Quan Chi emerged from one of his portals and found himself standing inside the throne room of Shang Tsung's Outworld Palace. After instructing Marinella and Vanesella to utilise some magic to heal his injured minions, Quan made haste in finding his Deadly Ally. One worker helping with the renovations for their fortress claimed he had left to his personal palace. Quan Chi was eager to show off Shinnok's Amulet to him. Curiosity distracted him momentarily as he snooped around Shang Tsung's room. He looked around the red walls decorated with golden patterns of Dragons protruding from the stone that the structure was made up of. Quan Chi quickly noticed some repetition in Shang's theming that had gone into the redesign of their capital fortress with his throne being of identical design to the one in Sabar City.
What caught the sorcerer's ruby eyes was a pair of terrariums, glass containments with a small habitat within each. Peering into one, Quan Chi saw a bearded dragon residing in one and a king cobra within another. Quan Chi was familiar with both species from his many travels across the realms and he was amused that Shang Tsung had pets, especially ones from Earthrealm. The sound of a bow being drawn alerted Quan Chi to the doorway, where he saw Hachiman aiming an arrow at his head.
"It's only me," Quan Chi announced. "I'm here to see your master."
"How'd you get in here?" Hachiman asked as he lowered his guard.
"I let myself in," Quan laughed as he brushed past the warrior and leant against the balcony that looked down to the hallway that made up the majority of the bottom floor. "Is he here?"
"Right there, sir," Hachiman pointed to Shang Tsung and ignored Quan's rudeness.
"That's Lord Quan Chi to you, dear!" Quan corrected him.
"Sorry," Hachiman apologised.
"Say it then."
"Sorry… Lord Quan Chi."
"Better," Quan Chi smirked before making a portal to the hallway. "Shang Tsung!"
The owner of the tremendous palace stood at the end of the great hall, barking orders at the Masked Guards. Filling up the empty spaces of the spacious hall were the soldiers from the Dragon King's Army that they had located in his tomb within Sarna Ruins. Masked Guards had been sent to and from the Lost Tomb via one of Shang Tsung's portals, returning carrying another soldier with them and placing them in rows beside the central path beyond the entranceway into the palace.
"Quan Chi!" Shang Tsung greeted him. "What news do you bring?"
Quan Chi didn't need to say a word, he simply showed Shinnok's Amulet to Shang who gasped in shock before applauding his efforts.
"Excellent work," Shang praised. "I have already begun relocating the army, as you can see."
"Then why don't we test the legitimacy of those inscriptions?" Quan Chi asked. "Transfer a soul to just one of them and we shall see if it obeys the Amulet."
"I like how you think," Shang Tsung said as he chose one of the countless souls from within him to expel into the nearest soldier.
The soul transferred through the ancient armour and fused with the soldier's corpse. Life slowly surged through the soldier, turning them undead as a pulse of green energy ran through the soldier's veins. He was unable to speak, his corpse so old and decayed that a full resurrection to their body was impossible. The soldier glanced around with a blank expression on his face, before his eyes fell upon the two sorcerers. The soldier was immediately ready to attack them, pointing their sword at the Deadly Alliance. Quan Chi sighed as Shang Tsung took the soul away from the soldier, returning him to his motionless state.
"Perhaps it needed more time to identify the Amulet?" Quan Chi considered the reason why the soldier failed to obey.
"Do you know of soul-transfer spells, Quan Chi?"
"I can't say that I do."
"I can bind commands as the soul is fused with the body," Shang Tsung revealed as he readied the soul in his hand once more. "It is no regular mind control ritual, I will need some dark magic to cause their compliance."
"Magic that the Amulet possesses," Quan Chi was catching on.
"Yes," Shang nodded. "Shall I try it?"
"Be my guest," Quan Chi said as Shang Tsung transferred the soul back to the soldier.
"Rise and obey he who possesses the Amulet!" Shang Tsung chanted as the soul began to reawaken the soldier.
The soldier came to life once more and glanced at the sorcerers for a moment, but this time he was more focused on the gem of Shinnok's Amulet as his vision was fixated on it. As if its strong magic had seized control of his undead body, the soldier instinctively saluted and straightened himself as he awaited orders.
"Incredible," Shang Tsung commented. "A simple spell to execute too, even on the masses!"
"Kneel," Quan Chi ordered the soldier who hastily complied in an instant. "How fascinating."
"Can they still fight?" Shang Tsung wondered, judging the soldiers by their age and decayed undead bodies. "What would we even call these… Zombies?"
"Our weapon," Quan Chi stated, "to conquer the realms."
"Let's see their ability first," Shang Tsung decided. "Guard!"
The nearest Masked Guard bowed before Shang Tsung, ready to serve.
"Soldier!"
The soldier, however, didn't even acknowledge the sorcerer and remained facing Quan Chi and the Amulet.
"They only obey you?!" Shang Tsung was audibly offended.
"Whoever holds the Amulet clearly," Quan Chi pointed out. "As the inscriptions suggested."
"This is our weapon," Shang repeated Quan's own words. "I'm uncomfortable with you having full command and me being left with none!"
"There is an easy solution to this," Quan Chi calmed his fellow sorcerer down. "Soldier, obey this man as you have done so for me!'
The soldier turned to Shang Tsung, saluting to them as well. Shang chuckled, amused by their new toy.
"Spar with this guard here," Shang Tsung ordered. "Treat it as though you are fighting in a war!"
