Chapter 25: Ninjas and Monks
The Lin Kuei and Monks have taken their time to recover from their surprise ambush at the command of Mileena. They fought formidable, but were distracted so Mavado could reach the Sky Temple and face Fujin without the latter having any assistance. Now with their wounds healed up and strength returning, the Lin Kuei and Monks led by Kung Lao and Frost make plans to make their next move against the enemies they all share.
Aster lays asleep in her chambers, feeling tired from the past few days of the ambush and recovery. She begins to wake up and sees most of her wounds healed from hers and Kung Gen's battle against Tanya. She looks out the window and looks at the cold area, covered in snow and ice. She thinks about how she lost to Tanya and how she would have been killed if it weren't for her new friend Kung Gen.
She can't help but think about her recently. About how smart Gen is for a bookworm, how pretty she is, the things they have in common and the way they are protective of each other despite having just met. Aster is rather impressed by how Gen fights and being trained by Kung Lao and Kung Jin. Aster wishes to get to know her and any more of their allies more. As she thinks about them, Frost comes in and sees her awake and stirring outside.
"Aster." Frost called out, getting her apprentice's attention. "Are you feeling alright?"
"I am fine, Master Sub-Zero. Still a little sore from that battle against Tanya. Thankfully, Kung Gen was there to save me." Aster replied with a sigh of relief.
"So I have heard. She told me herself." Frost said as she closes the door, leaving the two alone.
"Is there something wrong?" Aster asked in confusion and worry.
"It's nothing, my friend. It's time you and I have a talk." Frost tells her. This does not make Aster feel better.
"About what? Is it something about us?" Aster asked.
"It's more than that. It's about everything that has transpired ever since I met you. I remember the time that Kuai Liang was on his own to rebuild the Lin Kuei after what happened with Shao Kahn and Shinnok. I made mistakes and had my own fears of my own past. And fearing being all alone. That was until I was given a chance and I had him. And Cyrax and Smoke with me. After coming across you, I realized that there is no fear of independence. Do not fear it, nor failure itself." Frost advised her.
"I try not to be afraid of failure. I would do anything to impress you, even by risky choices. For you and the Lin Kuei. I only want what is best for us. Not what our enemy Triborg wanted before he died." Aster explained.
"But that does not mean you need to throw your life away. Use your life and that potential of yours. Because someday, you must learn to act on your own. I had to learn the hard way after we lost Liang. And do not be afraid to show your feelings of any kind." Frost explained to her.
"Feelings? What do you mean?" Aster asked.
"Anger. Doubt. Fear. Love. Compassion. And independence." Frost said. "I know you would want to explore Earthrealm. You have been here through most of your life."
"But are you sure about this? What if I'm not ready to do this? To protect anyone, including you and Kung Gen?" Aster expresses her fears.
"Trust me. I speak from experience. I asked myself that question the day when Sektor returned as Triborg. After I killed him, I learned to move on from the past and express the feelings for my clan." Frost said.
Aster knows she is not wrong, given that she was haunted by her own past when she originally betrayed Sub-Zero and joined Kronika, and wanted to show redemption in the New Era despite the odds she had with most others and when she became a cyborg and was given her human body back. In fact, Aster remembered the day Frost blamed herself for Triborg's presumed victory. That was until Aster herself was there to help her.
"I was afraid you would catch on with what I am feeling. That you would disgrace me or anything." Aster tells her.
"Aster. You are my friend and my chujin. You always will be. Any worthy person of the Lin Kuei is welcome, no matter what your heart is. And I see it. It does not matter who your heart desires." Frost smiles and puts a hand on her shoulder.
"If what you say is true. Then I am prepared for the worst to come." Aster sighs with great relief.
"If anything happens, contact me. Head to the Monk Academy. Plan with them. I will stay with Cyrax and Smoke. Take a squadron with you." Frost ordered. Aster bows her head before her master and smirks as she leaves her room to fetch her team to make way to the academy.
Frost looks on as Aster is leaving to head to their allies with a confident look on her face. "Good luck, chujin. For the Lin Kuei." She turns to Cyrax and Smoke.
"What do we do now?" Cyrax asked.
"We must find the Red Dragon. From what the Special Forces have told us, there is a camp that is being set up nearby a city. They plan to ambush it, kill all civilians and take it for themselves. If that happens, they will triple their reinforcements in hopes that they will take our temple. We cannot let that happen. We must move immediately before anything else." Frost orders them and they both nod to her.
