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

Note: Welcome back. If you’ve been reading and enjoying this series so far, please feel free to send me some feedback. I saying this because if I don’t start receiving some more soon, I’ll start believing that no one is reading and may decide to leave this one unfinished and start on my next project. That’s out of the way, back to the same-old....I do not own Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat: Konquest, etc, etc. If you wish to borrow any of the characters I did create, feel free to contact me.

        Chapter Seven: Mirror Image Part 1

        Taja entered the kitchen and slammed the door behind her. Kung Lao looked up from the scroll he was reading and saw a very angry red head....”Uh, what’s wrong?” he asked.
        “Siro is a complete moron!” she answered and then went further into the building. “Okay....” Kung Lao said and then got up to find Siro to see if he could shed any light on why Taja was so upset. Crashing sounds could be heard from the next room. First it was Althea acting strange when he returned from the temple and now Taja was on a rampage. Outside, he found Siro unloading the cart in such as if he felt each item was a personal insult to him. Kung Lao offered to help him unload, but Siro just growled a “No Thanks.” The monk sighed; he couldn’t believe he was starting to hope that Rayden would show up just to give him a hint as to what was going on with everyone. He started to turn when he saw four men in black leather enter the gate. They look almost like Black Dragons except that they wore red dragon markings on their vests. Three stop just inside the gate and the four approached Siro and Kung Lao, carrying a stained bag. “Are you the Kung Lao and Siro who live here?” he asked in a monotone voice.
        “Yes, I’m Kung Lao and this is Siro,” he said. Siro just stood their glaring at their visitors.
        “I have a message,” he said and then turned over the bag he was carrying, the preserved head of Jola fell out with a thump, “The Black Dragon is dead and the Red Dragon has no argument with anyone who lives at this address or any interest in this trading post. Leave the Red Dragon alone and the Red Dragon will leave you alone.” The man bowed and picked up Jola’s head. Placing it in bag in the bag he turned and followed the other three into the crowded street.
        “Who were those guys?” ask Siro.

****
        “That stupid...” *thump* “...son of a...” *crash!*, was the sounds that Althea heard coming from one of the storage rooms. She peeked into the room and saw a very angry Taja moving crates and barrels around. “What did Siro do this time?” asked Althea.
        Startled Taja turned and asked, “What do you mean?” “Well, I don’t see Kung Lao making you this angry in the short amount of time since your return, and as annoying Rayden can be he’s never gotten you this angry since I’ve known you guys, “Althea shrugged and continued, “That leaves Siro as the ‘son of a bitch’ you’re pissed off about”
        Taja kicked on of the barrels and watched it roll across the floor, “I rather not talk about it...its kinda embarrassing.”
        “Ahhh, Fujin must have shown up, “said the blonde with a grin. Taja just look up and screamed through her teeth.
        Althea shoulder’s shook in silent laugher and then said, “Here, let me help you make room here for the stuff you guys got. Afterwards we’re leaving for a ‘girl’s night out.”
        Taja sighed and said, “Sounds good, but we just can’t afford...” Althea smiled and then pulled out her coin purse. She shook it and the sound of coins could be heard. “No one told me that the yellow metal called gold here was so valuable, otherwise I would have offered it as part of my upkeep here. I have tons of war metals and bits of jewelry that I never use made out of the stuff. Hoping to get a few coins, I went into town while everyone was gone to see if I could sell some of it.” She gave a single laugh, “I know I was mostly likely cheated but I got more the enough for that crap and I still have most of it upstairs, so next time you or one of the guys can go sell it. I wondered why Vatas was so insistent that I bring that worthless stuff.”
        Taja just had a shocked look on her face at first, but then grinned.

****
        Drevane was walking down a candlelit corridor when one of his men found him. “The message has been delivered, “the man reported and bowed.
        Drevane smiled and said, “Good, but be sure we keep a close eye on them for a while. That guard Siro, might just get curious about us and cause some trouble. Let’s hope for his sake he doesn’t....Oh, also see that the items that our newest customer requested are available yet. Quan Chi does not look like someone who likes to be kept waiting.”

****
        In a smoke filled chamber, laid two coffin-like shapes. They glowed faintly, one with a blood red coloring and the other with a dark purplish glow. Lupena walk around them with a worried look on her face, and then turned when she heard Quan Chi’s approach.
        Standing before the two coffin-like shapes, Quan Chi chuckled and said, “Superb, my ‘children’ are almost ready to wake up.”
        Lupena hid her fear and worry, asked, “How long until they are ready, Master?” Quan Chi gave a careless shrug and said, “Depends on how quickly the Red Dragon can deliver the items that I need.”