The soldier stood up and approached the guard who pointed their spear at the soldier. With a swift swing of the broadsword his lifeless body had still managed to grip onto for thousands of years, the soldier knocked the spear aside before slamming the pommel of the sword into the Masked Guard's face, shattering their black and white mask as blood shot out from the cracks made by the fierce blow. The soldier was quick, responsive and retained his skills and battle knowledge from many years ago despite the body being occupied by a completely different soul. The Masked Guard blindly swung their spear at the soldier, who managed to wrap his heavily armoured arms around the weapon and drive it into the guard's chest. The soldier then kicked the Masked Guard in the shin, knocking them to his knees. Raising his sword, the soldier swiftly beheaded the Masked Guard before they could even try to defend themselves. The soldier sheathed his sword before bowing to the Deadly Alliance once again. The sorcerers applauded his performance, unconcerned with the severed head of the guard that had rolled to Shang's feet.
"That's a soul for one more of these," he concluded as he absorbed the Masked Guard's soul.
"How many soldiers are there?" Quan Chi wondered as he gazed at the ever growing rows of them as Masked Guards hurried to transfer more, too frightened to even look at the Deadly Alliance.
"Several hundred at least," Shang Tsung rounded. "I reckon we'll be heading into the thousands soon enough."
"You have a vast collective of souls," Quan complimented. "But are you willing to part with them for these minions?"
"Not all," Shang Tsung admitted. "I have… a plan for that."
"Is that so?"
"It'll require your aid," Shang told him. "We will combine our mastery of souls and portal magic to achieve it."
"Go on…" Quan Chi was very intrigued.
"Hey!" Hachiman yelled as he stormed down the stairs leading into the great hall. "What the Hell was that for?!"
"Excuse me?" Shang Tsung was taken aback by Hachiman's unusual rudeness.
"Sile!" Hachiman named the Masked Guard who had been killed by the undead soldier. "Why did you let that thing kill them!'
"I'm impressed you can identify this masked fodder," Quan Chi told him.
"Because I care!" Hachiman snapped. "I trained every guard here, Tsung, they are not expendable."
"That is a matter of perspective," Tsung dismissed him.
"What are these monsters?!" Hachiman motioned towards the army. "Are they our replacement?!"
"Watch your tone, Saburō," Shang Tsung warned the leader of the Masked Guards.
"And mind your manners," Quan Chi added.
"I've minded them long enough!" Hachiman yelled. "I can't just go off of blind faith with you anymore, Shang!"
"Then perhaps you are very expendable," Shang Tsung told him as he drew his straight sword.
"Lay off him!" Erron Black yelled as he entered from one of the training rooms within the palace, holding a revolver in his remaining hand.
"Not now, cowboy," Shang Tsung sighed. "Shouldn't you be with Garrett, operating the rehousing of the Dragon King's Army?"
"I took this life for me thrills rather than watching your goons shovel up horse shit," Erron Black complained. "I'm preparing for the next job that requires my actual talents."
"You're one of those goons," Shang Tsung snickered. "I do have an opportunity for you, my friend."
"And what's that?"
"We've welcomed some allies from Chaosrealm to our fortress," Shang explained.
"Chaosrealmers?!" Erron couldn't believe it. "I'm not babysitting maniacs from you."
"Whilst I am concerned that ther'll ruin our redecorating," Shang admitted, "I have bigger concerns."
"Like?"
"I've hired them to help ensure the deaths of our enemies," Tsung elaborated. "They're two allied tribes, one will create chaos in Outworld to lure in said enemies… the other will do the killing."
"It really does sound like you're replacing us," Erron admitted. "I'm your bounty hunter, remember?"
"And these threats are above your talents," Shang Tsung said honestly. "You work best in a group."
"I'm not grouping up with Chaosrealmers!"
"The least I am asking of you is to echo this plan I've told you and share your insight on this list of targets," Shang summoned a scroll out of thin air and handed it to the gunslinger. "Me and Quan have been so busy we've been unable to assign them their tasks."
"Ugh," Erron sighed. "Fine!"
"Here's a portal to get there!" Quan Chi summoned a portal to the outside of the fortress. "Have fun!"
"Shut up," Erron said as he stepped through the portal with it closing behind him.
"He seems nice," Quan Chi chuckled.
"Erron saved you there," Shang told Hachiman. "I'm calmer now, so I will give you an opportunity to apologise and do your job."
"I apologise, My Lord…" Hachiman said reluctantly. "What is thy bidding?"
"Go check the progress in the Lost Tomb," Shang Tsung ordered. "Quan Chi, I apologise."
"We need to go somewhere more… private," Quan suggested.
"You're right," Shang agreed. "To my chambers."
"Sounds like a plan," Quan smirked as they headed up the stairs.
"If it wasn't clear!" Shang yelled to his allies. "Do not interrupt us!"
Hachiman waited for the Deadly Alliance to head into Shang Tsung's room. When they were out of sight, Hachiman walked past the portal that led to the Lost Tomb and headed to an outside arena known as the Acid Bath. Otaku Hime, the last samurai, was practising her martial arts on the platform surrounded by an acid pool.
"I heard shouting," she commented. "Everything alright?"
"I'm fed up," Hachiman complained. "Shang Tsung promised me an everlasting life of glory as an honourable fighter… it doesn't feel honourable anymore."
"Spar with me," Hime suggested. "It'll take your mind off things."
"I cannot so easily forget what I just saw," Hachiman sighed as he raised his fists. "Let's do it anyway."
"Not much of a spirit today?" Hime was surprised as the two began trading blows, practising blocking each strike.
"Quan Chi is pure evil," Hachiman commented. "I can't stand having to work alongside someone like him."
"We're basically working for him now," Hime sighed. "What actually happened?"
"They tested one of those ancient soldiers," Hachiman paused. "The soldier… killed one of my guards."
"I'm sorry," Hime apologised. "I'm sure it was an accident though!"
"Seriously?!" Hachiman scoffed. "Straight to defending him?!"
"Loss happens…" Hime sighed. "That guard made a difference by helping demonstrate the ability of those new soldiers!"
"When does it end?!" Hachiman questioned. "If these soldiers are so great, then why are we here?"
