…" Tomas struggled to form a complete sentence. "I was…not sacrificed for...the Enenra."

Daegon nodded. "Yes. The demon that currently resides within you took over your body by mistake. You were meant to be a host…for the Dragon King."

Tomas ran a hand through his hair. This was not at all what the silver-haired man was expecting. Daegon could tell that Tomas was overwhelmed, so he stayed silent while Tomas got his thoughts together. Tomas closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "But…why?" The silver-haired man's words came out as a whisper. "Why me? I was just a kid! How could I, a child, be an ideal host for a damn dragon!?"

"You were not." Daegon stated. "Yes, children are much easier to manipulate because they are…well, children. But it is not only the mind you must think about when selecting a host. It is also the body itself that must be taken into account. A body, such as that of a young child, would not be able to withstand the sheer power of Onaga. You would have died the moment his essence entered your body."

"Then WHY? I just don't understand－"

"And those that killed you clearly did not understand either." Daegon looked away, a deep frown etched onto his face. "They were naive. They rushed into it without proper preparation－"

"Wait, "rushed"?" Tomas said in confusion. "Why…Why did they need to rush? Were they running out of time for something?"

"...I suppose you can say that." Daegon looked at Tomas again. "It was the egg. Something happened that night, Tomas. Just before your home was attacked by the rogues."

"So…what happened?"

"The egg. After all these centuries…it cracked." Daegon then walked over to a metal panel with various buttons and levers. He clicked on one of the buttons, which was big and green, and soon the space ahead opened to reveal a large window. And behind that window…was an egg. The Great Dragon Egg. It stood on a black pedestal and its yellow surface was littered with black spots. But thing that concerned Tomas the most was the crack that was visible on the egg's shell.

"They believed that the crack's appearance was the egg finally hatching, meaning that the Dragon King would soon be reborn. But a host is still needed, and if one is not present when the egg hatches, Onaga's essence will disappear forever. The rogues hurried to find a body and…they found you. They did not understand that no random individual would work as a host for Onaga."

"As I said before, Tomas－" Enenra spoke to Tomas once more, his voice low. "You were at the wrong place at the wrong time."