Some Years ago
Ashfilled the air as Hanzo walked down his village streets. Bodies of both Shirai Ryu and Lin Kuei littered the grounds as Hanzo Hasashi searched for survivors. Nearly a dozen Shirai Ryu warriors followed closely behind him ready for action. Hanzo's second in command, Nagato, signaled for the fighters to check surrounding buildings as Hanzo examined one of the many bodies.
"This man has been stabbed." Stated Hanzo as Nagato approached. Nagato was about to ask about the importance of that statement when Hanzo revealed the weapon to be an Ice dagger. Still melting in the victim's mutilated body.
"Sub Zero? I thought you two had a truce?" Asked Nagato as the Shirai Ryu soldiers gathered back together.
"We did." Answered Hanzo. "Sub Zero has clearly broken said pact. He will die for this betrayal."
"The damn Lin Kuei and their meta-humans." Complained Nagato. "How are we supposed to defeat them?"
"Meta humans are powerful Nagato, but not unbeatable." Replied Hanzo. "The Lin Kuei believe their super powered assassins to be superior, but in reality they bleed like any other man."
"Abducting children who show potential for supernatural abilities does put them at an advantage, Hanzo. Whether we like it or not." Stated Nagato. Hanzo didn't have a chance to reply before one of the men interjected.
"The surrounding buildings are clear, Master Hasashi."
"We must continue our search. If any Lin Kuei are still here we will….." began Natago before the Shirai Ryu to his left fell to the ground. A dagger had pierced his neck with ease, killing him nearly instantaneously. No battle plans could be exchanged before Hanzo's squad were being rushed by Lin Kuei assassins. From only a glance Hanzo could tell they were easily outnumbered at least by three times. The Shirai Ryu each drew their swords except for Nagato who pulled the shield from his back. The two sides clashed as the street became a battle ground once again.
"We don't have the luxury of death!" Stated Hanzo motivating his men. He rushed with both his swords slicing through the first Lin Kuei as though he were paper. Another approached, but Hanzo blocked his blade with ease before stabbing a Lin Kuei through the stomach. Hanzo turned to see two Lin Kuei directly behind him. Before he could react Nagato's shield bounced between the two heads and back to him. Without a word Hanzo turned back to the battle, throwing his sword into the nearest Lin Kuei. Using his second blade, Hanzo cut through another assassin vertically leaving them in two. A quicker Lin Kuei finished slicing the throat of a Shirai Ryu before Hanzo took his head clean off. He continued his bloody rage by throwing one of his daggers into an archer who prepared to take aim from a rooftop.
"They have archers surrounding us!" Yelled Hanzo before Lin Kuei fired down, killing members on both sides. Hanzo acted with haste as he rushed for the bow of the man he'd daggered. With precision Hanzo unleashed five arrows which each hit their mark and killed Lin Kuei.
"They're retreating!" Announced Nagato as he slapped a Lin Kuei warrior to the ground with his shield. The few remaining Lin Kuei scurrying away in fear.
"They are not retreating, Nagato." Stated a deep voice from behind. The remaining Shirai Ryu turned to see a ninja cloaked in dark brown flip off the roof of a burning building. His land was perfect as he took a martial artist's stance.
"Teak." Stated Hanzo as he stepped up, ready to face the assassin. And like many of the Lin Kuei's best; he was a meta human.
"The last two Shirai Ryu that pose any threat stand before me." Began Teak. "If I kill you both I will be rewarded by the grandmaster." Hanzo lowered his head knowing that meant Teak and the other Lin Kuei had wiped out the rest Shirai Ryu champions. A rash Shirai Ryu grunt rushed Teak only to be close lined before having his head crushed by Teak's boot. The other Shirai Ryu quickly began throwing daggers at the meta human, but several large roots shot from the ground to shield him. Teak pushed forward, grabbing the nearest Shirai Ryu and snapping his neck with ease. A third man tried slashing at Teak with his sword. The Lin Kuei caught the blade between his hands before breaking it in half.
"Stand back." Ordered Hanzo as he jumped between the Shirai Ryu and Teak delivering a hard front kick to the metahuman that sent him tumbling back. Teak returned to his feet only for a shield to collide with his chest and bounce back to Nagato.
"We will deal with this one." Stated Nagato. "You men watch out for any reinforcements." The surviving Shirai Ryu troops obeyed the order taking up positions atop the buildings. Teak wasted no time in rushing Nagato, but Hanzo intercepted lunging with his remaining sword. Teak brought up another root to catch the sword, taking the blade under ground when it receded. Now unarmed, Hanzo hit Teak with several punches before bringing down a high kick that knocked Teak into the ground. The Lin Kuei managed to roll away, but as he recovered he was once again nailed with Nagato's shield. Hanzo rushed the Lin Kuei again, gaining close. However, as he did so, the Lin Kuei summoned a branch from the ground that entangled Hanzo's ankle. Before Hanzo could react the branch pulled him under ground with only his head showing above. Hanzo tried squirming to no avail. Nagato rushed the Lin Kuei fighter with a flying kick, but Teak used a vine from a nearby tree to slap him away.
