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

Note: Sorry this chapter is kinda short, but I just couldn’t seem to be able to get any more stuff in. The next chapter should be more of a reasonable length.

Chapter Four: First Aid

“Cowards! Worthless, pitiful cowards!” Shinnok roared, “You had Rayden at your mercy and you let him live!”

Four of the Brotherhood, knelt motionless before their lord and master until one spoke, “The God of Wind, Fujin, and an unknown woman interfered.”

”You fear the idiot windgod and a woman more than me?” Shinnok hissed as he raised his now darkness engulfed fist.

”She had weapons whose type has not been seen ages and her aura was like we’ve never seen. We felt it prudent to inform you of her and not to risk the possibility of your involvement being discovered.”

The fallen deity growled as he lowered his hand and considered his servant’s words. “Show me what happened, “he ordered.

About an hour later, Quan Chi smirked as he entered his master’s new throne room. The sorcerer knew that Shinnok would have tried to take over the realm of Earth without him, just to prove that Quan Chi wasn’t as important as he truly was. No doubt the fool found out that Earth was harder to conquer than anyone would have expected. Quan Chi nearly laughed, thinking that someone should have learned by now that taking of Earthrealm was not worth the cost. So why bother, just take what you need and then leave. There were better, easier worlds to ensnare.

The pale sorcerer knelt before his master and said, “I have come as commanded, my Lord.”

Without warning, Quan Chi found himself being held up by Shinnok’s one-handed grip around his throat. His toes barely touching the ground, the sorcerer tried to pry the finger’s from his neck.

”You told me the godslayer was dead!” Shinnok hissed.

Quan Chi tried to say that she was but was unable to say anything around Shinnok’s grip. Somehow, the former Elder God knew what Quan Chi was trying to say and said, “Then how do you explain this?”

The image of a narrow sword blocking a heavier one, flashed across Quan Chi’s mind. Then a different view of the event showed Althea holding the narrow sword saying, “I don’t think so.”

(Scene Change)

”Damn, “Liu said as he checked Rayden’s injury, “I’m not sure how to get this thing out. Whether I pull or push its going to get stuck.”

”Don’t you think we should get him to a doctor?” asked Johnny.

Rayden gave the actor a dirty look from the couch. “Oh yeah…right, “said Johnny realizing that Rayden’s case was…unique. Walking towards a door he said, “Think I’ll go check on that Fujin guy and what’s her name.”

”Did the bolt break through?” asked Sonya as she started to spread out some first aid supplies, “If it did, break the back end without moving it. Then push it the rest of the way.”

”How? It’s made out of metal, “said Liu.

After thinking for a few seconds, Sonya ran out of the room and came back with a black case. Placing it on the coffee table next to the first aid kit, she opened it and pulled out a sliver and black cylinder. Taking one of the crossbow bolts they found outside, she placed it on an old piece of plywood. After making a few adjustments to the cylinder, a narrow beam of red light came out one end and hit the bolt. The smell of burnt metal filled the room, but the bolt remained solid. Undaunted, Sonya made a few more adjustments and tried again. This time where the light touched the bolt, it started to bubble slightly.

“Almost there, “Sonya mumbled as she made a few more adjustments. The beam of light then slide through the metal cutting it in half.

“Hand me another one to make sure, “said Sonya and as Liu handed another bolt to her she said, “By the way, this thing doesn’t exist.”

”Right, “said Liu, “Like beings from another planet, gotcha.”

Sonya just gave Liu a look as she leaned over the thundergod and started to cut away the backend of the bolt. Once the cut through edge was cooled and without warning, she pushed it through and then pulled the bolt out Rayden’s shoulder.

Once that was done, Sonya started to clean the injury when Rayden’s hand came up and grabbed her wrist. He said, “Don’t bother.”

”What?” she said and then noticed that the injury was already starting to close. “Ooookay, “she said as she started to put away the first aid supplies and the ‘non-existent’ tool.

(Scene Change)

”Let me get this straight; you’re Fujin, God of Wind and Rayden’s brother, “said Johnny trying to make conversation.

Fujin nodded as he drank from a soda can. The actor then turned towards the woman looking out one of the windows and asked, “He’s a god, are you a goddess of some sort?”

Fujin nearly choked on his soda and the woman answered “No, “said Althea not sure how much to tell this person, “I’m mortal.”

”So…what’s your connection with Rayden?” asked Johnny. Althea smiled and gave the movie star a ‘Do-you-really-want-to-know’ look. Ignoring the look, Johnny continued, “It’s obvious you know each other and the way Rayden looked at you it was like he was seeing a ghost.”

