Tag: Odeena Skywalker

[ratings]
Wanderer

by Odeena Skywalker
——————————————————————————–

Diva’s eyes slowly opened as she came round; unfocused at first, confused and tired afterwards. The first thing she saw was Liu Kang’s concerned face. The warrior was looking towards somewhere behind her, she couldn’t see what it was.

“Liu…”

Liu turned to her, and a little smile played across his features for a second. “Welcome back.”

Diva slowly stood up and rubbed her temples. “Are we in the Netherealm?” she asked, although she aleady knew the answer all-too-well.

“Yes”, came the reply.

“Great”, she muttered. “I was starting to think I’m hallucinating, and that wouldn’t have been good at all. What happened, anyway?”

“Well, you… um, passed out.”

“Just like that?”

“Yeah, just like that.”

Diva rubbed her temples again. “It was almost as if someone hit me in the head with a mace”, she grumbled silently. “Everything just… went dark.”

Liu raised an eyebrow. “Okay, that’s one strange thing. But how come we got to the Netherealm, of all the places? I have every reason to believe you didn’t want us to end up here.”

“I didn’t. This is probably Quan-Chi’s doing.”

“Well, undo it”, Liu snapped.

“My thoughts exactly.” She got to her feet, raised a hand and focused, trying to open a portal. Nothing happened.

“Something’s wrong”, she stated as she focused harder. Again, nothing happened.

“Well, what is it? What’s wrong?” Liu asked impatiently.

“My powers…” Diva’s eyes widened at the discovery. “They’re–they’re gone!”

“What…?”

“Quan-Chi”, Diva said bitterly. “If this is anyone’s doing, it’s his. His powers are tremendous in Outworld.”

“Well, that’s just great”, Liu mused. “What do we do now?”

Diva sighed. “This is the Netherealm. Without my powers, we’re as good as dead.”

“That’s negative thinking”, Liu said, trying to lighten the mood. Suddenly, a thought occured to him. “Diva…”

She glared at him. “Yes?”

“Why are we here?”

She kicked at a small rock in frustration. “I already told you, Quan-Chi–”

“No, not that. Why did you help me escape? Why did you put an entire Realm at risk for me?”

Diva shuddered slightly. “I… We have to find water”, she said suddenly. “I can still sense water, and I’m guessing there’s a spring here somewhere.” She started towards the entrance which the stone dragon seemed to be guarding. Liu shrugged to himself and followed her. Back in Outworld, even with Diva’s aid, his death became inevitable. At least here, he had a fighting chance, although he didn’t bet high on his odds.

None of the two fighters noticed the changes which silently occured with the stone dragon during their brief talk. Its body glowed faintly, and shards of rock began to fall, revealing dark emerald scales. Slowly, the gigantic statue came to life.

When Liu noticed the fact, it was already too late. The beast unleashed a demonic shriek, and a seemingly endless wave of flames swept the shore.

~

The chamber was lit by hundreds of candels, each and every one of them spreading a faint oriental scent in the air. Altars to the Elders were carved dirrectly into the stone walls, and statues of strange shapes casted trembling and dark shadows around.

In the center of the shrine, Lord Rayden, God of Thunder and Protector of the Earth realm, stood, meditating.

The god tried to clear all thoughts from his mind and reached out, trying to sense the mind of Earth’s champion, Liu Kang. He knew that Liu Kang was still alive, just as he knew Kitana was dead. Still, he couldn’t reach out to him, and this was what concerned the Thunder God more than anything else.

The flames of the candels trembled slightly, and a gentle breeze filled the room, as Fujin, God of Winds, materialized in the shrine. Sensing his presence, Rayden opened his eyes.

“Fujin”, he said quietly.

“Hello, Rayden.” The younger god appeared a little uncomfortable. “How are things?”

Rayden sighed. “I can’t find Liu anywhere. He’s alive, I know that–but I just can’t reach him. It’s almost as if something’s blocking me.”

“Have you tried to break through whatever it is?” Fujin asked. Rayden shook his head slightly.

“It’s too strong, even for me. It’s almost as this spell would be protecting an entire Realm from–”

Suddenly, Rayden’t eyes widened, and he bolted upright. “That’s it! I think I know where he is!” Raising his staff, Rayden disappeared in a flash of lightning without anything else.

Fujin sighed. “I hate it when he does that”, he grumbled silently; then, he teleported away.

