+++ Mortal Kombat: Echoes of the Past by LadyRaiden aka Raydiva +++

Authors Note: Ok…two people have asked me this so far, so thought I should clear it up. Althea and Rayden will not be expecting the pitter patter of little godling feet…at least not anytime soon but in the future maybe. In the story I’ve been working off/on, which is Althea’s history, the active mage-gifted can not have children without medical/mystical help. So no ‘accidents’ or ‘happy surprises,’ but children are possible if planned for and before anyone asks, this may or may not be true for Johnny Cage since even though he’s not a true ‘mage’ he does use chi energy. This may be answered by Nightwolf later in the story since he is from what I’ve seen the closest thing to an Earthrealm ‘mage’ there is in Mortal Kombat even though he is more priest/shaman than mage.

Also, I do apologize for such a long wait. My muse quit and I had to look around for a new one. *sigh* Good help is so hard to find. Just to let you know I’m still continuing with the rewrite and those who read the chapters I had removed may recognize a few scenes.

Chapter Thirty: The Calm

(Rayden’s Private Domain)

Despite it being easier and faster for him just to summon his armor, he found it almost meditative to put it on piece by piece as a mortal warrior would. Rayden tied down his metallic wrist guards, ignoring the stiffness of the new leather. His old dark armor long since thrown away in guilt of what he had done while wearing it, this lighter brighter armor while no where matching his mood but it would have to suffice there was no way he was going into Outworld without some sort of defense. Even with Kahn dead, there were many who would love to get their revenge on himself or through those he cared for. Rayden’s hand closed into lighting engulfed fist just before slamming down and destroying the small table next to his bed.

From the opened bedroom door Kronos asked, “Going somewhere?”

Rayden chose to ignore the Elder God as he reached over to pick up what looked like to be a Chinese peasant hat but made out of strips of metal in stead of straw. Tying it in place over the black coated chain mail hood, he then summoned his staff rather than his hammer. It would be mortals he would be facing on this trip, not immortals.

Kronos sighed, knowing there was only one way he was going to stop Rayden from going and in reality secretly wished the thundergod luck. Even he was getting frustration by the lack of response of the council but he at least understood there were reasons…reasons he was unable to unveil to anyone not of the council. Thankfully the same reasons why the council would do nothing about the sorcerers and rouge godslayer were ‘preventing’ him from stopping Rayden. As Rayden turned to face him he picked up a stack of bound scrolls that were on his bed. He opened one of them to see a map of Earth with each ‘natural’ portal marked, the map would change to one of Outworld the moment they stepped into that cursed realm. It was then it dawned on him. Looking Kronos straight in the face Rayden said, “You knew this was going to happen. You knew that Liu and Kahn were going to be assassinated. You knew that even if I didn’t do anything, Althea would try to take it on herself to stop them and even gave her the means to do so.”

Kronos just turned as if to walk out of the room, but stopped when Rayden added, “Why? You know there is no way she could have stood up to all of them alone.”

Rayden didn’t see the pained look in the Elder God’s face when Kronos responded in a controlled voice, “Certain events must come to pass, in spite of what anyone including the Council of the Elder Gods decides upon. Rest assured, this time Althea is not expected to sacrifice herself.” Kronos then turned with a humorless half smile and added, “She’s already done that twice after all.”

Rayden’s eyes narrowed as he considered the Elder God’s words. The God of Thunder nodded once and then vanished with a crash of thunder. Alone, Kronos said sadly to the now empty room, “No…she is not the one to make the sacrifice, but the one closest to her heart will.”

(Outside the Ranchhouse that Evening)

Althea breathed in the night air as she sat on the ground her back to a fallen tree. Next to her, sitting on the log was Kung Lao staring into the fire that for some reason, Johnny insisted on starting. The same actor was, kneeling next to the fire tossing broken pieces of wood into the flames. Sonya and Kitana sat silently behind Johhny, on another log. A little to the right Jax and Cyrax were sitting at the old wooden, hole filled, table going over some diagrams on a laptop computer as Stryker watched over Jax’s shoulder. Left of Sonya and Kitana, sat Sub-Zero and Frost on the ground with Sub-Zero talking to her quietly as she listened intently. However he went silent as he saw Kabal and Kira walk towards the group. Nightwolf sitting with Kiva and next to Kenshi sent Althea a curious look as if he was considering or seeing something that concerned him.

