Chapter 7: A Hellish Revival!
The next day, Spawn and Reika Kitami listened and learned as much as they could from Raiden about the meaning of Mortal Kombat, as well as the consequences that would fall onto Earth Realm if they lost. Kitami was fascinated by all that she heard so far, but Spawn seemed confused and annoyed...at first.
"So let me get this straight, old man. You're telling me that once every 1000 years people fight in this tournament? Just so that they can be named champion of their own realms? What kind of sense does that make?!" Spawn demanded.
"The Elder Gods made this tournament as a means to keep other realms from merging into one another. For a long time, peace has reigned throughout all realms since Outworld has always emerged the victor. However, with Shao Kahn as the new ruler of Outworld, I fear that peace may be long gone." Raiden explained. Spawn was already beginning to dislike the sound of this villain.
"Tell me more about this Shao Kahn!" Spawn said grimly.
"He is Outworld's self proclaimed conquerer and emperor! He is a ruthless, arrogant, and power-hungry tyrant; he'll stop at nothing to take over Earth Realm! And I fear that with his dark magic and the combined might of his own champions, Earth Realm's chances of winning are quite slim at best!" Raiden continued more grave than ever before.
"Hmm...wait until he gets a load of me!" Spawn said to himself.
"But that said, I have faith in our new defenders. Liu Kang has been training his whole life for this moment; to become Earth Realm's greatest champion. I can only pray that it's enough!" Raiden said as he looked over at the Shaolin Monk, who was training even as they spoke.
Reika chuckled as she approached Raiden with a smirk on her face. "Relax, hon! You've got us to help you out, now! Everything will be just fine, right Raizo?" Reika said cheerfully.
"Look! I don't know if you've forgotten already, but let me remind you the real reason we're here: Skulker! I haven't seen him anywhere on this damn island, but I still feel a demonic presence in this place! If I could just find out where it's coming from, I could-" Spawn snapped before he stopped and cried out loud, holding his head. This caught the attention of everyone else present, especially Reika.
"Oh, God! Not again! Honey, are you all right?!" Reika exclaimed as she ran to her partner.
"Man, what's gotten into him?" Jax wondered.
"You ok there, champ? Can I interest you in my official Ninja Mime Migraine Pills?" Johnny Cage said as he pulled out a bottle of pills with his face plastered on the front.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Sonya muttered as she rolled her eyes.
After a moment, Spawn finally regained himself. "You ok, hon? What's wrong?" Reika asked kindly.
"My Necroplasm powers are acting up again, that's what! I was right...there is a dark, demonic presence here on this island! I've got to find it, and I've got to find it now!" Spawn growled as he held his head in pain.
"Try to keep yourself together, Spawn. We need all the help we can get if we are to win this tournament!" Liu Kang said carefully as he approached him.
"You don't know me, so why do you care?" Spawn snarled. "Because I can sense the good in you. That, and you are no ally to Shang Tsung." Liu Kang replied patiently.
"Yeah, and you obviously ain't friends with the Black Dragon; that's always a plus in my book!" Jax added.
Reika was surprised to hear that from someone other than herself. "Well, what do you know? I guess I'm not the only one who can see that this hardass thing is nothing more than an act!" Reika said half-jokingly.
"Don't bet on it, woman. Just so we're still clear; I'm here for Skulker, old man. And if and when I find him, he's mine! Nothing is going to stop me! You got it?!" Spawn growled.
"Patience, Hellspawn! Vengeance should not be the only thing on your mind right now. More as at stake here than you realize!" Raiden responded gravely. Spawn growled in irritation, but nodded his head in agreement.
"Just you wait, skull-fucker! I'll find you and when I do, I'll make you suffer for everything you've done!" Spawn grumbled angrily.
(X)
Meanwhile, in a dark and undisclosed location in Outworld, Quan-Chi had a little meeting of his own. As he teleported himself, Noob Saibot, and Skulker at their shady location, he gave instructions on carrying out the first part of his master plan.
"All right, here's what's going to happen. I'm going ahead to pick something up. You two will remain here and make sure nobody comes in this direction. You think you can handle that?" Quan-Chi said with a smirk.
"This better be worth my time, old man!" Skulker growled impatiently.
Quan-Chi chuckled sinisterly as he said that. "Patience, my boy! Trust me; with what I'm picking up, we're going to need it. You'll get your time to play soon enough! Now wait here; I'll be back soon!" Quan-Chi sneered before walking towards the shadowy hallways.
"It is wise not to challenge Quan-Chi." Noob Saibot said in a dark, raspy voice. Skulker just scoffed in response.