The three major members begin to plan out their attack to counter the rising Red Dragon. They cannot completely beat them on their own, but they can delay them as much as possible. Frost thinks about her apprentice Aster. She knows that her friend will not fail the clan, and accepts her for who she is.
At the Shaolin Monk Academy, Kung Lao, Jin, Gen and even Fujin have all recovered from their fights against Mavado, Seamus Lee and the others. They updated each other on their sides of the stories. The Kung Lao family were indeed surprised that someone such as Mavado was able to hurt Fujin. The question for them was how did he learn such powerful magic? Could it be possibly stronger than the likes of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi?
"So this Mavado. He has learned to use magic. Dangerous magic like Shang Tsung and Quan Chi. That cannot be a good thing." Kung Lao expresses concern.
"Yeah. From what I remember, Cassie and Jacqui encountered him and he didn't have any form of magic before Cassie killed him in the Old Era. But how did he do it?" Kung Jin asked.
"He has told me that Skarlet shared information from the book that Sektor once sent to her. Apparently he was clever enough to copy every page from it and he had to learn from his master Daegon. He was so formidable, that even I had some trouble. But his magic does not seem to be as strong as Shang Tsung's, as he was always born to be a sorcerer. From a standpoint, he must have had years of training." Fujin guesses.
"But what does he plan on using it for? And what did he want with our Jinsei? It's Earthrealm's life source. Geras used it from the Sky Temple for Liu Kang's time keep. With that not an option, what else could it be used for?" Kung Jin asked.
"I think we can help with that." Aster said, gaining everyone's attention. She enters the gate that is just about outside the academy itself.
"Aster? Why are you here?" Kung Gen was surprised, yet happy to see her again.
"Forgive the unannounced arrival. Grandmaster Frost sent me on her behalf. She said she has some important plans with Cyrax and Smoke regarding the Red Dragon." Aster tells them.
"I see. So you are aware of the Red Dragon's alliance with Shao Kahn." Fujin said to Aster.
"Yes. But, I have rather unfortunate bad news that Grandmaster Frost has received from the Shirai Ryu, whom received news from both Outworld and the Special Forces." Aster said.
"Liu Kang already informed me." Fujin said, much to their confusion. "They have retrieved Outworld's Kamidogu. But Kotal has sustained deadly wounds in battle against Daegon himself. The Kung Lao family look at each other out of shock, all having the exact same expressions, especially with Jin being angry.
"What? Daegon?! He-" Jin is pissed off.
"I do not know if he will survive or not.." Fujin said with reluctance in his tone. "And the Special Forces failed to stop the Black Dragon and were forced to head to a new base. Kabal has fallen. Shao Kahn got his hands on the Kamidogu in Chaosrealm and forged an alliance with Havik."
This throws off everyone. They were not expecting to hear such horrible news from two realms. Jin, despite not being the biggest fan of Kabal, learned to respect him and was saddened to hear about his death. Now it was Kung Lao's turn to get angry about having lost two close allies within one day. He could probably guess how Alex, Cassie, Kitana, Liu Kang and Jade feel right now as well as their children.
"I…. I don't believe it. I cannot believe that this is happening. The Netherrealm will pay for what they have done to wrong us." Kung Gen swears. Unlike Jin and Lao, she is nowhere near as hotheaded as they are, but feels pity on Outworld and the other pact in Earthrealm for their losses.
"They will. But we must be patient. This time, we will be prepared to face the danger. We have a plan. Queen Sindel has informed us that King Jerrod is heading to Orderrealm to negotiate with Hotaru and convince him to temporarily join us and lend us their Kamidogu. Sindel herself is overseeing the protection of Edenia's." Fujin reports.
"For now, I think we should get ready ourselves for whatever danger will come. Just in case someone like Mileena or Daegon could attack again." Kung Lao advised.
"Yes. I will inform you of any more news to come." Fujin turns to Aster. "And we welcome your assistance, Chujin Aster. It will be kind to have someone like you helping out the Monks for helping my friends."
"Lord Fujin. I am honored to help." Aster smirks and bows out of respect.
'
The Monks were no more than horrified to hear about the tragic news that has struck Special Forces and Outworld hard. Jin and Lao are clearly pissed, knowing that it has deeply affected Kitana, Jade, Alex and Cassie and their families. As much as everyone wants to avenge Kabal and Kotal, they know better than to jump ahead like Jin and Lao previously did before.
As the two discuss plans with Fujin, Aster and Kung Gen are left alone to walk with each other and talk. They seem to be very comfortable around each other.
"You have been awfully silent since my arrival and from the news Lord Fujin shared." Aster wonders.
