Angry Ones: Hanzo Hasashi
Ch3- Fire, Ice, & Shadow
Constantine leads the group with palm full of Hellfire lighting the tunnels of Mount Chiliad. Marching beside him is Hanzo Hasashi holding the head of the decapitated Moloch while Kuai Liang and Zatanna make up the rear. The tension in the room is palpable so Zatanna decides to break the ice.
Zatanna: So… how long have you two been friends?
Sub-Zero: We have been allies since we were both liberated from Quan Chi's control. We both were both apart of a select handful of warriors that were enslaved by Quan Chi after Armageddon was successfully averted by Taven, son of Argus.
Constantine: Sounds like any other day at the office.
Sub-Zero: I am honored to fight alongside the daughter of Giovanni Zatara. The mystics of the Lin Kuei spoke highly of him over the years.
Constantine raises an eyebrow and looks back at the Cryomancer asking the question with a smirk on his face as he looks over his shoulder, "What have you heard about the Hellblazer?". Sub-Zero sternly replies without missing a beat, "Only to know not to trust you. If you cross Hanzo or mysel, I will kill you.". Constantine chuckles at the comment while Sub-Zero continues to pay him no mind. Hanzo marches on silently ahead of the rest of them pointing Moloch's severed as they march through the caves.
Zatanna: You're awfully quiet up there Hanzo!
Hanzo marches on without even looking back telling Zatanna, "What is there to say?" to which Zatanna takes the cue to be quiet. They all see light a light at the end of the tunnel, the four of them stand by the ledge to see hordes of demons building an alter. The cave walls are lined with ruins of demonic language and pentagrams, at the center of the the chamber is a pale man covered in red tattoos and another man in dark robes standing in front of a podium and a small archway made of rock. These men are Quan Chi and Noob Saibot.
Constantine: There they are… Now, we should-
Before Constantine can finish going over his plan, Hanzo throws Moloch's decapitated hand down on the ground below and jumps down alongside Kuai Liang. Zatanna looks at John angrily as if he was the one that told them to do that.
Constantine: What are you looking at me for?!
Zatanna rolls her eyes and levitates down alongside John to the two ninja. Quan Chi has a smug look in his face as he greets the heroes.
Quan Chi: Scorpion and Sub-Zero! Your return is truly a moment to be celebrated.
Hanzo: My name is-
Noob Saibot: Be silent in the presence of your master, Scorpion!… And I see you brought my brother! We shall all be united in darkness!
Sub-Zero doesn't respond to his brother, instead reforms his sword of ice and charges Noob Saibot while the demons circle around the other heroes. Hanzo teleports away before an imp can pounce on him. He teleports right behind Quan Chi ready to slice his head clean off when he's suddenly tackled from the side by a resurrected Balthazar. The demon snarls in Hanzo's face and brandishes his teeth.
Balthazar: Not happy to see me?!
Hanzo wrestles the demon off of him as the two fight while Quan Chi watches the hordes of demons fight the various heroes. Bi-Han and Kuai swing their blades at one another with a lethal efficiency while Zatanna and Constantine use spells to keep the oncoming hordes back. Noob uses his sickle sword to shatter Sub-Zero's blade of pure ice, he then summons two of his shadows that grab Sub-Zero by his arms and restrain him.
Noob Saibot: Have you nothing to say to your brother?
Noob begins to rub the dull part of the blade against Sub-Zero's neck and face mask.
Sub-Zero: You are not my brother!
Noob Saibot sarcastically retorts, "Your words wound me brother! Surely mother would not appreciate you refusing my gesture of unity!". This comment enrages Sub-Zero as the shadows that are restraining him now stand petrified in ice as he shatters their arms. Sub-Zero now free charges at Noob Saibot creating a blizzard with every step.
Constantine and Zatanna look over to the storm forming around them. Both turn to each other before Zatanna forms a force field around the two of them, demons begin to beat on the force field only to freeze as the blizzard intensifies around.
Zatanna: Where's Hanzo?!
Constantine looks out through the force field and tells Zatanna, "Looks like he's in the thick of it!". The two of them watch as Hanzo battles Balthazar to the last breath. Quan Chi claps his hands once before exclaiming, "I've had enough of this!", the ever loyal Noob Saibot who is using his shadow clones to fight his brother. Noob is able to glance at his master and nod signaling back at him that it's time to end this.