Quan-Chi finally made his way towards his destination; a dark, shadowy black market under the control of a demonic creature by the name of Kollector. He was a 6 armed creature with a large leather satchel strapped to his back, and a dark hood that covered his head. His piercing red eyes danced with delight as he counted a large stack of gold coins and jewels. Perhaps his greatest powers were not his warlock-like powers, but his uncanny ability to find shiny valuables anywhere at anytime, thus earning the name the Kollector.
Quan-Chi smirked deviously as he approached the Kollector's stall. "Hello, old friend. How is business going for you?" Quan-Chi began with a wicked grin.
"Oh, excellent! Shao Kahn's constant raids have been rich with the spoils of war. So, what is it that you want, sorcerer? Because as you know, you won't get these goods anywhere else!" Kollector replied with a demonic cackle.
"I need a Nether-Stone, my good fellow. I'm sure that you have one in stock just for me, do you not?" Quan-Chi stated.
Kollector rubbed his chin with two of his hands as he said that. "Hmm...I might have one in stock. But tell me, sorcerer! What would you need a Nether-Stone for?" Kollector wondered.
"That's my business, I'm afraid. Besides, anything can be bought for the right price. Even silence!" Quan-Chi retorted as he threw down a sack of gleaming jewels.
Kollector grumbled as he took the sack and observed the jewels before he began to grin and laugh wickedly. "Well, well, well! Isn't this a delightful treat? Crystalized chaos; a rare and most valuable treasure indeed. Very well, my dear sorcerer. We have a deal!" Kollector said as he reached into his satchel.
He pulled out a large and demonic looking stone that seemed to glow faintly of embers, and it was quite warm to the touch. "Remember; you get caught with that, you never got it from me! Now off you go; I've got a lot of work to do! Shao Kahn needs all the silver he can get to melt it into weapons for his troops." Kollector said with an evil laugh.
"Good doing business with you, as always!" Quan-Chi said with an evil smirk.
As Quan-Chi arrived back to Noob Saibot and Skulker, he snickered wickedly as he showed off the Nether-Stone. "Come my friends; we have to make one last stop before we arrive at the tournament." Quan-Chi announced.
"You tellin' me you wasted our time for a fucking rock?! How's that gonna help us?" Skulker demanded. "Patience, Skulker! You'll see!" Quan-Chi said before he teleported them all away.
Just as quickly as they were in Outworld, they now found themselves in a dark dungeon in a hellish landscape called the Nether Realm. "Is this...hell?" Skulker wondered as he looked around him.
"Not quite; the Nether Realm is a place of damnation and suffering for many poor, unfortunate souls. But for people like us, it can give us the power we need to triumph over our enemies." Quan-Chi explained.
"No kidding? I'll have to remember that!" Skulker said to himself out loud.
"I won't be too long; you two can wait here while I finish up. It should not take me too long!" Quan-Chi instructed as he walked away into a dark room.
(x)
But as he left, Skulker began to form ideas of his own. "If this place has such power, I can use this for my own benefit! With it, I can finally kill that do-gooder piece of shit thorn on my side, once and for all!" Skulker said to himself as he paced the ground.
"If you have plans of your own, it's best to not go through with them. Quan-Chi does not tolerate betrayal!" Noob Saibot warned as he overheard him.
Skulker laughed sinisterly as he said that. "Is that right? Tell me something, Bi-Han! How long do you want to be Quan-Chi's little lackey for, anyway?" Skulker said with an evil smirk.
Noob Saibot grew quite alarmed as he said that. "What did you call me?! Nobody calls me that name anymore! How did you even know?" Noob Saibot demanded.
"I know all evil, dark souls! And I know that out of all the souls I've met so far, you're one of the most ruthless and cold blooded killers I've ever met. Oh, yes...I'm aware of your past. I'm aware of all the blood you've got on your hands. I respect that! But does that face painted freak care about your talent? No, he doesn't! Instead, he holds you back from using your true talent. But I can change that, if you work with me as my partner." Skulker explained.
Noob Saibot did not know how to react to those words. All this time, he only knew of two people who knew his true identity...and one of them was dead by his own hands. "I cannot betray the trust of my master, Quan-Chi! He is the one who revived me!" Noob Saibot objected.
"And yet here you are; forced to wait around while he goes on his little errands. He makes you sit and obey, like a little lap dog!" Skulker sneered.
"That's not true! Quan-Chi has sent me on several important missions. I have killed many through the shadows!" Noob Saibot proclaimed.
"But in doing so, he's holding you back from your true potential! You shouldn't have to hide in the shadows; you should be proud to show off your powers and destroy those who dare to stand in your way!" Skulker proclaimed.