"It was so much to take in. I do not know them personally well, but it is an awful thing to hear about." Kung Gen replied. Though she only has Kung Lao and Kung Jin as her family, even she knows how painful it can be for anyone.
"I do not blame you. At least you have family. To me, it is a top priority in life as long as you remember what it is." Aster said.
Kung Gen listened with care in her eyes. She would do anything to help Kung Lao and Kung Jin by any means. She was horrified to learn of her great uncle's death at the hands of Shao Kahn in the Old Era, but thankfully his fate was changed due to Kronika messing with time and Liu Kang constructing the New Era.
"May I ask you something? Where is your family?" Kung Gen asked.
This brings Aster to a complete stop by one of the trees they were about to walk by. Aster looks at the blooming tree before them as she sighs. She then turns to Gen with a big, sad look on her face.
"I….. don't have a family." Aster answered, causing Gen to come closer with a confused look on her face.
"I don't understand. Y-you do not have to tell me anything if you choose not to." Gen tells her.
"My mother gave birth to me after she left my father after seeing that he was abusive towards her. She named me Aster and we found a good home to hide from my father. We were very happy together. But one day, I was playing outside by the back of our home. That was until he found us. She screamed for me to hide and run. I hid under my bed until I heard a gun noise. They fought to my room and it was fired. She fell to the floor, her eyes staring at me." Aster took a deep breath before continuing. "Father saw my hand and pulled me out and started hitting me. He kicked me to a wall and was going to shoot me. I screamed and closed my eyes and all of a sudden, my hands were cold when I was sticking them out to shield myself. When I opened my eyes, he was frozen solid and the bullet stopped inches away from my face. I ran past him and tried to wake up my mother, but she was gone. I cried for one hour. That was until Sub-Zero, named Kuai Liang saw the house partially covered in ice, found me and realized I am a cryomancer. He helped bury my mother and offered to teach me how to control my powers. That was when I became part of the Lin Kuei and idolized Frost." Aster explains and shivers.
Kung Gen's eyes widened out of shock and sadness. She had no idea anyone would suffer such a traumatic past such as her. But to her, it must be the most horrifying story that she has ever heard in her life. Aster sits down, resisting the urge to drop tears. Kung Gen felt guilty for bringing up the question in the first place.
"I'm so sorry. I should not have asked you that question. I feel horrible for doing so." Kung Gen gives her condolences and feels completely guilty.
"No. It was my decision. I chose to tell it. Grandmaster Frost taught me to never hide the pain. Do not hide secrets. Otherwise the pain could overwhelm you and mess with your honesty. I'm over it. I had a lot of help from Kuai Liang to move on. I did feel guilty for accidentally killing my father. Not anymore, he did unforgivable things." Aster said.
"That is good in my book. You are not wrong for feeling that way. But if he had lived, he probably would have done things far worse than what he did." Kung Gen said, placing a hand on hers.
"Yes. That is what they told me. But I am over it. They got the words to my head good so I would always remember." Aster looks at Gen.
"Well I am glad. Glad that Sub-Zero chose you. I think you'd make a pretty good master one day." Kung Gen winks at her, making Aster smile.
"And I think you'd make a good successor….. If you weren't such a heavy book worm, Kung Gen." Aster teases her.
"Your humor is astounding, Aster." Kung Gen sarcastically praises her.
Aster continues to look into Kung Gen's eyes. Her bright blue eyes and Kung Gen's brown eyes. They both look down and see their hands touching each other and blush. They pull away but smile out of slight embarrassment. They both stand back up and continue walking. Aster couldn't help but feel her heartbeat around Kung Gen. But she too shares the same feeling.
While Aster has left to help the Shaolin Monks, Grandmaster Frost makes plans with Smoke and Cyrax. They have heard word from their best spies that Reiko and Ferra/Torr are overseeing the stages of the camp and are setting up plans to invade a nearby city in Articka and use it as a base for the Red Dragon. Thankfully, they have a plan.
"My spies have reported back to me. The Red Dragon will show no remorse with taking lives as they go along. We need to sneak into that camp and destroy it so they can't double their reinforcements. The camp is northwest from here." Frost lays out the plan.
"Otherwise, they would have enough men to counter the Lin Kuei. We doubled our defenses after Mileena jumped us and tried to kill us. And knowing Reiko, he is infamous for his tactics before and during the tournaments." Cyrax said.
"If we cannot stop him, then there will hardly be any place in the world for the Lin Kuei. Even with help from the Shirai Ryu and our other allies, there will be a lot of blood spilled." Smoke reminds them.