Althea returned to looking out the window, deciding to ignore the man’s questions. She knew she was being rude, but she just didn’t feel like talking. Tired, so tired. It has been a long day and didn’t seem to be ending anytime soon in spite of the apparent late hour. Twinges of pain, coming through her link with Rayden also irritated her to the point that she wanted to hit something. Especially the bastard that shot Rayden, that one would suffer big time if she ever found him. Althea’s eyes flashed briefly, but unseen by the actor or the windgod. A sudden flare of pain through her shoulder caused her to hiss and grab that shoulder. “Feels like they got the bolt out, “said Althea.

”How….”Johnny started, but stopped when he saw Fujin shake his head.

(Scene Change)

On the roof of the ranch house, a dark figure of a woman stood up as Althea walked away from the window. The woman looked up at the half-moon and a set of bat-like wings unfurled from her back. A few silent flaps and she launched herself into the night sky.

(Scene Change)

Sub-Zero continued driving down the now deserted highway. What did Scorpion mean? He still didn’t fully trust the specter who hunted his family for centuries, but something happened during the Outworld invasion that changed that. For some crazy reason, Scorpion believed he owed the current Sub-Zero. Why this sudden change, the Lin Kuei had no idea but he wasn’t going to argue. Anything that meant one less person hunting him was a good thing.

In the distance, a woman ran across the highway with two men covered from head to toe in black chasing her. For a passing moment, Sub-Zero was just going to continue on but when one of the men stopped to look at the approaching motorcycle, he saw the gray glowing eyes. He gunned his bike to knock over the strange man, but his target threw what appeared to be a ball of shadow blinding him. The bike slid and fell to the side as Sub-Zero cussed under his breath as he jumped off to avoid being stuck under the bike. A woman’s warning scream alerted him in time to dodge an unseen but heard attack. The darkness wore off and Sub-Zero found himself standing between the two men with the woman on the ground a good distance behind one of them.

Sub-Zero dodged another blast of shadow and sent a blast of cold back as a response. The cold hit, freezing the warrior solid. His partner sent a high kick to Sub-Zero’s head, which the Lin Kuei caught and sent the attacker flying into the frozen fighter. The frozen warrior shattered, but before the bits of ice hit the ground they melted and dissolved in mid-air. The remaining fighter jumped up from the ground to his feet, eyes closing slightly as Sub-Zero removed his helmet.

The woman watched as ice and shadow fought in the night, unable to take her eyes away from the scene. Sub-Zero dodged as the dark clad fighter, sent a barrage of punches and kicks. The Lin Kuei warrior then started to send his own attacks, but unlike his opponent’s his landed. Eventually, Sub-Zero was able to land a good kick knocking the fighter far enough away to give him time to summon and send a stronger than normal blast of cold. The shadowy warrior melted away just before the blast hit.

Carefully looking around, Sub-Zero approached the woman and helped her up. In the moon light, he took in her shoulder length black hair and dark skin. The short yellow dress she was wear was torn and dirty from her attempt to escape her attackers. “Are you injured, “Sub-Zero asked and he examined her face, seeing faint bruises, “Why were those men chasing you?”

”I’m….unhurt, thanks to you, “the woman said with an unusual accent, “Are you the one called Sub-Zero?” Suspicion flashed across the warrior’s mind as the woman continued, “Princess Kitana spoke of you and other warrior’s of Earthrealm. I am Tanya of Edenia, those men were ordered to take me back to Outworld.”

”Outworld, “Sub-Zero mumbled tiredly. He went to check his bike, seeing it wasn’t badly damaged he got on and said, “Come on, I know a place you can go.”

(Scene Change)

A pale hand gripped the edge of the desk as he said, “Are you positive it was her?”

Lilith stood emotionlessly before her master and nodded, “There is no doubt. She has changed little since I’ve last seen her.”

”Leave, “Kuravan ordered. Lilith bowed and left the room. Reiko stepped forward and Kuravan stood up. “Tell Kahn I agree to his proposal, “said the Calornian deity, “However, I will require evidence to bring before the council.”

Reiko nodded and said, “I will inform the Emperor. With your leave?”

Kuravan waved his hand slightly to show that the messenger had his permission. Reiko also bowed slightly and left to convey Kuravan’s words to his lord.

Kuravan tapped his fingers on the desk. ‘After all these centuries, you are found to be alive, ‘Kuravan thought, ‘I will just have to correct that.’

The End…….

Next Time on MK: Echoes of the Past

”That is a private matter, “said Rayden forcibly [to Johnny], eyes flashing with sparks of lighting.


next chapter [5]