Suddenly the room becomes darker, even Kuai Liang's ice becomes a jet black color. Hanzo pushes Balthazar off of him and rushes Quan Chi ready to strike, as the darkness surrounds the makeshift force field made by Zatanna. The darkness shatters the force field as Constantine reaches to Hanzo as he sees the tendrils made of pure darkness reach toward Hanzo from behind.
Constantine: HANZO LOOKOUT!
The tendrils of darkness fail to catch the ninja as he teleports just in the nick of time, Quan Chi begins to search frantically around the room as Constantine, Zatanna, and Sub-Zero are now all captives of Noob Saibot's shadow. Quan Chi scans the room until he's impaled by Hanzo's blade from behind but instead of gasping for air Quan Chi laughs and fades away.
The archway opens another portal this time Quan Chi and resurrected Drahmin walk through it. Drahmin picks up the head of his fallen ally Moloch while Quan Chi looks at the gathering of heroes with nothing but contempt.
Quan Chi: Did you think me so foolish as to be actually be here when I had known you were coming for weeks?!
With a wave of his hand Quan Chi summons a giant skeletal hand from the ground, trapping Hanzo and crushing his rib cage. Hanzo screams out in pain as the sound of his bones crunching echo throughout the cave. Noob Saibot maneuvers the tendrils of shadow by motioning his hands, the heroes now all lined up as Quan Chi, Balthazar, Noob Saibot, and Drahmin holding the severed head of Moloch all stand before them.
Quan Chi: Lord Shinnok has been planning this for decades, our greatest triumph will soon be at hand! You will not only bear witness to it, but you will all help us work to that victory!
Zatanna: YOU'RE NEVER GOING-
The mouth of the sorceress is then covered in darkness thanks to Noob Saibot. Quan Chi then grabs her by the chin firmly grasping her cheeks, the two sorcerers locked in through eye contact. Zatanna looks at Quan Chi terrified while he smiles sinisterly back at her.
Quan Chi: My dearest Zatanna, you will find that I have nothing in common with the likes of Felix Faust or Wotan. I am not some disturbed mortal who wears a flamboyant costume and monologues about their master plan! I instead, will experiment on all of you without hesitation!
Hearing Quan Chi even mentioning experimenting on them causes Hanzo to enter an almost primal rage. With a blood curdling scream, Hanzo breaks free from the skeletal hand and Quan Chi only to be intercepted once again by Balthazar and Drahmin while Noob Saibot hangs back and focuses on restraining the other heroes. Hanzo's body is covered in flames and grabs Balthazar by his forehead slamming him into the ground, Drahmin swings his gauntlet at Hanzo's face by the ninja dodges it with ease and then drop kicks the Oni.
Quan Chi: Impressive work Scorpion. You are unequivocally the most lethal warrior the Netherrealm has ever employed.
Hanzo: I AM NEVER GOING BACK!
Quan Chi: But I am afraid you are! HAHAHA!
Hanzo yells at his former master, "NEVER!" as he slams his hands onto the ground causing a massive explosion of Hellfire going every direction. Quan Chi, Balthazar, Drahmin, and Noob Saibot are flung to different directions while Hanzo gathers his allies, Constantine opens a portal from them to go through. Even with the flames still burning Noob Saibot charges at the group of heroes, tackling his brother into the ground and then fading into the shadows. Hanzo reaches out for his brother in arms before being pulled in by Constantine.
The flames dissipate and Quan Chi stands over the podium alongside Balthazar. Noob Saibot reforms holding the body of his unconscious brother and presents it to his masters.
Noob Saibot: I have found the perfect test subject!
Quan Chi chuckles at this comment telling Noob, "Yes you have! Now go prepare him for the ritual!". Noob Saibot bows before his masters while he walks away with the unconscious Kuai Liang. Drahmin walks up to Quan Chi holding up the severed head of Moloch to his master.
Quan Chi: Be patient Oni, I will bring him back as I brought you and Balthazar back. His soul is no doubt already with Lord Shinnok. Go gather the others, it is time to complete the ritual.