"I know the loss of losing your fellow warriors," Hime sat on her knees in the centre of the Acid Bath.
"And I'm afraid of losing my fellow guardsmen," Hachiman said as he sat opposite her. "Those soldiers aren't worth the risk of replacing us."
"I… I like them," Hime admitted. "They remind me of the samurais and onna-musha that surrounded me in my youth."
"They're practically Zombies," Hachiman told her. "And they certainly aren't from Japan."
"Well it's the closest thing I have left," Hime believed.
"Perhaps we need to move on from the past," Hachiman stated. "Myself included."
"What makes you say that?"
"That's what all this is!" Hachiman pointed out. "You, me, Cap, Erron, Garrett… Kasem, if that weirdo's even human. We're remnants from a time period that left us long ago."
"And thanks to Shang we have a chance to live on!" Hime argued. "I thought you were most grateful of all for that!"
"I was…" Hachiman admitted. "But I'm the youngest of you lot and I'm already getting fed up with this mundane servitude."
"Garrett's stuck with him for nearly a thousand years," Hime pointed out. "It's been just over a hundred for you."
"And that's my point!" Hachiman shouted. "I cannot imagine doing this for another thousand years."
"I'm sticking with him until the end," Hime said confidently. "I thought you'd be beside me too."
"I might, I'm just not sure anymore," Hachiman told her. "Especially with all the recent change."
"Shang rules Outworld now," Hime pointed out. "Glory awaits us, my friend."
"Or death."
"If you say things like that then it will!" Hime stated. "I don't think we ever discussed how exactly we met Shang."
"It's been so long," Hachiman said, "I don't know how much it means what he did for me."
"Well what he did for me means everything!"
Born into a family of shimin samurai, an elite status of their kind, Hime was destined to become an onna-musha herself. She spent her years training restlessly and using her practice to good use in defending territories all over feudal Japan from rivals to lords known as daimyo.
In 1868 the Meiji Restoration began, a political event which restored practical imperial rule to Japan, marking the end of the age of the samurai. In retaliation, Hime became one of many rebels against the new system, eventually joining the Black Dragon Society in 1901. This was a paramilitary of ultranationalism members, something that appealed to many including disgruntled samurai, and what few that remained, like Hime. Initially trying peaceful methods, it didn't take long for the Black Dragon Society to resort to crime to achieve their goals.
During the 1920s, a Japanese martial artist who was the founder of Aikido became an ally to the group named Morihei Ueshiba, seeking new members to grow the ranks of their group. The members he had assembled consisted of deserters of another secret crime syndicate called the Red Dragon, which did not take kindly to this upon discovering that the Black Dragon Society housed their enemies. Around this time, the group was becoming mainstream which led to unwanted attention…
The Red Dragon began hunting down powerful members of the group, having no desire to massacre every member due to many being a part of the group for reasons unrelated to them, but still enough violence to ensure that the group was disbanded once they had dealt with it. On one cold night in the Autumn of 1930, the Red Dragon had come to pay their main headquarters a visit.
"They're here!" Morihei Ueshiba yelled in Japanese. "The Red Dragons!"
"I knew letting their deserters in was a bad idea!" Hime complained as she stood up from her seat in their bunker living area that was crowded with other samurai that made up the last of their kind.
"Uchida is already leading his followers into confrontation," Ueshiba explained. "You'll all fight too?"
"If necessary," Hime confirmed. "Samurai do not back down."
"With all due respect, madam, you're all well past your prime," Ueshiba reminded Hime of her old age.
"We must try," Hime said as the other samurai were already marching outside in a single file line, climbing up the escape ladder one at a time.
"I'm serious," Ueshiba stated as Hime grabbed her kwan dao and sasumata
polearm. "When was the last time you were in action?"
"I've been helping teach your Aikido," Hime reminded him.
"This will be quite different," Ueshiba sighed as Hime began climbing up the ladder, determined to aid the society's cause.
"Is this everyone?" A Red Dragon member asked at the front of what came across as a civilised army, not a band of crooks.
"I believe so," Ryōhei Uchida answered, he was the founder of the Black Dragon Society.
"Yes or no?"
"Yes…" Uchida confirmed.
"My name is Adile Kaya," the Red Dragon woman announced. "To make things very clear to you from the start: we surpass your little group in every way. More money, more men, more plans. Am I clear?"
"What do you want?" Uchida asked.
"You thought you'd get away with offering refuge to the traitors of our clan?" Adile laughed in the leader's face. "We know you have our deserters and now I expect you to hand them over."
"Or else?" Uchida continued to question the woman who sighed.
"Excuse me?"
"Or else what?"
"Or else we kill you all," Adile put it bluntly. "Not a soul here is afraid of taking a life… on my side at least."
"We cannot just surrender our people!" Ueshiba yelled at Uchida.
"Our people?" Uchida scoffed. "It was you who brought these criminals to our group in the first place!"
"We're all criminals here, Mr. Ryōhei," Adile stated. "Don't act like you're any better."
"Then why don't you want all of us?"
"I care not for your politics," Adile clarified. "It was intriguing to research and I'll commend you for some things… your closed mindedness is not one of those."
"I-" Uchida went to argue but Adile placed a finger on his lips.
"Not interested," Adile told him. "The only thing my clan is concerned about is exterminating our deserters."
"It's not right," Ueshiba stated. "Clearly you'll just kill them!"
"It's either just them or all or you," Adile once again made the options clear. "They'll only betray your group too, Mr. Ryōhei, they're nothing more than faithless leeches."
"The refugees aren't going anywhere!" Hime stood forth.
"Some fascinating relics here," Adile insulted the samurai. "Expired and outdated."
"Do not underestimate us," Hime warned.
"I know exactly what I'm evaluating," Adile told her. "You know little of the Red Dragon."
