It was at night, running across rooftops, the cold evening air billowing past his armored form, that Wrath truly felt alive.
His senses embraced the frigid chill, the whistling wind, the melodious staccato of his boots on metal roofs. While he held no such strong convictions about shapeshifters, the shadowy young man wondered if this was how lycanthropes felt upon transforming: freed, primal and boundless from whatever Earth lashed upon them. Here, tonight, in that moment, there was no nostalgic past, no uncertain future, just a peacefully bare present.
Taking a running leap, he dove off the nearest ledge of the skyscraper he'd ascended, doing a playful front flip as gravity tugged him earthbound. The sensation of weightless falling awoke with it so much clarity, so much contentment that would've otherwise been clouded under the mundane.
As Wrath fell through the night, there was no shadow war. No cross-realm freaks invading his home, no criminal dirtbags spreading their tendrils, no esoteric nonsense corrupting the minds of good, honest folks. Up here, among the freezing shadows, all was well.
Waiting till the last minute, Wrath aimed his forearm gauntlet toward the nearest building and fired the grapple launcher inside the protective plate. A chittered *click* sounded as the gadget found its mark. Pulling his arm back, Wrath felt the shift of counterweights along the polymer grapple line, slowing his approach and straightening him out as to reduce the chance of injury upon landing.
Reaching the adjacent building at somewhere approaching 20 mph, Wrath did a somersaulting stop across the icy rooftop, skidding to a halt not but a few yards away. The impact should've been painful, a haphazard crash-landing that strained muscles and bruised bones in the very least. But the excitement of the moment, and more importantly, the Special Forces body armor he wore, softened the rolling halt with ease.
Straightening himself into a standing position, he had a good view of Riverton's neighborhoods, placing his hands on his hips as he overlooked tonight's handiwork. It'd been a fairly eventful evening, with one mugging, a burglary and three drug deals all busted in short order.
The drug deals had Wrath most concerned, that Outworld 'fen-yan' crap sinking its claws into an unsuspecting market of ignorant teens and practitioners of alternative medicine. While fen-yan looked like benign tea leaves that could be chewed or mixed into one's beverage of choice, fen-yan was in reality a powerful hallucinogen that affected even the strongest of minds.
Wrath's personal theory was this uptick in usage of Outworld narcotics was contributing to the uptick in magic usage among the city populace, correlation most assuredly equaling causation. True, the young man didn't have an ounce of proof to back his assertion up, but he doubted it was all mere coincidence. In Wrath's line of work, especially these days, chalking things up to coincidence was wishful thinking at best, pure ignorance at worst.
It was in this listless brooding that Wrath felt a sudden rush of heat break through the frigid winter air, enough so that a faint humidity blossomed, before quickly being overtaken by the cold. Turning towards the outpouring of warm, swirling fire behind him, he quickly caught sight of its source, a slight frown forming behind his armored, fully encompassing mask.
"Liu Kang," Wrath said in something between a greeting and an accusation, the words slightly muffled by his mask. "Didn't expect to see you tonight."
The God of Fire stepped out of his fiery deluge, regarding Wrath with a passive, curious expression, his otherworldly white eyes seemingly unblinking in their task. It was a look Wrath was quite familiar with ever since joining Liu Kang's White Lotus Society, the team working closely with Earthrealm's protector. Yet despite the familiarity with the supposedly divine figure, it took Wrath significant strain to be anything more than standoffish with the incredibly powerful individual.
"Nor did I expect you, Valen Wilkes," Liu Kang answered, using Wrath's real name as he approached, arms calmly folded behind his back.
"I'd prefer if you didn't use that name when I'm on patrol," Wrath shot back, dropping any pretense of cordiality.
"There is no one around to listen to our conversation," the Fire God answered with a sweeping motion around the barren rooftop. "I would not sacrifice your identity for such a small thing. Instead, I merely wish to discuss matters as colleagues, not adversaries."
Wrath approached the calm celestial, irritated at Liu Kang's continued warmth. "Let's get something straight: we aren't friends, Liu Kang. We're allies. Nothing more. We fight the same enemies when the realms are in crisis. That's it. And right now, I've got more important things to worry about right here in Riverton."