Drahmin walks away to the portal muttering to himself. Balthazar transforms back into his human form as looks to Quan Chi asking him, "Should we be concerned about the alliance of Zatanna, the Hellblazer, and Scorpion? They have proved to be... difficult." but Quan Chi doesn't seem worried in the slightest.
Quan Chi: It wouldn't even matter if they sent the Thunder God and the Kryptonian! Once the scroll has been summoned from the void, every world will belong to us!
Elsewhere on a beach of black sand with cloudy skies, the waves crash at the feet of Hanzo Hasashi as he sits grabbing onto his knees and a defeated expression on his face. Hanzo scowls intensely off into the distance unknown ocean, unsure of where the Hellblazer has brought them but all he can think about is his family and a time where they all went fishing. Hanzo remembers fondly how his son Satoshi caught a large fish, he then hears Harumi's voice faintly calling his name but it gets gradually louder, "Hanzo... Hanzo!". For whatever reason Hanzo is petrified as the the screams get louder and louder until he feels a hand on his shoulder which causes the ninja master to rush up ready to fight but it turns out it was only Zatanna trying to get his attention.
Zatanna: Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you... John wanted to go over strategy.
Hanzo exhales heavily and walks right past the sorceress. Constantine now stands over a small campfire on top of a bushy hill, he turns to see Hanzo and Zatanna walking up together. The Hellblazer nods at the two of them gesturing for them to sit.
Hanzo: Where are we?
Constantine: I have learned a myriad of spells over the years, including spells for getting out of sticky situations! As you can see are currently in Purgatory!
John then points off into the distance at a large mountain pointing all the way up through the clouds. Hanzo and Zatanna look with a sense of awe and horror.
Hanzo: Where is Kuai Liang?
Constantine: His big brother nabbed him before he could hop through the portal.
Zatanna: So what's the plan? Do either of you have any idea what Quan Chi is planning?
Constantine: All they talked about was us serving them and some kind of war. Hanzo, are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Hanzo ponders the question for a moment but his eyes go wide as if a lightbulb lit up in his head. Hanzo exclaims, "THE DEMON SCROLLS!" as Constantine nods while Zatanna looks confused.
Zatanna: What demon scrolls?
Constantine: Eons before Lucifer and his ilk were cast out of Heaven, the infernal realm was ruled by Beliar. This demonic titan knew how to corrupt beings and twist their form...
Zatanna's eyes widen in fear as she covers her now gaping mouth realizing what John is saying. Hanzo looks down solemnly at the ground knowing where Constantine is going to bring this story.
Constantine: You see about ten or so years ago, me and the flaming ninja went a round over some scrolls being "protected" in Nanda Parbat. These scrolls had incantations on them that could turn any living thing into a mindless demon.
Hanzo: Where did you send the scroll, Hellblazer?
Constantine: You saw it! I created a mini black hole to fall for eternity but that temple in the mountain... it's filled to the brim with dark energy.
Zatanna: We have to go now!
Back at the Demonic Shrine under Mount Chiliad, Sub-Zero is bound to a stone table by the magic of Quan Chi. Sub-Zero turns to see Quan Chi standing over the alter speaking in tongues with his eyes rolled back into his head until a scroll materializes on top of the podium. The pale necromancer walks over to Quan Chi smirk stretched across his face.
Quan Chi: Let's begin shall we!
As the sorcerer opens the scrolls the text on the scrolls glows a blood red on his pale face. Balthazar and Noob Saibot gather around Quan Chi as he casts the spell over Sub-Zero who is now squirming fearfully. Sub-Zero is able to break the restraints but he screams out in pain as the sound of his bones breaking and snapping back into place echo throughout the cave. Kuai Liang falls to his knees as icicles protrude from his skin which turns into a dark blue color, his arms turn into black ice with razor sharp claws, his eyes turn into a deep yellow, icy horns form on his forehead, and his face is now almost reptilian. The demonic Sub-Zero let's out a guttural roar before turning to Quan Chi and bowing before him. Drahmin then walks back into the chamber alongside Kia and Jataaka.
Drahmin: Our allies march toward the mountain. There were Lin Kuei outside but they have been dealt with.
Quan Chi: Are they still alive?
Drahmin: They are.
Quan Chi: Good, bring them here. I wish to reunite them with their grandmaster!