"I'd prefer to keep it that way," Hime said as she clutched her weapons tightly. "Walk along."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," Adile said as she reached into the inner pocket of her long coat. "I'm not giving up on a mission!"
Adile pulled a pistol from her pocket and immediately capped a nearby samurai. Enraged, Hime charged at the Red Dragon. After rolling aside, Adile was handed a whip that she wrapped around Hime's leg. Several Black Dragon Society members retreated inside, searching for cover as the Red Dragon unleashed a storm of gunfire using various pistols and rifles. Some stood their ground, however, mainly the samurai. Praying that their armour would be suitable protection from bullets, the samurai charged forth with their melee weapons and began cutting through the crowd of Red Dragon soldiers.
"Fall back!" Adile immediately ordered without hesitation as she used the whip to drag Hime towards her. "Spread out and use your range, gunners! Keep them occupied, the rest of you!"
Many Red Dragon members were carrying batons with each being modified to create electric shocks whenever their enemies were struck with a press of a button. Such a design was invented by Adile herself, she was determined on pushing the boundaries on technology for the advantage of the Red Dragon. Adile began digging through another pocket, allowing Hime to squeeze her leg and with a twist she brought her to the ground. Getting on top of Adile, she went to stab the woman in the back of the head. Intervening, a baton wielding Red Dragon grunt blocked her kwan dao with the baton. Using her polearm, Hime sliced the grunt in the back of their heel before booting them to the ground.
Adile quickly got up and from her pocket she drew a grenade of sorts as well as a flashbang. The stun grenade caught Hime in the eyes and blinded her momentarily, allowing Adile to tackle her. Using her more peculiar grenade she stuck it onto Hime's armour using a magnet before being kicked off. Pressing a detonator button, the grenade exploded. It had two parts, one was a simple oxygen tank whilst the other was a water tank. The salty water splashed over Hime's armour and mixed with the oxygen to form iron oxide: rust. The explosion also melted the magnet, leaving incredibly warm iron smothering the armour. The mixture of elements within the grenade worked together to create a device that instantly produced visible rust. Hime didn't understand its purpose, but Adile certainly did.
"Fire!" Adile yelled as she pointed at Hime.
The nearby gunners focused on their given target and began firing rifle shots at Hime. The rust weakened her iron armour, causing the bullets to chip away and break through the armour with great ease. Hime collapsed to her knees from all the gunshots and as she looked around she spotted even more Red Dragon members utilising Adile's rusting grenade. As they were gunned down, a sudden wall of fire lit up the forest. It shielded the samurai from the gunfire and left all in shock at the sudden flames that rose to a supernatural height.
A group of warriors draped in dark cloaks wearing peculiar masks led by a elderly figure rushed into the battlefield. The old man appeared to be the one controlling the flames! The masked warriors began escorting members of the Black Dragon Society away, but ignored specifically the samurai. Some fighters, like Morihei Ueshiba and his students, tried resisting as they didn't wish to abandon the samurai, but the masked people forced them down a ditch within the forest with many following them to guide them to safety. The others began flanking the sides of the fire wall, engaging in conflict with the Red Dragon members.
Adile flew over the fire wall with a device on her back that she gathered from one of her soldiers and she glanced down at the samurai and masked attackers, looking through the scope of a sniper rifle. The old man summoned a fire serpent that drove the woman into a tree which she fell down, smashing into every branch on her fall. She went to stand up but Hime rushed over and booted her back into the tree. A pair of Red Dragons came at her from either side but she spun around with surprising agility, beheading the pair with the kwan dao. More members rushed in but Hime used the range of her weapon to poke her blade into the chests of each enemy that approached her, before Adile grabbed her from behind.
"Come now!" Adile yelled as she pulled her into a knife that stabbed into Hime's back through a crack in her armour. "It's the last stand of the samurai!"
Despite the stabbing pain that rushed through her body, Hime clutched onto her weapons. Using her sasumata, Hime stabbed Adile in her back, puncturing her jetpack. The damage left from this caused the jetpack to lose control and activate itself without Adile having any control over it. Unfastening her belt, Adile used her swift skills to fasten it around Hime's neck as the jetpack began pulling her in the air. Hime's neck nearly snapped from the sudden ascent as she was dragged along Adile, being hanged by the belt. She used her kwan dao to cut through the leather belt out of desperation, with no consideration of the fall. Adile managed to control her flight and began heading downwards. She soon removed the jetpack and left it to fly itself into a tree, causing its explosion. Adile was then caught by a group of her allies. Hime herself was caught by a strange green energy that slowed her fall and carried her to the ground, before the old man leading the masked warriors.
"How the Hell did you do that?!" Hime was shocked as the old man observed her.
The two staring at each other gave Adile a clear shot with her sniper. The old man tried pulling her out the way, preventing a clean headshot, but the bullet still went through her shoulder as the old man spun her around. Hime quickly lost consciousness, the last thing she saw being a glowing orange light similar to fire…
"Let me guess," Hachiman interrupted the story as he stood up. "The old man's Shang Tsung, right?"
"Yes," Hime nodded. "He brought me to his home here in Outworld… and explained a whole lot about the realms."
"What about the others?" Hachiman asked.
"He couldn't save the rest," Hime sighed. "The Red Dragon were a very dangerous faction."
"But he saved just you?" Hachiman found the whole incident peculiar.
"He saw my strength and skills in fighting the Red Dragon," Hime explained. "He wanted to see me in my prime."
"Well that's just strange."
"You don't understand," Hime clarified, "he used sorcery to de-age me."
"I thought he could only slow ageing," Hachiman said, "but he made you younger?"
"He fed me a few souls," Hime recalled. "It's how he makes himself younger."