"Attack now!" Yelled Hanzo as the Shirai Ryu troops revealed themselves on the surrounding rooftops. Each held a bow from the dead Lin Kuei warriors. Teak had little time to react as arrows rained down into him. He managed to block several, but almost half had pierced into his back. He fell down to his hands and knees in pain realizing he would be finished. With one last burst of energy Teak shot back to his feet and prepared to crush Hanzo's head under his boot. As he lifted one leg up the other was hit by Nagato's shield. The assassin's knee snapped from the force of the shield. Teak fell to his hands again as Nagato caught his shield off the bounce. He spun towards the Lin Kuei before smashing Teak's windpipe with his shield. The Lin Kuei dropped in agony as it was clear he would be dead soon.
"That was too close, my friend." Stated Hanzo, still buried in the ground. The duo observed Teak as he slowly lost the will to fight on and passed away, unable to breath.
"Dig him out!" Ordered Nagato as the Shirai Ryu fighters rushed in and began to claw the Shirai Ryu champion out of the dirt.
"It's clear that we've lost control of the village, Nagato." Stated Hanzo as he started to get free of the dirt prison. "We must find any survivors we can and try to escape."
"They will not allow us to get far, Hanzo." Replied Nagato. "And the few men we have left are tired from battle. They will not make it much longer."
"Go to the fire gardens. Any survivors would be gathered there." Instructed Hanzo.
"I must go home and search for my family. After I've collected them I will meet you there." Nagato nodded in agreement before taking the remaining men off to fight further while Hanzo turned away with a mission of his own.
The seasoned warrior took off into a sprint away towards his home where his wife and children were no doubt still waiting. His legs couldn't move quick enough as he let his mind fill with all the possibilities.
"Harumi!" He screamed as Hanzo gained closer. His sprint was not slowing as he called out once again. "Satoshi!" Hanzo finally came to a sliding stop when his hands touched the door. He began to slide it open when the sound of ruffled bushes caught his attention. He turned quickly and his kunai found a Lin Kuei head before he pulled the victim down, breaking their neck on impact with the ground. Hanzo quickly drew his remaining blade and quickly spilled the nearest Lin Kuei's stomach before another few attacked him. He blocked all three sword strikes with his single blade before spinning and talking out each assailant's shins with his blade. A scared Lin Kuei ran back for the bushes but Hanzo threw his sword straight into the fleeing enemies' back. Leaving himself without a blade was no problem as Hanzo still had his trusty Kunai that he spun around himself several times before slicing the throats of two approaching Lin Kuei. Hanzo may have lost his swords, but he was far more deadly with the kunai.
"Hanzo!" Announced a familiar voice. Chrome approached from the brush as the last few Lin Kuei fell back into the trees.
"Chrome. Does the treaty mean nothing to your insufferable clan?" He asked, insulting the man.
"To think the Lin Kuei would stoop down to your level and allow your inferior clan to continue on makes you a fool, Hanzo. Soon the Lin Kuei will ascend beyond the realm of mortals." Stated Chrome. Hanzo didn't bother to continue the meaningless conversation and reached for a dead Lin Kuei's sword. Hanzo quickly threw the blade at Chrome who merely activated his meta-human ability. His entire body became coated in metal as the sword collided with his body. The blade bounced off having done no damage to the Lin Kuei.
Chrome rushed Hanzo with a combo of punches that he couldn't escape. Hanzo was battered around like a doll as Chrome ended his combo with a front kick that sent Hanzo through the wooden wall of his own home. He quickly picked himself up as Chrome jumped through the hole. Hanzo attacked with a furry of hits, but the metal skin simply hurt Hanzo's wrist as Chrome stood completely still. Hanzo flipped away avoiding a counterattack from Chrome. Hanzo kicked a table into Chrome and threw a chair that broke apart of his metallic skin. Hanzo tried to back away, but was swiftly pulled into a bear hug. The Lin Kuei used his superior strength to begin squeezing the Shirai Ryu into dust. Hanzo struggled to no avail as he instead looked for a weakness. Hanzo managed to slip an arm free from the grasp and reached for his kunai before jamming the blade as far into Chromes eye as he could. The meta-human quickly dropped his grasp as Hanzo pulled the spear out from his head with some brain still attached.
Chrome's armor quickly dissipated as he fell to his knees. Hanzo then slashed the Lin Kuei's now exposed throat. The armored warrior was surely finished as his neck sprayed a fountain of blood. Hanzo stepped past the dying man and began searching the house for signs of his family. The main rooms were empty, but the bedroom door was cracked open with a cold mist floating out of the room.
"Harumi? Satoshi? Asked Hanzo as he pushed the door open. The sight before him left Hanzo in shock. The entire room had been frozen over with his wife and son in the center. They had embraced each other presumably knowing what was about to happen. Bi Han had killed his family. He fell to his knees taking the frozen duo into his arms as tears slid down his face. He wailed in pain. "I'm sorry." Muttered the Shirai Ryu elite before standing back up. "I will be with you soon."