****

        A few days later, Althea was found searching throughout the trading post. “Where is that damn thing?” she mumbled as she looked behind some barrels in the storeroom.
        “Looking for something?” ask Siro. “Yeah, have you seen my journal anywhere? It’s been missing for a few days now,” said Althea as she climbed over a crate.
        “Haven’t seen anything like a journal, except for the trading post’s books. Me and Taja have been going over them since we got back, “said Siro, “Was there anything important in it?”
        Althea dusted herself off and replied, “Only some memories. Not too worry about anyone reading it since I doubt anyone here could read Calornian script, but I would like it back.” Althea scratched her head thinking, “What’s funny is the last place I remember seeing it was on the table next to my bed. That’s where I normally keep it. I don’t think I ever had it out of my room since I moved in.”

*****
        Quan Chi held the journal in his hand as he entered the chamber that held the coffins. He was pleased that the Red Dragon was able to get such a good focus for his creation and so soon. To top it off, they even admitted that retrieving the need focus from Rayden would be next to impossible and offered the journal for a fraction of the original asking price in return for their failure. It was hard to find such service these days, such a balance between deceit and good business was extremely rare. The sorcerer would just have to send one of his ‘children’ to retrieve the needed item.
        He placed the journal on the blood red coffin and then poured a potion onto it. The book than sank down into the coffin, which flared brightly for a moment and then started pulsating. Quan Chi laughed.

****

        Rayden was at the tavern drinking. Since he was able to get Fujin as his second so to speak, he was able to spend more time for himself. Which he wasn’t sure was a good thing. Since he wasn’t so busy now, he couldn’t keep his mind off of what nearly happened that night. What was coming over him? True, he always found human females, especially the blonde ones, attractive and fun to be with, but he never came that close to breaking one of his self imposed rules. Never to get intimate with one of the female chosen, he sighed. Of course, Althea wasn’t really one of his chosen but he was the champion’s student, and if Shang Tsung was able to change his homerealms there was a chance Althea could do the same. In that case, he would be a fool not to make her one of the chosen. He took a deep swallow of the wine, but for some reason couldn’t enjoy it as he once could. The memory of the other time thread kept popping up with every sip, as if warning him what could happen if he got drunk. Eventually he just gave up and left. Instead of just disappearing he thought that he would take a walk, maybe the night air would calm his thoughts.
        The later it got, the streets became emptier but still the thunder god was too wound up. “I never thought it would be this easy, “came Althea’s voice but with an evil tinge to it. As Rayden turned to see the source, a dark red blast hit him full on, knocking him to the ground. Rayden looked up and saw what he thought was Althea, “Why?” he rasped from the ground. The woman walked out of the shadows and Rayden saw that it was not Althea but someone that looked almost just like her, except for the black hair and red glowing eyes. The strange woman then rolled the weakened Rayden completely onto his back and straddled him. “Why not, “she replied and then punched him.

****

        Althea woke with a start. Something was wrong. She got up and quickly got dressed. Not thinking, she didn’t bother to wake the others and she grabbed the fighting staff she had been practicing with on her way out. She only hoped that it would be enough. She ran down the deserted street towards where she was sensed the problem was. Althea wasn’t quite sure what was wrong, but was almost certain it was something to do with Rayden. There she came across an unconscious thunder god and a strange woman pulling off his blue outer tunic. The stranger must have heard Althea’s approach, because she turned and Althea got a good look at her face. Althea just said, “Oh, shit” and then went in for the attack. With a look of hatred on her face the stranger just ran, she got what she was sent for. Althea seeing Rayden out cold on the ground just let her go, and concentrated on seeing that Rayden was okay. She was afraid she knew how the strange woman was able to knock him out. “This is not good,” she said under her breath. Rayden moaned and when he opened his eyes he nearly lashed out at the person sitting next to him on the ground, but she grabbed his arm before the fist could make contact. “It’s okay,” said Althea in a concerned voice, “It’s the real me. See, I’m the blonde.”
        Rayden sighed in relief and then concern set in. He sat up and lifted his hand to try to create a few sparks, nothing. “This is starting to get old, “he moaned as he fell back down.

The End

Next time on Mortal Kombat: Conquest....

“Your powers should return, eventually, “asked Taja with concern, “Right?”

Lighting flashed with the clash of thunder, and the sound of evil laughter in Rayden’s voice was heard.