"Fed you souls?!" Hachiman was taken aback. "I see why he doesn't do that often then…"
"They're presumably still a part of me now."
"Again… that's weird."
"Weird or not I was more than happy to get my early twenties body back," Hime stated. "That's also why I'm older than you yet joined later."
"Hundred years and you didn't specify any of this?"
"I wanted… still want to move forward," Hime explained. "Bringing up specifics of my past has only become relevant now."
"Fair enough," Hachiman accepted such an explanation. "Clearly it still clings to your mind."
"What?"
"You feel you owe Shang your life from that day and you want the samurai back," Hachiman pointed out. "I mean no disrespect, but clearly it still dwells on your mind."
"Anything I should know about you?" Hime asked.
"Nothing new," Hachiman stated. "It's like I always told you."
"Top athlete in Japan for a time, right?"
"I had already mastered archery, fencing and other combat sports at such a young age," Hachiman said despite not wanting to brag. "I must've garnered enough fame to get Shang's attention."
"And he offered the same opportunity he gave me," Hime concluded as Hachiman nodded.
"The rest of you might feel like you owe him something… but I don't," Hachiman believed. "He saw my talents, saw I was qualified to serve him, and gave me a job. That's all."
"But you care for it more than just work!"
"Of course I do," Hachiman agreed. "I care for the other people dying for his mad cause! People like my Masked Guards! People like… you."
"I'll be fine," Hime tried assuring him as he looked past Hachiman's shoulder and saw a figure walking onto the Acid Bath platform. "Kasem?"
"I dislike his attitude," Kasem whispered as she pointed her glimmering dagger at Hachiman. "You've been sounding very treacherous today, Hachiman."
"I won't be another pushover," he argued. "I will always speak for what I believe in."
"And I believe this is just the beginning of your treason," Kasem said as she suddenly grabbed Hachiman.
"Get off him!" Hime quickly pushed Kasem back as she kicked Hachiman down, knocking him aside. "Stay away from him!"
"I could request the same of you," Kasem said as she waved her knife around. "Do not listen to the words of this disillusioned man."
"He's just thinking or resigning!" Hime claimed. "That is not betrayal."
"Depends," Kasem said as she slowly approached Hachiman and offered him a hand. "You will need permission from the Emperor."
Hachiman accepted Kasem's hand and as she pulled him up she also pushed him back. Keeping hold of Hachiman's hand, he let him gaze into the acid pool surrounding the platform they stood on as he dangled over it.
"You're in a precarious situation," Kasem warned as Hime rushed over. "Please reconsider your attitude, Hachiman, you're better than this."
"Like this will help!" Hime yelled as she pulled Hachiman away from Kasem. "What even is your deal, Kasem?"
"Yeah," Hachiman said as he let out a sigh of relief. "We've been talking about our pasts and yet we know nothing of yours."
"Keep it that way," Kasem murmured as she walked away with a feeling that she had left a clear message.
"There's something wrong with her," Hime muttered.
"A lot more than one thing," Hachiman added. "I'm going to keep thinking about… everything… but I will get back to work."
"I don't want you quitting, but you certainly have a point," Hime admitted. "I'm here for you."
"Thanks," Hachiman said as he left for the portal to the Lost Tomb.
The portal immediately took him to an elevated platform within the pyramid that made up the Lost Tomb of the Dragon King's Army. Masked Guards were still hard at work doing manual labour in transporting the dead soldiers from here to the interior of Shang Tsung's Palace. The sight made Hachiman sigh as he looked around, before finding Garrett Bennett. The veteran knight waved to the leader of the Masked Guards as he approached him.
"You alright, mate?" Garrett asked as he was lighting a cigarette with his recently gifted cursed flames, exposing his long greying hair and beard as his helmet rested between his feet.
"Just tired," Hachiman summarised how he felt as he wanted to focus on his work. "And I'm just checking in."
"I don't know why Lord Tsung wanted someone to watch over them," Garrett admitted between smokes. "Your lads and lasses have been most productive."
"Glad to hear it," Hachiman replied. "I train them to be dutiful."
"Well it's paying off," Garrett praised. "All the soldiers should be moved by sunset."
"Perfect," Hachiman approved. "One more thing actually…"
"Go on."
"How have you stuck with Tsung for so long?" Hachiman asked. "You're the oldest of us."
"I'm not, if Kasem counts," Garrett replied.
"I don't think she's truly human," Hachiman admitted.
"Probably not," Garrett agreed. "Anyway, I just like it. The job's a simple one and I just wanted a simple, long and fulfilling life. Helping him become a ruler has certainly ticked the third one."
"It doesn't tire you?"
"Why would it?" Garrett asked. "Whilst simple, there's plenty of adventure and action in our line of work, lad."
"I suppose you're right," Hachiman said as he began walking away. "I'll leave you to it then."
"See you in a bit," Garrett replied as Hachiman waved goodbye.
Returning to Shang Tsung's Palace, Hachiman's first sight was the severed head of the fallen Masked Guard from earlier. Nobody had bothered to clear the corpse yet… and he wasn't the only one staring at it. Inka Otoko, the newest unofficial recruit of Shang Tsung, had found the corpse. Hachiman sighed, not caring for more drama, and simply returned to one of the houses beside the Acid Bath to rest.
"Shang Tsung!" Inka yelled as he charged upstairs and barged into Shang Tsung's throne room where he was continuing to discuss planning with his deadly ally in private.
"What's the matter?" Tsung asked as he turned to the young Earthrealmer as he stood ahead of the doorway.
"There's a guard in the hall!" Inka yelled. "He's dead!"
"I forgot about him," Tsung sighed.
"What happened?!" Inka asked as he clenched his fists. "Did you kill him?!"
"As easy as it would be to come up with another excuse for your gullible mind, I'm done wasting my time deceiving you," Shang Tsung spoke bluntly as Quan Chi giggled in the background. "Let's clear things up."