"That is why we cannot afford to lose to him. We stop him, he will not dare try the same thing again. Even he isn't foolish enough to believe so." Frost replied. "Here is the plan. First off, we need to draw their attention. They have many guards around the oval-shaped area. Down the snow hill is the camp. Ferra/Torr and Reiko will be there supervising the plan. We get the guards' attention. I will leave that to you two. Once all the watchers are gone, Cyrax, you will return to the temple and guard it from anyone who tries to ambush us just in case."
"As you wish, Grandmaster." Cyrax nods to his friend in acknowledgement.
"Smoke. You and I will take on Ferra/Torr and Reiko. We burn their plans and kill them. Leave no survivors." Frost said. Smoke also nods to her. "Good. We move out immediately. For Earthrealm." Frost starts walking towards the direction of the camp as she told them while gathering the Lin Kuei members with Smoke and Cyrax following her. Knowing Reiko, they cannot afford to mess up the plan one bit, otherwise, the Red Dragon would be much stronger.
The Lin Kuei move rapidly, but stealthily. They have always been trained to move like this for generations. Thanks to their speed, it only took them at least more than several minutes, but not too long to reach the camp. They hide behind rocks covered in snow and see the oval-shaped camp just as Frost drawed out.
"Call it, Grandmaster. Give the order." Smoke waits for her.
"Now." Frost hand signals Smoke to go left and Cyrax to go right.
Smoke teleports with his powers and gets behind one guard, covers his mouth and breaks his right leg and snaps his neck and grabs another guard and thrusts two fingers through one's eyes and their body disintegrates from the inside. Cyrax thrusts his wrist blades through one's back and rips his spine out and stabs another through the back of the neck and back of the head. The rest of the Lin Kuei proceed to take down the rest of the guards alongside Smoke and Cyrax as Frost overlooks everything with an impressed look.
Smoke and Cyrax return to her side after they have taken out all the guards. "What is our next step?" Cyrax asked.
"You go back to the Lin Kuei Temple as we discussed. Any enemy that approaches, let no one pass. Do not hold back, Cyrax." Frost instructs him.
"Got it. Good luck, Grandmaster Sub-Zero." Cyrax said, putting a hand on her shoulder as he departs. Once he has left, Frost turns to Smoke and they both nod to each other.
"Attack!" Frost yelled out. The Lin Kuei run down the hill and they raise their weapons to attack. The Red Dragon members are caught off guard when the clan ambushes them. More guards are killed by Lin Kuei archers.
Frost jumps off the hill and shoots ice from her hands straight down, freezing two Red Dragon members in place. She does a breakdance kick, breaking both of their heads into pieces, killing them. Frost creates an ice sword and slides her hand on it and shoots icicles forward, stabbing many in the heart, gut or head, killing them as they drop blood. Two try to charge her from behind, but Frost easily summons an icicle from the palm of her hand and it was so sharp, she thrusted it through both of them and they drop dead. Frost uppercuts one with her swotd through the chest and blood comes flying out. Frost freezes the blood frozen solid and thrusts it and her ice sword through the member's chest and heart.
Smoke sees four approaching him and he fires smoke from his hands and it enters through their mouths and eyes. Their eyes turn greyish dark and the four stab each other through the hearts and they all fall over dead. He then throws a smoke spear at another and it gets her in the throat and kills her instantly. Smoke blocks a fighter's attacks and reverse side kicks him in the head, punches his throat and summons a trident made of smoke, uppercuts him in the air via the chest and he is sent flying and as he falls, he falls through the trident back first, killing him.
While the Lin Kuei have managed to kill most of them, some lives have been lost in the process. But all in all, the plan was working. Ferra/Torr bashes two Lin Kuei heads together and they burst into pieces and kill them. Torr picks one and does a back breaker move and stomps on one Lin Kuei member's head, killing him. He swings an arm, knocking another one down and throws his fists down, breaking his ribs, chest and collarbone. A third one tries to jump and stab Torr, but he grabs her and Ferra stabs her through the forehead, killing her. Ferra/Torr then begin to approach Smoke.
"Ninja. Torr loves to play with ninja. We play take apart then put back together!" Ferra said.
"The Lin Kuei are not ninja, you simple-minded idiot." Smoke claims.
"Then why dress like one?! Ferra/Torr have fun playing!" Ferra yelled as they fight.