~

Liu’s thoughts raced, but he couldn’t find a way out of the situation. Acting by instinct, he threw himself down, pulling Diva with him. The flames passed inches away from the two; they barely had time to roll out of the way, and a new jet of flames hit the ground where they had been standing a moment ago.

“Go for the tunnel!” Liu shouted, jumping aside as the tail of the dragon swept past him.

Diva bolted towards the dark entrance and disappeared in the shadows, and Liu quickly followed. “Keep running!” he shouted as he heard another feral shriek behind him. In an instant, a thought occured to him, and he threw himself through a side entrance just as a jet of flames filled the entire tunnel. The heat was unbearable, and Liu crawled away. This seemed to last forever, until, with a last shriek, the fire eventually died down. Liu climbed shakily to his feet.

“Diva?” he called out. There was no response. He felt his heart in his throat. “Diva?” he called again. The echo travelled back and forth between the stone walls and gradually fainted, before the answer finally came.

“Here!” Diva’s voice had come from somewhere ahead.

Liu started forward, when he suddenly sensed an incomming attack, and he raised his hand, grabbing someone’s fist. “Hey!” he shouted, twisting the aggressor’s arm; immediately, he heard a faint gasp, and a voice, “Liu? Is that you?”

“Diva?”

“Yes, it’s me. Let… go!”

Liu released her arm, still startled. “Are you alright?”

“A little scorged, but… I’m fine. You?”

“Same here… That was close.”

“Too close”, she sighed. “And now, we don’t even know where the hell we are…”

“You said you could sense some water around.”

“Uh… yeah. This way…”

Liu didn’t move. “Which way? I can’t see a thing!”

“Oh… right.” She took his arm and gently yanked it. “This way.”

They started to walk forward, leaning against the wall for support.

“Blind as bats”, Liu commented sarcastically.

“What are bats?” Diva asked, suddenly interested.

“Little creatures that live in dark places”, Liu replied. “They kinda look like mice with wings. You’ve never heard of bats before?”

“We didn’t have any in Eccelsia”, she answer. “Mice with wings, hmm? They must look… interesting.”

Suddenly, she stumbled on something, and lost balance for a second. Liu instinctively caught her, and she found herself in his arms. They remained still for a second, then Liu slowly helped her up.

“Thank you…” she trailed off, uncertain of what to say next, and Liu realised that he was still holding her hand. Gently, he wrapped his other arm around her; after a second, she stopped even pretending to try and get away.

~

An infinity of realms passed before Reiko’s eyes in mere seconds.

Where are you? he thought out, as he frantically searched for Diva’s familliar presence. Where did you go…?

He waited a few moments for a response, but there was none. Reiko sighed, and then he resumed his search.

~

The stone creature seemed to grow out nowhere. Liu barely had time to push Diva aside; however, he didn’t have time to block the incoming hit, and he was thrown into the rocky wall by the tremendous force. A sharp edge drew through his shoulder, and he shrieked in pain. Diva didn’t think twice; drawing out her twin blades, she attacked.

It was like striking blows against a wall. The creature barely flinched; then, with just one hit, sent her crashing into the wall. The last thing she saw was a dark hand coming down towards her; then, everything went dark.

~

He had no idea as to where he was, or how he had gotten there. There was a level, constant pain in his right shoulder, and when he tried to move his arm, he could hardly resist the urge to scream.

He immediately felt a cold hand reaching for his forehead, and he heard a voice. He couldn’t quite make out the words, but the urgent tone was obvious. As far as he could understand, the voice asked him to stay still. Then he realised it was Diva who was speaking, and he relaxed a bit, knowing that she was alive and she was with him. Sighing, he gave in to the weakness in his body, and he drifted away once more.

~

“Liu…?”

There was no response, and Diva sighed and leaned her forehead against the bars. Her head still hurt from the hit she had received from the creature, but apart from that, she was all right. It was Liu who concerned her the most. He had been unconscious for a while now, and he had only come to it for a few moments before fading again. Diva knew very little about wounds, but she could tell that Liu’s was serious.

As far as she could tell, they were prisoners. They were locked in a cage, settled high above, on a rock platform. They were in a bigger cavern now, and it was lit by a stream of lava which surrounded the entire area. Below, she could see a few dozens of rock creatures, and in the light, they looked even bigger and more threatening. She didn’t know what was going to happen to them, but one thing was for sure: it was not good.

~

Danger!

The thought occured to him out of nowhere. He could almost feel danger surrounding him. The feeling was so strong, that Reiko seemed lost for a second. Tensing, he shrugged it all off, before a sudden realisation dawned on him. Opening a portal, he hurriedly stepped through it. His only hope was that he wouldn’t be too late.