"You were lying to me?!"
"About certain things," Tsung confirmed. "The information I have shared of the realms is true, however."
"It aligned with what the monks have taught me," Inka was unsurprised. "I should've also believed the tales of your misdeeds."
"Misdeeds is a gross understatement, dear boy," Tsung said as he approached the young warrior. "The main topic I've been lying to you about is myself."
"What do you want?!" Inka asked. "And where's my dad?!"
"I'll get to him," Tsung promised as Inka paced around the room out of stress and frustration. Quan Chi's crimson eyes stared at the Earthrealmer the whole time, not blinking at all.
"I want the realms at my feet. Just recently, me and Quan Chi here have seized control of Outworld. The day we met was one of mere many days where I'd stalk your academy. On that day I had come to assess some explosives I had placed. Don't worry, they failed to kill anyone when they went off the other day. We killed a certain someone though: Liu Kang. The explosives destroyed the Wu Shi Academy alongside him. Then we took advantage of an ongoing civil war here in Outworld to take the throne for ourselves. The war ended and we persevered as the unexpected victors. I'm not the ally to Earth that you mistook me for, I am its enemy and greatest threat! Now this leaves me as a ruler and you as one of my plentiful slaves. You are expendable, do not believe you have even a slither of leverage over me. Especially when… I have your father. Apep is trapped within my Dark Prison. It is nearby, however, I will never disclose its true whereabouts to you. Just know that he is alive and mostly unharmed… for now. Well then, aren't you going to say something?! I was hoping for a greater reaction than just seeing your ugly face be saddened!"
"I…" Inka couldn't find the words but his face reflected a mixture of sadness, rage, shock and confusion. "Why?!"
"Because I can," Tsung grinned wickedly.
"Let me be more specific," Inka requested. "What do you want from me and my family?!"
"You weren't a specific choice. Your father will forever be known as just the second best student of Bo' Rai Cho from his time, and you have done nothing to earn a reputation at all! But an opportunity arose to cut you two away from my Shaolin rivals. I gladly took it. As a reward, I now have you. My latest servant."
"I won't help you any longer!" Inka yelled only for the sorcerer to wag his finger at him.
"Don't forget about him," Shang Tsung summoned a portal and pulled Apep's chained up body out of the Dark Prison. "What I just said about your father is one of the rare occasions where I didn't lie!"
"Dad!" Inka cried out.
"Son…" Apep said weakly as he smiled just at the sight of Inka.
"This is not a reunion!" Tsung yelled as he kicked Apep back through the portal.
"I'll save you, dad!" Inka quickly promised before the portal closed.
"Now look who's lying," Tsung remarked. "The only way to retain your father's life is to kneel before us and serve."
"Will you release him?" Inka questioned.
"Well that depends how good of a minion you are," Tsung told him. "Many other Earthrealmers have benefited greatly from my leadership… I've given them long and fulfilling lives."
"I don't believe that," Inka said. "But… I'll kneel."
"The boy has some common sense after all!" Quan Chi quipped.
"I'm a big fan of fancy titles," Tsung told Inka as he knelt before him. "If you impress me then you can join my other Earthrealmer allies… in the Everlasting Seven."
"The what?" Inka looked up at the sorcerers with confusion.
"A group of those I have granted prolonged life to in exchange for their endless loyalty," Tsung elaborated. "An eighth would add some alliteration to the group's name!"
"That's what you care about?!" Inka asked.
"Yes," Tsung said bluntly as he pulled Inka to his feet. "I hope you value the safety of your father a whole lot more…"
As the Deadly Alliance returned to their confidential meeting, Erron Black approached their fortress in the capital city of Outworld. A pair of guards, wearing Kahn Guard armour but their skull mask helmets having been forcefully discarded, stood beside the doorway. Whilst looking as tired as Erron himself was, the guards opened the doors for the gunslinger. Erron tipped his hat to them as he walked past, entering the newly decorated stronghold. Passing through the courtyard garden, Erron headed up one of the many staircases with this one leading to the guest floor which had several rooms for the fortresses former residents. Erron took a long sigh at what he saw.
Chaosrealmers were scattered throughout the spacious lounge that made up the hallway connecting the guest rooms. Erron immediately knew that the torn wallpaper, flipped over chairs with broken legs, toppled over bookshelf, torn up pages of books that littered the mud stained carpet, upside down couches, and the small fire being started in the corner were not part of the Deadly Alliance's interior design. Erron pushed through the crowd of rabid Chaosrealmers, whistling to distract himself from their awfully loud screaming voices as they spoke backwards. One of the Chaosrealmers he pushed past then snatched Erron's hat and began juggling it between their friends.
"That's it!" Erron shouted as he drew a six shooter, spinning around as he immediately shot a bullet through the thief's kneecap. "Have I got the attention of y'all?!"
Erron put his hat back and then looked around to realise all the Chaosrealmers were staring at him. He looked down at the Chaosrealmers he had shot who was chuckling to him, making Erron take a step back.
"Who are you?" Ruen, leader of the Yinasi Tribe, asked whilst approaching Erron Black.
"Are you the chief of these maniacs?" Erron asked.
"One of them," Myscheff spoke up as he joined the two. "She is Chieftess Ruen of the Yinasi, I am Chief Myscheff of the Yangese."
"I'd prefer to be without titles," Ruen commented.
"Your contacter sent me to assign you your jobs," Erron explained as he began opening a piece of crumpled paper that had been buried within the breast pocket of his denim shirt.
"Jobs?" Myscheff's emerald eyes widened.
"We are not your slaves!" Ruen screamed as she placed a knife against Erron's throat.
"Woah!" Erron dropped the paper and raised his hands. "I was told you agreed to help the sorcerers!"
