+++ Mortal Kombat: Conquest by LadyRaiden aka Raydiva +++

Note: You already know the routine.  Sorry it took so long, but I have other projects I’m working on as well as this story.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to get at least one chapter a week from now and until the end of my planned twenty to twenty-two chapters.

Chapter Twelve: Night Creatures

            Althea walked down the deserted hallway to the room given to her by the monks.  She thought that creating a translation guide for Calornian script would be a nice break from training.  However, with cramped, ink stained hands and a numb brain she wasn’t so sure.  Getting bruised by Siro or Kung Lao was starting to look pretty nice.  She finally reached the door, too tired to even curse the priests’ paranoia of having a female too close to their male only domain.  Just as she opened the door she felt a familiar presence, but just ignored it in the hopes he would just go away and let her sleep.  Entering the room, the first thing she saw was the simple sleeping pallet which looked extremely inviting and made her way to it.

            “I believe an entire circus could be in here performing a show and you wouldn’t notice, “said Rayden sitting in a corner.

            “You’re not a circus, even if you are a clown sometimes. Besides, I knew you were there, I just chose to ignore you,” replied Althea with a half-smile, “Sorry to tell you this, but I am tired and unless the world is coming to an end—leave.”

            Rayden just smiled, “We need to talk and this is the first time in a while where we can do so without the chance of being interrupted.”  Althea flopped down onto the pallet and rubbed her eyes, “Can’t this wait until morning?”

            “It seems you have forgotten that the monks here wake up a good bit earlier than Taja and Siro,” answered the thunder god.  Althea sighed as she removed her shoes.  She knew there wasn’t much she could do when Rayden was like this, but perhaps if she got him uncomfortable enough….Once her shoes were off, she began unbuttoning her pants.

            “That’s not going to work, you know, “he said, but she just ignored him as slipped her pants off.  Then she pulled her arms into her shirt and started to untie her chest bindings.  That got the thunder god to stand up and turn around for a few moments.  Althea sighed and said, “I guess not, you’re still here….so what’s so important?”

            Just then there was a loud, rapid knocking at the door.

****

            A bat-winged female shape is seen flying across the full moon as it hung low in the sky.  Lilith smiled to herself.  It wasn’t often she was given so much freedom to hunt.  The blood of the monk was more than satisfying.  The combination of warrior and holy man gave his blood a unique flavor and vitality.  It’s a shame she dare not feed off of Kung Lao, the blood of a Mortal Kombat Champion who was also a monk would no doubt be a feast to savor.

****

            The body of the fallen monk was discretely covered by a blanket.  Althea pulled it back to see that the throat was ripped out and there wasn’t a drop of blood anywhere.  She thought as she respective recovered the man.  Althea over heard the priests discussing what happened, and when one of them mention he had never hear of such an attack she said, “I have.”  The priests just stared at her and the apparent leader gestured for her to continue.  She breathed deeply and said, “There are creatures from another realm that I know as Vampires.  They are human like in shape but with bat like wings and fangs.  The Vampires are extremely strong and feed on blood of intelligent beings.  There is a Vampire that I know of named Lilith that I saw in town not too long ago.  I mistakenly assumed she was run out of the region.” 
            “Why would this, Lilith, work so hard for a monk’s blood?” ask one of the priests.  Althea replied, “It is said that they get strength and power from the blood, depending on the source.”
            “So we can expect more attacks, “the leader said in a serious voice.

****

            Late that night a silver gray wolf ran through the moonlit woods.  It eventually came to a now familiar clearing and sat on its haunches.  The proud head then lifted in a haunting howl.

****

            Morning finally came and Althea continued with the translation work, but her heart wasn’t really in it.  Between the monk’s murder and Rayden’s strange actions…She just let the quill drop from her hand and moved away from the table. What she needed was some fresh air and a walk in the sunshine.

            As she walked towards the gated entranceway of the temple yard one of the thing on her mind appeared.  ‘Perhaps I’ll get at least one mystery solved, ‘she thought.  “Hey, Rayden,” she said aloud, “Care to join me for a walk?”  Rayden nodded but surprisingly didn’t say anything.  Surprisingly Rayden’s shields were down; she could feel a sense of mourning from the deity.  She nearly commented on it, but decided to remain silent.  Eventually Rayden spoke, “I knew him.  He grew up along side Kung Lao and often would ask me to show him some sparks.” 

            “Sorry, “said Althea, “I know it’s not much, but if there’s anything….” Rayden shook his head and sighed.  They walked in companionable silence, with only the sound of the wind to be heard.  After a while, Althea asked, “What was it you wanted to talk about last night?”  Althea could almost see his shields go up as he responded, “Uh..ummm”
            “Rayden!  Althea! “yelled Kung Lao in the distance.

****

            That night howls were heard as if the wolves were also mourning the death of the monk.  Althea shivered and said, “Those howls are making my blood run cold for some reason.”  She rolled up the last scroll and placed it on the shelf.  “Tell me about it, “said Siro, “Especially here, where everything else is so quiet.” 

            “What’s even spookier is that there wasn’t any wolves around here until recently, “mention Kung Lao as he handed a mug to Althea.  The howls then completely stopped.  All three looked at each other, wondering which was worse the howling or the sudden silence.

****

            Wolf-shaped shadows made their way into the temple’s yard and scattered to the dark shadows.  From these shadows, pairs of red dots could be seen for a moment and then faded.
            The night grew long, and the barest wisp of sound was heard as Lilith landed.  From one of the shadows came Lupena, walking towards the female huntress.  She said, “You are not welcomed here, Vampire.”  Lilith hissed and replied, “I was looking for a monk to feed on, but you’ll do…whoever you are.”  The Vampire moved to attack, but was knocked down by two large wolves that ran from the shadows.  Lupena just watched motionlessly.  Lilith threw them off and attempted again to reach the woman.  Just then, with eyes glowing red, Lupena changed.  She grew in height and muscle mass, growing fur and her face change to that of a more lupine nature.  The battle howl of a wolf came from her muzzle.  Lilith crashed into this monster who then grabbed hold of the Vampire.  They grappled as the rest of the wolves moved to surround the pair.  They growled loudly, but did not interfere.
            The noise brought Kung Lao and the others out, but what they saw made them stop in their tracks.  The watching wolves must have sense them coming, because a few looked in their direction and moved to return to the woods.  One gave a few yelps before leaving making the wolf creature to look up.
            Lilith was now obviously injured, bitten on the shoulder and deep gouges elsewhere on her body.  Try as she might, she just couldn’t get away from the creature that held her.  The two legged wolf then threw the winged female over one shoulder and then ran to joined the others of its pack, with Lilith’s primal screams of rage following.  Siro moved as if to follow but Kung Lao grabbed his arm and said, “Do you really want to follow those things?”

****

            At Quan Chi’s lair, a badly beaten Lilith was thrown to the sorcerer’s feet.  He chuckled at what he saw and said, “All I asked was for you to bring her here.”

            Lupena, still in her monstrous form, just growled.  Quan Chi sighed and then grabbed the Vampire’s chin. “I have a little message for you to deliver to your master.”

The End

Next time on Mortal Kombat: Conquest

[A man wearing the emblem of the Red Dragon] “We have a business proposition for you.”


”You can’t be seriously considering the Red Dragon’s offer, “said Siro.