Smoke throws smoke shurikens at Torr's shoulders. He easily shrugs them off, but Smoke turns invisible, confusing the both of them. Ferra gets a sudden pain in the back when she is kicked from behind by Smoke. It was so strong, Torr felt the pain. Smoke elbows Torr in the lower spine, and kicks him two times in the left rib cage. Torr turns around and tries to kick, but Smoke parries it away and elbows his neck, punches his face and uppercuts his chest. Torr stumbles, but Ferra jumps off Torr' head. Smoke shoots smoke at her, teleporting her. Smoke looks behind him and Ferra comes out of the smoke with a confused look on her face.
Smoke uppercuts Ferra, cracking her jaw. Before Smoke can jump, Torr grabs his ninja uniform from behind and punches his head and back followed by a kick to the upper spine. Torr grabs Ferra and sends her rolling like a bowling ball, and she scoops Smoke off of his feet and Torr grabs Smoke's leg and throws him down to the ground, cracking his chest and left rib cage. Smoke teleports again to a good distance. Ferra hops onto Torr's back, but Smoke summons a small cloud that blinds them and burns Ferra's eyes. Smoke falls backwards and disappears, only to reappear behind them and uppercuts Torr in the back, sends a strong uppercut to the uppercut, cracking it and sending them upwards. Smoke jumps up, kicks their backs and slams both fists down onto Torr's back, breaking it and sending him down defeated. Ferra flies off, but Smoke grabs her small body, slams her face into his knee, cracking the front part of her skull, and she goes down, defeating her as well.
"You will play a game called eating snow and dirt." Smoke roasts them as he goes to help more Lin Kuei members.
Frost approaches General Reiko. He turns around and is very upset. "Grandmaster Frost. If I recall, you are the current Sub-Zero. Kuai Liang was a fool to allow females like you in his clan." Reiko growls.
"You sound just as bad as Bi-Han. And you know nothing about Kuai Liang. He did the right thing. Shao Kahn should've killed you instead of banishing you. Perhaps I can comply." Frost replied back, glaring at him.
"I do not fear you, Lin Kuei. Mileena may have failed to kill you, but I will not underestimate you like she did." Reiko said as they fight.
Reiko slams his war hammer down on Frost, who summons an ice shield to block it. She uses this opportunity to punch him in the gut and double kick him in the jaw, making Reiko stumble backwards. Frost throws the ice shield at his head and it breaks and small pieces of ice go flying. Frost holds out her hand and the ice pieces reform into a bigger, sharper icicle. She throws it at Reiko's left shoulder, stabbing it and causing him to drop his hammer. Reiko removes the icicle and crushes it in his hand. Reiko throws shurikens, which Frost does the same thing. Reiko shoulder charges Frost and knocks her backwards. She rolls forward but is met with two kicks to the face and two roundhouse kicks to the side of the face, sending Frost down.
Frost gets back up and waves her arm back and forth. A round icicle forms around the back of her hand and shoots icicles from it. Reiko side steps out of the way, but was unable to move his feet when Frost slammed her other hand into the ground. Frost runs up to him and double backflip kicks him in the jaw, takes out two ice daggers and stabs his right rib cage, making Reiko bleed greatly and thrusts one through his already bad shoulder, causing even more pain. Frost then stabs him in his legs and forearms before double kicking Reiko in the head, cracking his skull and causing blood to flow out of his nose and mouth, defeating him and knocking him out.
"Your tactical mind is as high as your ego." Frost insults him. She goes up to Smoke.
"We checked all of the Red Dragon followers. All of them are dead, as you requested. Ferra and Torr have been defeated." Smoke reports.
"Good. Only one more thing to do." Frost sees the huge map involving the city Reiko planned on attacking and uses her powers and fires ice beams at the entire map as well as any other evidence Reiko needed. She then throws icicles everywhere, shattering exactly everything to pieces. There was nothing left.
As Frost smirks and nods to Smoke, they both hear a purple portal opening and Ferra/Torr and Reiko both being pulled in. As soon as they flew through the portal, it instantly closes on them.
"We must go after them quickly." Smoke suggests.
"No. We cannot go into the Netherrealm by ourselves. Don't forget they have two Kamidogu daggers from that place and Chaosrealm. Outworld recovered theirs and Kitana Kahn is guarding it. We must inform our allies of our status first." Frost corrects him. Smoke reluctantly sighs as they run back to their temple to update everyone.
Note: Not a whole lot to say about what happens here. But I hope you guys like the Lin Kuei and Shaolin Monk team up. But I love writing the Lin Kuei and Shira Ryu. So many things you can do with both groups. And honestly, Smoke deserves his own chapter in MK1. I do love his voice Yuri Lowenthal, though. He nailed the performance. Until next time.