"They asked us to cause chaos!" Ruen shouted. "That's kind of our whole thing!"
"I'm aware!" Erron clarified. "They just have particular… requests!"
"For what?!" Ruen interrogated as she put the dagger closer to Erron's throat.
"Your chaos!" Erron yelled back at Ruen. "Now would you kindly put that thing away, crazy lady, or I'll put you down!"
Ruen laughed maniacally at the request, throwing the knife over her own shoulder as she fell to the floor, rolling around in laughter. The dagger landed in the eye of one of her warriors, not that they minded.
"We got a deal?" Erron asked.
"You offered an option," Myscheff pointed out as he scratched his multicoloured beard.
"So?"
"So I respect it," Ruen said as she leapt up to her feet. "Don't order me around and we'll get along just fine, handsome."
"I'm too old for this shit, ma'am," Erron replied as he retrieved his paper. "Can I please get down to business?"
"I don't know," Ruen shrugged. "Can you?!"
"The next bullets going through my head," Erron muttered.
"You're typically expected to say-" Myscheff went to explain but Erron cut him off.
"I know that!" Erron snapped. "Y'all are really precise with wording, huh?"
"We're sorry," Ruen apologised. "We would never actually try restricting your vocabulary."
"Whatever," Erron moved past it.
"I can apologise for myself," Myscheff commented.
"Anyway!" Erron quickly raised his voice before Ruen could make a rebuttal. "According to my notes, each of your tribe has been assigned a slightly different role."
"How exciting!" Ruen exclaimed.
"The Yinasi has been tasked with causing general chaos throughout Outworld," Erron revealed. "I'm sure you take a liking to that, Ruen."
"Quite!" Ruen clapped excitedly. "Nothings off limits then?"
"Just don't interfere in the Deadly Alliance's other plans," Erron requested, to which Ruen nodded in agreement. "As for the Yangese, the Deadly Alliance want your tribe to kill a large group of outlaws."
"Not just anyone?" Myscheff sighed. "Who needs killing?"
"I have a list here," Erron handed him a separate piece of paper. "I also had some boys start hanging up wanted posters of these fugitives around cities and towns."
"Please tell me that's an unordered list!" Ruen shrieked as she cowered behind one of her warriors.
"I mean… I think so?" Erron replied with uncertainty. "I didn't think of an order when listing all the names."
"This will suffice," Myscheff concluded. "Any descriptions on the identities of them?"
"The artist for the wanted posters did some pretty darn accurate sketches," Erron believed. "I'll try and see if there's any copies in the fortress."
"I have some."
The voice came from the doorway that Erron was approaching. When he turned to see the source of the voice, he had to look up at the woman, although there wasn't much to see. Most of her face was obscured by a metallic mask made of Outworld Steel, and her body was shrouded in a dirty black cloak with suitable sleek custom made armour hidden beneath it but the metal glistening through the few rips and tears on her coat. Erron thought she had to have been at least seven foot tall, possibly nearing eight feet. A large chest hid behind her worn out boots, equipped for her many adventures. She extended her arms… all six of them. Her hands revealed her skin to be a shade of red and the quantity of her muscular arms confirmed she was Naknadan, bigger than most, especially of her own species. In her hands was a random assortment of wanted posters just recently hung up. Some of the Chaosrealmers, of the Yangese Tribe especially, began whispering gossip amongst themselves regarding the prescence of the intimidating Naknadan.
"They would've gone up less than an hour ago!" Erron stated. "How'd ya get them so swiftly? Hell, who let you in?!"
"Myself," she replied. "I came to ask around for any additional information on my targets."
"Your targets?" Myscheff scoffed. "My tribe shall be dealing with them."
"Y'all can share," Erron said in an attempt to keep the peace. "Who are you?"
"I'm the Bounty Hunter," she introduced herself.
Dropping a set of posters, her storage chest moved between her legs and opened up to swallow the dropped posters as Bounty Hunter offered a firm handshake. Erron was too focused on the chest, which grew teeth and a long snake-like tongue that wrapped around the paper before dragging it inside its body.
"Eyes up here!" Bounty Hunter's voice boomed.
"Sorry!" Erron apologised with a hint of fear in his tone of voice as he accepted the handshake.
"You a bounty hunter too, mister?"
"I've dabbled in it," Erron confirmed. "I'm mainly a gunslinger."
"I know my way around a firearm," Bounty Hunter revealed as the chest spat a pump action shotgun into her hand. "Don't mind Mimic."
"Alright…" Erron replied.
"What information do you have about them?" Bounty Hunter pointed the shotgun to the wanted posters.
"I can tell you about each individual," Erron assured her. "However, I haven't a clue on their potential whereabouts."
"I have time," Bounty Hunter's large body blocked the exit. "Let's have a chat."
"I suppose this concerns me too," Myscheff noted. "Fellow Yangese, scatter throughout this realm and leave no stone unturned… only when you desire to though!"
"And this doesn't concern me thankfully," Ruen let out a sigh of relief as she had no desire to talk for much longer. "Follow me, the rest of you, if you want to cause chaos!"
The tribes cheered as Bounty Hunter stepped aside to allow the Chaosrealmers to rush outside to carry out their work. Bounty Hunter flipped over one of the couches with ease to sit on, putting her feet up against the coffee table in front of it whilst Erron stomped out the fire the Chaosrealmers had started.
"Who are these people exactly?" Bounty Hunter inquired.
"The most notable members of Mileena's Union," Erron revealed. "I'm surprised you don't recognise them."
"I've been busy travelling," Bounty Hunter explained. "Chaosrealm is more of a home than the remnants of Naknada at this point."
"The Order Assassin…" Myscheff stared at Bounty Hunter as if he had made a realisation. "I thought my people were spouting nonsense rumours when you appeared, but that was you!"