Hanzo's anguish could only be triumphed by his pure anger. His face was dark red as he rushed out of the house. Hanzo rushed past the now dead Chrome into his yard, and he pulled a sword from one of the dead Lin Kuei fighters before taking off for the fire gardens. If Nagato had gathered some more capable fighters then there was a chance they could still take some of the Lin Kuei out with them. Hopefully Sub Zero. He just needed to reach them before….
"Nagato!" Called Hanzo as he approached the fire gardens. He couldn't see anyone, but the smell of blood was pungent. As Hanzo approached the garden. The red leaves covered most of the pathways, but Hanzo could still smell there was blood soaking the ground beneath.
Then he saw the bodies. The men he'd sent here less than one hour ago were slaughtered like animals. Only Shirai Ryu corpses littered the ground. They were killed without much of a fight. He searched the bodies for extra daggers and realized Nagato wasn't among the dead. He searched frantically for his friend before feeling blood drops fall onto his neck and face. As Hanzo looked upwards he'd feel the cold radiating from the frozen sculpture above him. In the center Nagato sat still with several Ice spikes having pierced his chest with the blood dripping.
Hanzo dropped to his knees. He exhaled slowly as he took one last look around for survivors of which there was none. He had no tears left to shed for his last few brothers. His allies, his friends, and his family above all were taken from him.
"Nagato fought well." Spoke Sub Zero as he revealed himself. He seemed like he too had suffered as much battle damage as Hanzo. At least Nagato hadn't gone down without a fight in his final moments.
"You…." Spat Hanzo. "My best friend, my men, my family." He began as tears continued to flow. "You murdered them."
"Your family?" Said Sub Zero with a raised eyebrow. "I'm above slaughtering women and children."
"You'd mock me now, Bi Han?" Said Hanzo as he prepared for a fight. "I saw their bodies, Frozen, just like Nagato is now."
No more words were exchanged before Hanzo rushed into his attack. He tried stabbing and slicing at Bi Han with his kunai before throwing the blade into Bi Han's arm. Sub Zero stepped back before sweeping Hanzo's leg out from under him. He quickly returned to his feet before charging Sub Zero into a nearby tree. Bi Han struggled but Hanzo cracked his head against the tree several times before throwing him to the ground. As Bi Han recovered he was met with a flying knee that put him right onto his back.
"WHEN I'M DONE WITH YOU I'LL FIND YOUR BROTHER! I'LL HUNT EVERY LIN KUEI DOWN IF I HAVE TO!" Screamed Hanzo.
Sub Zero flipped to his feet before unleashing a cryo ball that Hanzo narrowly avoided. It left a trail that slowed Hanzo down enough for Bi Hans ice slide which popped Hanzo up into the air. He caught Hanzo's ankle before throwing him at a nearby tree. Hanzo bounced off the trunk and hit the ground with a thud before once again getting up. Fueled by rage Hanzo pushed again with a combo of attacks that Bi Han managed to block many of before countering with an overhead kick that stunned Hanzo for a moment. Bi Han quickly conjured an ice sledgehammer before hitting hanzo across the fire gardens with one devastating attack.
Any normal man should've died. The attack should've crushed his internal organs, snapped his ribs and ended his life. Instead Hanzo returned to his feet and prepared to rush again. He had no metahuman abilities, no cybernetic enhancements, no skills in magic. Yet somehow Hanzo returned to his feet once again. Bi Han was shocked as Hanzo's spear pierced his shoulder.
"GET OVER HERE!" He yelled before pulling Sub Zero into a close line. Hanzo quickly flipped atop of the cryomance and tried digging his spear into the Lin Kuei, but the two instead struggled for control with Bi Han barely keeping the blade away. Hanzo began punching Bi Han in the face repeatedly, dealing more damage with each strike until eventually he was flipped off the Cryomancer.
"Your inferior clan will rot in hell, Hanzo!" Shouted Bi Han before dropping into his classic Ice slide. Hanzo quickly flipped over Sub Zero to avoid the slide, but Bi Han followed it up with a quick Ice ball that froze Hanzo in place. Bi Han attacked with a powerful combo that pinned Hanzo against a tree. The blows came one after the other until eventually….
"Scorpion." Spoke Quan Chi to which the specter responded.
"Yes, Quan Chi." Said the specter as he gathered his thoughts. They were in the courtyard watching the tournament take place.
"What did you see in the last match? Anything one of Shang Tsung's fighters may be able to use against this earthrealmer going forward." Asked the Sorcerer.
Scorpion looked down to the arena for the first time in a while having been lost in his thoughts to see the young monk Liu Kang standing victoriously over an opponent. He of course spared the life of his opponent as was the shaolin way.
"My thoughts were elsewhere, Quan Chi." Spoke Scorpion apologetically.
"I thought as much." Scuffed Quan Chi. "Soon you will have your match with Sub Zero."
"I will finally exact my revenge." Spoke Scorpion in a hateful tone.
"Perhaps, but not if you are unable to stay focused during the fight. Your mind dwells on your family and clan. It is time you let them go, Scorpion. For if you cannot, Bi Han will use that anguish against you once again." Advised Quan Chi. "Prepare yourself Scorpion, for I've volunteered you to fight soon, and consider what I've told you."