For the first time in a long time, Noob Saibot felt conflicted. One side of him agreed with what this strange Hellspawn was saying. But another side of him remembered the vow of loyalty he made to Quan-Chi after being revived by him.
"I tell you what; I'll give a little time to think about what I've said. But deep down, you and I both know that I'm right. As long as you're Quan-Chi's little lap dog, you'll never be the true killer you were meant to be. You'll never be better than, what's his name? Oh yes...Kuai Liang! Or as people now call him, Sub-Zero!" Skulker taunted.
Noob Saibot began to tremble with rage as he heard that. How dare this stranger compare him to his weak minded, soft-hearted failure of a brother? But before another word could be said, Quan-Chi returned. "Gentlemen? Follow me, if you please! I'd like to introduce you to your new partner!" Quan-Chi announced.
"Oh, goodie! Another lap dog, just what we wanted!" Skulker said half-jokingly.
"What?!" Quan-Chi demanded angrily. "Nothing! Let's go, Bi-Han! Time's wasting!" Skulker sneered as he rudely brushed past him.
"Wait, you know who he really is?! How did you know that? Oh, never mind!" Quan-Chi demanded. Noob Saibot just followed behind in sullen silence.
As all three of them made their way into the room, Skulker and Noob Saibot were stunned to find another hellish figure standing before them. He was a tall, fearsome looking warrior. He wore a black and yellow leather ninja outfit, his wrists, knees, shoulders, and his mouth lightly armored with demonic designed bronze metal, wielded two nasty looking demonic folded katana swords on his back, and a deadly chain with a nasty spear tip.
"Meet Scoprion; my greatest creation yet! He was once one of the fiercest fighters of the ninja clan, the Shirai Ryu. But now, he is under my control! With him, Earth Realm's warriors stand no chance...or anyone for that matter!" Quan-Chi proudly announced.
Skulker seemed rather impressed, though Noob Saibot was less than pleased. "What is this?!" he demanded angrily.
"Now, now! I am well aware that the Shirai Ryu and Lin Kuei have a deadly rivalry. But fear not; he is under my control. Watch! Scorpion, awaken!" Quan-Chi commanded.
Scorpion opened his dead white eyes, gasping as he stumbled forward. "What? Where am I?! What is this place? Who are you people?!" Scorpion demanded in confusion.
"I am your master, Quan-Chi! These are your new allies; Skulker and Noob Saibot! You are going to help me fight in a tournament being held on Shang Tsung's Island." Quan-Chi explained in a hypnotic tone.
"What? Why would I do that?! I have to get home to my wife and son!" Scorpion said feeling dazed and confused.
Quan-Chi laughed evilly as he said that. "I'm afraid you can't go home, my dear boy!" Quan-Chi sneered.
"What?! Why not?! Tell me!" Scorpion demanded. "Because...this man killed you! I'm sure that you remember him, and I'm sure you remember what he did to your precious wife and son." Quan-Chi said with an evil smile as he showed images of a man in a blue ninja outfit.
"What? No...it can't be; Sub-Zero! Did he-" Scorpion began. "Murder your family? Yes, he did. But you'll get your chance of revenge soon enough. All you have to do is find him on this island and kill him!" Quan-Chi explained.
Scorpion growled with anger as he held his head; he slowly began to remember how he and his family died. "I...I remember now! That Lin Kuei scum; he murdered my wife and son, right in front of me! I will find Sub-Zero and I will avenge my family and clan!" Scorpion cried angrily.
"Good!" Quan-Chi chuckled.
"Wait a second! What about the Kamidogu? Have you already forgotten that?" Skulker said as he stepped forward.
Quan-Chi turned around and smirked deviously as he nodded his head. "You really need to learn the value of patience, my boy. But yes; the Kamidogu that we seek is hidden on Shang Tsung's Island. You will participate in this tournament while representing the Nether Realm, all the while you will find the Kamidogu and you will bring it to me!" Quan-Chi instructed.
"So in other words, just more errands to run for you?" Skulker spat.
"You have a problem?" Quan-Chi challenged.
Skulker smirked back in response. "Not at all. When do we start?" Skulker said.
"Right now; follow me!" Quan-Chi said as he created another portal.
"Sure...but this is the last time I follow your fucking orders, old man. After that, I'm calling the shots!" Skulker thought to himself as he stepped inside the portal.
But as he said that to himself, Noob Saibot began to have second thoughts himself. "Perhaps this Hellspawn is right, after all. Why should I continue doing Quan-Chi's bidding, especially since he just brought back my nemesis?! Mark my words, Kuai Liang! This Shirai Ryu dog will not get 10 feet of you before I kill you first!" Noob Saibot muttered to to say, things were about to get really bloody for our heroes!