Kuravan appeared in a flash of light-blue light next to the black dragons and after a slow look around crossed his arms as he closed his eyes to wait. Althea sent her grandfather an ugly look but ignored him as she mentally went over what mage tools she had that might prove useful and if there was any that maybe Johnny could use with his own limitedly trained chi abilities.

A flash of light with the sound of thunder got everyone’s attention as Rayden appeared before them. In a serious voice, rarely heard Rayden spoke,”Mortal Kombat has always have been and always will be…for a millennia the forces of good and evil been locked in a battle for the control of Earthrealm. Some have sought to use the tournament to destroy all that is good, others seek vengeance, power or eternal life. Time after time, each individual threat has been vanquished. Once again Earth is in peril and this time the threat of evil has three faces. It is now know that Quan Chi has left the Netherrealm and has found the long forgotten Dragon King’s undefeatable army. Worse of all has formed an alliance with two of our most formidable enemies, Shang Tsung and Arrianna. Together they plotted to over power the only two beings able to truly prevent their domination of Outworld and Earth. The first was the emperor, Shao Kahn. In a false show of allegiance, Quan Chi and Shang Tsung they sprung their attack and slew the immortal emperor with Althea’s immortal killing swords. They then traveled to Earthrealm with the aid of Arianna’s crystal, there they faced Earth’s greatest warrior and champion of Mortal Kombat, Liu Kang. It has been Shang Tsung’s desire to consume the soul of Earthrealm’s greatest warrior. With Quan Chi’s and Arianna’s assistance he achieved this goal. Liu Kang is dead. They have since returned to Outworld and are now using the souls of conquered warriors to resurrect the Dragon King’s undefeatable army. If they should succeed they will have the means to conquer Outworld and eventually Earth as well. They will be unstoppable. I can not stand idly by and watch this evil consume this world. I have turned my back on the Elder Gods to be able to lead you all to battle against our old adversaries. We must stop this deadly alliance.”

”And they say I can get over dramatic, “whispered Johnny just loud enough for everyone to hear. Sonya reached over and slapped the back of his head.

Kung Lao had stopped listening at the point where Rayden mentioned that Shang consumed Liu’s soul. A woman’s voice entered his head just after that as if reminding him and he said out loud part of what she told him, “…souls of the chosen are protected…”

Everyone turned to Kung Lao especially the mystically oriented. “That is what she was trying to tell me, “Kung Lao said louder as he stood up, “Liu was a chosen warrior, his soul was protected. How could Shang consume or enslave his soul, it should be impossible?”

“Hmmm…”murmured Rayden as he considered Kung Lao’s words.

”The monk’s right or at least partially so, “said Kuravan, “the souls of mortals chosen by the gods have protections against being consumed, enslaved or even destroyed. However a powerful sorcerer familiar with certain forbidden arts could still imprison a chosen’s soul and eventually break through such protections.”

”How long?” asked Sub-Zero.

Kuravan shrugged and answered, “It would depend on the soul and sorcerer. The stronger the soul the harder to break the protections since the soul is able to fight back however the stronger the sorcerer…”

”So we have time, not much but some, “said Rayden, “Shang may be strong but he has his hands full with reviving the Dragon King’s army since Quan Chi can’t handle souls like he can. Liu is a Mortal Kombat champion, his soul was given special protections that not even the other chosen have been given, plus he has a very strong soul. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been chosen in the first place, no matter who his ancestor was.”

At that point Johnny jumped in, “Hey, if Liu’s death was caused by someone breaking the rules couldn’t he be brought back like…well I was.”