"I've killed many of the Seidan Guard," Bounty Hunter confirmed. "It may be."
"Someone of your physique helped our tribe just a few days ago," Myscheff recalled vividly. "Members of the Seidan Guard tried destroying the land of my people and wanted to bring us to their disgusting realm for questioning."
"That was you?" Bounty Hunter didn't recognise the Chaosrealmer. "I suppose I was too focused on my victims."
"Why'd you help?" Myscheff asked.
"I was paid to," Bounty Hunter put it bluntly, "by the Seidan Resistance leader with the ridiculous eyewear."
"Well I thank you regardless of your goal!" Myscheff said gratefully.
"Let's focus on this bounty instead," she requested.
"If you can tackle Seidan Guardsmen then we might actually stand a chance against these folk," Erron Black realised as he considered the sheer power of their targets.
"I hope the rest of you are bringing something to the table if I'm sharing my bounty," Bounty Hunter exclaimed.
"Chaosrealmers care not for currency," Erron assured her. "I sure as shit do though, but I'm being paid by Emperor Tsung regardless."
"Good to know he actually pays up then," Bounty Hunter noted. "What are we dealing with?"
"The majority of these targets are skilled fighters each possessing a unique power of their own," Erron Black described. "I can identify any on sight, not sure if you'd be able to if you're unfamiliar with them."
"Perhaps this will help," Bounty Hunter tossed a small device from one of her deep coat pockets as it rolled onto the table.
It was a coin shaped device with a red energy beam on one side. Taking the bounty poster of Li Mei, Bounty Hunter dragged the paper along the device. Mere seconds later, the device was capable of replicating a near perfect three dimensional replica of the Chieftess of Sun Do. Myscheff gazed at the device with curiosity and wonder, whilst Erron was surprised to see such high technology in the possession of a Naknadan.
"She look like this?" Bounty Hunter asked.
"She sure as shit does," Erron confirmed. "Additional notes on her is that she wields a single sword and has a firework-like energy projectile."
"I can handle energy users," Bounty Hunter said confidently. "I noticed we've got a Tarkatan too."
"Karbrac," Erron named him. "The second in command to the now deceased Chief of Tarkata, I imagine he'll take Baraka's place."
"Baraka's dead?!" Bounty Hunter gasped. "I never met him but legend of his work as a warrior and chief spread far."
"You can thank me for that," Erron took credit.
"Really?" Bounty Hunter couldn't believe it.
"I used a trap that gave him a big ol' nasty leg wound," Erron bragged whilst Myscheff rolled his eyes in disbelief. "It allowed some Osh-Tekk windbag to finish him, now that's a man who certainly couldn't have killed Baraka fair and square."
"Cowardly," Bounty Hunter reviewed, "but effective."
"I'll accept that."
"Use those tools consistently well like that and you'll be a good hand," Bounty Hunter told him. "But I don't care what your boss told you, I'll be taking charge of this mission."
"Fine by me," Erron agreed to her terms.
"This is so boring," Myscheff yawned. "I don't strategise!"
"Well you should!" Bounty Hunter yelled. "Take this seriously, Chaosrealmer, or go home."
"I'll take the fighting seriously," Myscheff promised. "But this meetings a joke!"
"Go catch up with your tribe then," Erron permitted. "You and I can draw up some plans, Bounty Hunter… is that seriously your name?"
"I'm a Naknadan," Bounty Hunter reminded him whilst Myscheff got up and began whistling on his way to the doorway. "What did you expect?"
"True…"
"What's your name?" Bounty Hunter asked.
"Erron," he introduced himself. "Erron Black."
"Seriously?!" Bounty Hunter laughed deeply. "Black?!"
"You'd think he'd be the Prince of Darkness with that name!" Garrett's voice boomed loudly throughout the fortress as he entered the lounge, being taken aback when he saw the bizarre Myscheff casually walk by. "Who the fuck is that guy?!"
"Your shift over?" Erron asked to which Garrett nodded.
"What happened here?!" Garrett asked as he looked around at the state of the lounge. "They just rennovated this place!"
"Chaos happened," Erron sighed. "Don't even ask about the dirt stains, I'm pretty sure none of them even trod in mud."
"Chaosrealmers," Garrett recalled hearing news of their arrival from Tsung himself. "Heard they came through by a portal from the Deadly Alliance."
"And Chaosrealm doesn't have much mud at all," Bounty Hunter added.
"I'm not gonna question those lunatics," Erron decided as he pulled up one of the remaining chairs with four legs for Garrett to sit on. "This is a Naknadan named Bounty Hunter."
"Aren't you a bit tall to be Naknadan?" Garrett questioned as he took a seat.
"Aren't you a bit old to be a knight?"
"Touché," Garrett replied. "We planning for the Union members then?"
"The Chaosrealmers have already been sent off to do their part," Erron revealed. "I sure as shit hope employing them was a smart move."
"I have my doubts," Garrett admitted. "But we've always gotten the job done one way or another."
"I've never failed to claim a bounty I've sought out," Bounty Hunter told them.
"You seem experienced," Garrett complimented. "How long you been doing this?"
"Since I was a teen I've hunted down criminals in my homerealm of Naknada. Once Shao Kahn conquered my realm and my people were led by a corrupt scrawny bastard, I knew it was time to leave my people behind. Other realms were beginning to incorporate their own currencies so there were greater opportunities with greater profit. I've made more than enough to live comfortably… but I'm here for the thrill of it at this point."
"You and Erron are very much alike then," Garrett told her. "He's always been the adventurous type."
"Working under Tsung's been a bit more mundane than I'd have liked," Erron confessed. "But this might just pull me back into things."
"I promise that with me we're going to get some action," Bounty Hunter guaranteed. "I can also assure that we'll bag the heads of these Union scum along the way…"