"Drahmin, is that your name?" Francine breathing slowed to a snail's pace as she held the weight of the undead man's club and the ice that encased it. Francine stared into the pitch-black eye sockets carved into the other's mask. "Look, I'm not here to hurt you."

"Leave." Drahmin pushed his clubbed hand further down.

The one-word command pierced Francine's mind, daring her to move, but she couldn't bring herself.

"I'm not leaving," Francine's other hand picked up one of the ruby-red pearls. "This is for you."

The two stayed silent. A million thoughts raced through Francine's mind.

"You understand what I'm saying, right, zombie?" Francine pushed the pearl against Drahmin's abs. "This is a gift for you…"

"Leave. I will not warn you again." Drahmin gripped Francine's arm, his fingers digging into her "09" tattoo.

"I'll leave if you take at least one of the pearls."

"No."

Before Francine knew it, Drahmin broke free from the ice and punched her straight in the face, sending her to the ground. He pressed his foot against Francine's back and lifted her head.

"Why have you come in here?" Drahmin twisted Francine's hair and pulled, gaining a pained groan from Francine.

"I got no clue, honestly." Francine examined the chamber that housed the two monsters. The ceiling went on for what seemed like an infinity, and the place stunk of rotting half-eaten corpses. "Answer my question. Why does Shang Tsung have you here?"

"That is not of your concern. I shall speak to Shang Tsung about you intruding here."

Francine gazed upon Drahmin, almost seeing a sadistic smile underneath the emotionless mask. "Though you should be grateful my partner is not awake."

"Partner?" Francine scanned the chamber to see if the other monster was there. All she saw was a cell in the distance. She closed her eyes and opened them to find a humongous blue outline of the beast slumbering. "That thing?"

Drahmin snarled at Francine's comment and bent down to her ear.

"Moloch could easily crush you with one singular finger." Drahmin returned Francine's head to the ground and headed to the cell.

"Wait! Please don't tell Shang Tsung I was in here!" Francine stood up and threw the pearls to Drahmin. "I'll do anything, just don't tell him!"

Francine grew desperate; the thought of what Shang Tsung could do to her sent shivers down her spine. Drahmin stopped in his tracks and turned around.

"Then leave."

Francine watched as Drahmin entered the cell and disappeared into the darkness. She exhaled sharply and ran to the chamber's exit, pulling on the lever to close the jade doors. She slid down to the cold stone floor and curled into herself.

Why did I do that? Lord, save me.

Francine looked through the jade doors and saw Drahmin sleeping on Moloch. She exhaled again.

So, eight is when they sleep. Could that be why that guy was telling me to leave so he could sleep?

Francine leaped up and ran up the stairs, quickly shutting the door. Walking through the corridors, the events that had just happened replayed in her mind, cursing herself why she did such a foolish thing. Francine turned the knob of her bedroom door and headed for her closet, pulling out the red nightgown that Shang Tsung forced her to wear. Francine gazed up at the ceiling as she slipped underneath the bed covers.

"Nothing bad will happen to you," Francine repeated to herself.

"Are you sure about that? I, too, would be shitting bricks if I was you."

Francine turned her gaze to find Croach messing around with an empty wine bottle, both of whom were in the palace's basement chambers. Croach jammed her thumb and index finger into the neck of the bottle.

"I didn't think these things would be so complicated." Croach sighed as she pulled her fingers out, rubbing the sweat from her forehead.

"Why are we here?" Francine took the bottle away from Croach and peeked inside it. A pirate ship with a couple of miniature people stood on it.

"Well, I thought you liked this place.

"No, I don't. It smells terrible here anyways." Francine covered her nose.

"Really? Well, whatever you say." Croach took the bottle back and ran over to the cell.

"Hey! Wait, don't go in there!"

But Francine noticed something was off. Neither of the two monsters were in the cell. Anxiety coursed through Francine's veins. "Where are they?!"

"Who?"

"Moloch and Drahmin! Oh God, I fucked up…"

"Someone is losing their mind, but there's nothing to be worried about. I mean, this is a dream, right?"