At that moment, the wind picked up scattering ash and sparks all around. Fujin appeared and said, “You have got to be kidding me. There is no way that the chosen are not going to Outworld they are needed here…”

Rayden said, “The plan is to leave behind some of the remaining chosen. Nightwolf’s abilities would be sorely hampered in Outworld and he would be better suited to shore up Earth’s mystical defenses. Stryker is also to stay behind and see to the more mortal aspect of the defenses. Unless, I’m mistaken he has already been given full clearance with the OIA and temporary command of its resources.”

”What?!” exclaimed Stryker as Sonya nodded.

Then Kuravan stepped up and added, “And Kabal will be remaining as well since I have further need of his services here and is quite suited to ensuring the shadier aspects of Earth’s defenses are in place not to mention possible means of retreat. After all, they didn’t call the Dragon King’s army undefeatable for nothing.”

”If they’re so undefeatable, “countered Althea, “Then why are they all dead and forgotten. Then again, you were always the type to step back and hide while others do your fighting and dieing for you.”

Kuravan’s eyes flared up as Kabal and Kira pulled out their weapons. Althea stood up with flamed engulfed fists as Sonya and Jax moved to back her up. Johnny just shook his head and sighed, as if knowing the peaceful co-existence between the two groups was too good to last.

“ENOUGH!” the ground shook with Rayden’s thunderous roar. Kuravan turned to face Rayden with a snarl as a large black khopish with silver trim appeared in his hand. “Try it Kuravan, “said Rayden with his own eyes flashing, “Stopping Shang and the others is more important but I’m more than ready for a rematch.”

Kuravan gave a short laugh as his weapon vanished. “It would be a waste of energy, “said Kuravan, “After all, you’re no longer a real threat to my goals since you insulted the Elder Gods but those sorcerers while carry those cursed swords are as is that…traitor.”

”Now that we got that established, “said Rayden, “Here’s the plan…”

(Chinese Countryside)

Shujinko sighed tiredly as he heard his joints pop as he stood up in the bus and threw an old worn leather backpack over one shoulder. Gods…he hated getting old. You would think the Elder Gods would at least keep their chosen warrior young so that he could complete his mission before dieing of old age. Instead they seem fit that he would age faster than normal, thanks to having to go wading in that cursed pool in the Netherrealm. Stepping off the public transportation in the middle of the Chinese countryside, he ignored the dust cloud as the bus drove off. He walked towards a small, grassy hill in the distance. As he approached it, the world around him seemed to melt away for a few moments to be replaced by a strange stone column lined circle with what appeared to be nothingness beyond them. Long use to the sight, he acted as if he didn’t even notice as he continued walking towards the stone altar and knelt before it briefly. A bright light appeared above the temple and a kind voice spoke, “Welcome back, Shujinko. I hope that your journey has proved fruitful.”

Shujinko stood up and tried his best to ignore his kneels creaking as he did. He removed the backpack from his shoulder and opened it to pull out a flat, crystalline, gold and white ying-yang colored item about the size of two hands laid flat together. Shujinko smiled for the first time that day and held up the item saying, “I got the last Kamidogu, now all that is needed is the medallion.”

”Excellent, “answered the voice as the light brightened noticeably, “Why not take a rest while I research where the medallion might be. You got this one sooner than I expected or hoped.”

Shujinko nodded as he placed the Kamidogu in its place on the altar and turned to walk out as the light vanished. As he approached the edge of the circle instead of the normal melting away of the Nexus, it stayed solid and he had to stop otherwise he would have fallen into the void beyond. “Strange, “the old man muttered. A loud growl came from behind and he turned to see a large eight foot skeleton looking creature with glowing red eyes. “Crap,”said Shujinko as flames started flickering through the monster’s fangs.

The End…

Next time on MK: Echoes of the Past…

The quiet sounds of footsteps caused the two guarding male vampires to turn. The both bowed before the approaching females and moved aside to allow them to pass. Nitara stepped forward, followed by Lillith and Arianna.

next chapter [31]