"That's in fact why I wish to speak with you, Valen Wilkes. You've been absent from recent White Lotus meetings, despite a clear summons being given. I can understand neglecting a few instances, but it has been two Earthrealm months since anyone has seen you. Some are questioning if you're truly in the Society any longer."
"Is that a threat, Liu Kang?" Wrath shot back. "A little hint that I'm being kicked out because I don't have time to play mister sociable at Cage's penthouse?"
"Not at all," Liu Kang answered with a raised palm. "Just a reciprocated concern. Your contributions in stealth and sabotage have been invaluable since joining us, which makes your regular disappearances all the more felt."
Wrath grunted, shifting has stance. "I have a job to do, a debt to repay. And it hasn't been any easier with these winter storms rolling in. Our Outworld 'friends' use these storms as an opportunity to spread their tendrils further, taking advantage of the lowered police presence to dig in even more. Drugs, guns, and now these damned talismans that are popping up. People are hurting in Riverton, and all of it is more than I can handle. So, excuse me for focusing on more immediate concerns!"
He'd gotten closer to Liu Kang as he spoke, within just a few feet of the Fire God. Liu Kang didn't seem bothered by the aggressive posturing from Wrath, still looking impassively amicable.
"Do you remember why you joined the White Lotus Society, Valen Wilkes?" Earthrealm's protector asked.
Wrath scowled behind his mask. "I remember."
"Then you don't need me to remind you what our agreement was."
Wrath was silent.
"You gave an oath to protect the realms, whether it be Earthrealm, Outworld, Orderrealm, or anywhere else. The crises we handle affect all living persons, even if they are not of your home realm. And in exchange, you were promised voluntary assistance from other Society members for your patrols."
"Assistance that nobody wants to give!" Wrath said petulantly.
"I cannot force the wills of our allies, Valen Wilkes. Your methods, while effective, lack discipline and compassion. You allow your emotions to influence your judgement. This is especially seen in your treatment of those from Outworld."
"They're Tarkatans!" Wrath declared with an exasperated gesture. "Shokan, criminals, demons. Am I supposed to just turn a blind eye because they claim to be innocent? They're not wanted here. The best thing for them is making that clear."
For the first time that evening, a hint of disapproval creeped into Liu Kang's expression. "You wouldn't be in the White Lotus Society if you truly believed that Valen Wilkes. Your rage tells one story, yet your heart tells another."
Wrath was silent, allowing Liu Kang to continue.
"You are not the cold-blooded specter you claim to be. Your code of non-lethality is evidence of this, along with the sorrow that overtakes you. I understand there is conflict within you, but I ask that you save your anger for those who are truly at fault, rather than those simply doing what's best for their families." The Fire God placed a reassuring palm on Wrath's armored shoulder. "Do this, and I can promise you more kombatants will join your mission."
Startled for a few moments at the physical contact from Liu Kang, Wrath briskly turned away, arms crossed. "I…I doubt anyone would give me a chance at this point. I've already ticked a lot of people off in the Society. To them I'm just some mindless thug."
"Not so," Liu Kang interjected. "Kurtis Stryker and Kabal both see virtue in your deeds. Gain their trust, and the other White Lotus members are sure to change their opinions. It is all part of the process of growing closer to your allies." The Fire God paused, giving a small smile. "So, can I entrust your attendance this week?"
Wrath looked over his shoulder at Liu Kang, his voice quieter, bereft of the earlier harshness. "I-I'll think about it, Liu Kang." Not wanting to open the avenue for any further ponderance or introspection, Wrath took a running start, leaping off the building's ledge, before firing a grapple line to swing from.
Liu Kang watched as the vigilante made his exit, contentedly knowing that Valen Wilkes had already made his decision.
-
Author's Note:
I'm back! After what's certainly felt like eons, I've finally posted a story! Have been pretty active writing these past few years, although it's mostly been original works rather than fan fics. However, the release of MK1 has rekindled my love of the Mortal Kombat lore, so I decided to contribute where I could with the fandom. Not sure how far I'll take this collection of story snippets, but really did want to give life to Wrath as a character in some form. Have a few other vignettes I've written for other characters, so might slip those in here as well. :D