"I–" Francine chewed on her inner cheeks. "I forgot for a moment."

Croach snapped her fingers, and the space around them returned to its usual checkered tile flooring with the giant ice crystal tree. Croach slid up the tree to her favorite branch, cupping her head.

"Why worry so much? If they hypothetically got out, what would you do? That huge blueberry-looking guy could crush you."

"I'm worried because I don't want to deal with more bullshit with Shang Tsung." Francine stopped on the floor and crossed her legs, holding her head. "I don't know anymore."

Croach sighed and twirled her thumbs.

"Shang Tsung's a stubborn bastard, but isn't it weird that he has those guys in the basement, let alone a specially made one…?" Croach hung from the tree branch, her face mere inches from Francine's. "Someone got a favor to do."

Francine's face scrunched into confusion before Croach smashed their faces together.

"Let's put our massive brains together. Why would Shang Tsung do all this for some random nobody?" Croach pucked her lips. "That Drahmin guy feels kinda familiar."

"You know him, how?"

"Long time ago–" Croach's eyes shot open, and a cheeky smile sprouted. "That guy, of course."

'What?"

"Shang Tsung used to do this kind of stuff all the time, and that Drahmin guy is probably just one of the many people he still owes."

Francine squinted her eyes, and the cogs slowly turned in her mind.

"Someone's thinking, thinking big and strong." Croach chuckled.

"Shang Tsung never fulfilled my favor."

"That is?"

"I forgot!"

And just like that, the morning sun burned into Francine's eyes as she awoke. She grumbled her usual comments about Croach's strange behavior before getting ready for her day. She left her room and entered the kitchen, sighing in relief that only Tanya sat at the island table. She turned to Francine.

"You do not appear well. Have you rested?" Tanya pushed Francine's coffee cup to her.

"The same dream again with that monkey." Francine sipped the coffee before heading to the closet to grab her apron and bandana.

"Have you discussed this dream with the other two?"

"No," Francine paused for a moment. "I told Shang Tsung once about it, and he looked like he shat himself and left the room after."

"That is quite abnormal."

"It's nothing. I'll start the chores. If you need me to whip slaves, just holler." Francine's shoulders slumped as she walked out of the kitchen.

Tanya tapped her fingers against her teacup.

"Quite abnormal indeed."

…

Francine pushed along the usual wheelbarrow with corpses of slaves, that same unholy smell, and doing the same monotonous routine. As she dumped the bodies in the middle of the chamber, she stared at the cell.

"Drahmin! Dinner!" Francine stood for a moment, waiting for the zombie-like creature to emerge. Harsh breathing ran down Francine's neck, and she jumped.

"Not aware of your surroundings." Drahmin huffed as he picked up a female corpse and twisted her arm clean off; he gnawed on the flesh like it was a chicken wing.

Francine covered her eyes at the sight. She'd grown used to it, but it was still wildly gross.

"So… are you a zombie?" Francine said.

"Oni." Drahmin hurled the bones at Francine's feet.

"Right… and the other monster is an oni, I'm assuming."

Drahmin nodded, dragging the corpse to the cell. Francine watched him.

"You're welcome!" Francine lifted the wheelbarrow and headed towards the exit. The same breathing on her neck came again. "Do you need something?" She felt cold glass against her back.

"Your pearls." Drahmin pushed a wine bottle filled with pearls against Francine.

Francine turned and took the bottle but noticed something on Drahmin's feet.

"What's that, if you don't mind me asking."

Drahmin picked up the other bottle that had a ship in it. Francine's eyes grew.

Croach's ship in a bottle?! How is it here?!

"Moloch did not create this. It is useless to him. Take it."

Francine snatched the bottle and stared into it.

"Thanks…" Before Francine knew it, Drahmin was already near his cell. "Hey, wait before you leave!"

Drahmin turned to Francine, holding his clubbed left hand.

"Do you wanna eat together sometime? Y'know for company!"

Silence, Drahmin walked to his cell.