~

‘In your next battle, use the ellement which gives life…’

It was cold, so cold. Liu shivered. The tunnel was narrow and dark, but he only had one thought in mind: somehow, he had to get through, he had to get to the other side.

‘Why am I doing this?’ he thought to himself as he struggled forward. ‘Why…’

A faint cry for help reached him, and he started to run blindly towards where it had come from. One turn, then another… The cry echoed again, closer this time. One last turn, and a bright burst of light hurt his eyes. He staggered backwards, and suddenly he found himself trapped. He opened his eyes and he realised he was sinking in a pool of lava. Sharp bolts of pain drew through his body as he struggled in a futile attempt to free himself.

~

Liu left out a soft whimper. He couldn’t fight the nightmare. He was too weak to even try.

~

Something was going on. A faint murmur was suddenly heard among the creatures, then, one of them got up. Another handed it a spear, as a few more cheered in low, unnatural voices. The creature slowly started towards the cage.

~

Diva knew resistance was futile. She slowly drew backwards, as the creature approached the cage, a low, feral snarl barely audible from its clenched jaws. It raised its spear, ready to strike.

Afterwards, things happened at an amazing speed. In the same instant the creature thrust the spear forward, a portal opened at the far end of the island, and silver ninja star hissed through the air. The spear broke in half, its tip passing inches away from Diva’s shoulder. The creature spunned around frantically, but it was already too late. A great ball of fire struck it, and, as it staggered backwards, it fell into the lava stream with a shriek.

Reiko appeared where it had been standing, a ninja star in each hand. He opened the cage lock with a kick, then turned his attention back to the other creatures, which were slowly advancing towards them. He raised his hands, and a rain of fire started out of nowhere. He smiled to himself as the creatures ran around, desperately trying to shield themselves as sharp bolts drew through their bodies, and, finally, there were none left.

“Reiko!” Diva rushed forward and embraced him. She tried to say something, but instead she broke down crying against his shoulder. “Thak you!” she managed between sobs.

“It’s alright.” Reiko did his best to sound calm, but anger was boiling deep within. “It’s okay, it’s all over now.”

She pulled back a little to gaze into his sky-blue eyes. “I’m sorry”, she nearly whispered. “I didn’t-I just-”

“It’s alright”, Reiko repeated. “You…” he paused for a moment, uncertain of what to say. “You did what you thought was right. Even though you risked the entire realm of Eccelsia by doing so”, he finished grimly.

“He was going to die!” Diva protested faintly. “And I… well, I owed him”, she finished under her breath.

“For killing your father?”

“For releasing me! Had there not been for him and the other Earth warriors, I would’ve ended up an assassin for Kahn, or Creator knows what. You know that.”

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds.

“Shinnok sent me after you”, Reiko stated quietly. “He wants you alive.”

Diva’s eyes widened. “You’re not… going… to…” she trailed off. “What will happen if you don’t bring us in?” she asked instead.

“I don’t know”, Reiko confessed.

He was in a dilemma. One side of him urged him to deliver the fugitives to Shinnok-and insure his realm’s safety. Yet, another side of him didn’t want to. He knew what would follow then-death, for both of them. And then, probably, his punishment would come as well.

Suddenly, Reiko’s shoulders straightened up. His decision was made. If there was anyone to pay for this, then he would take the blame alone. He relied on the fact that Shinnok needed his services as a general, and thus wouldn’t want to loose the only trading card he had.

But on the other hand, Shinnok had other generals as well. What if…

“Reiko?”

He snapped out of his thoughts. “What?”

Diva pointed towards the entrance of a tunnel. A few creatures were coming out, waving spears and clubs and unleashing deep battle screams.

“We have to get out of here”, Reiko said hurriedly.

“Wait… what about Liu?”

Reiko threw her an inquiring glance, but she looked away. Sighing, he closed his eyes, and the three teleported away, just as a few spears made their way towards the spot where they had been standing.

~

They were now on a small island, surrounded by lava. Diva sighed, and she sat down, taking Liu’s hand. She still felt his pulse, and that gave her confidence for now.

“I can’t help you any more”, Reiko stated. “If either Shinnok or Quan-Chi find out…”

He didn’t have to finish the sentence. Both him and Diva knew what was going to happen if they did.

“At least… help Liu”.

Reiko narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“You’re a healer, aren’t you? You can help him!”

Reiko sighed. “Diva…”

“Please, Reiko. He will die otherwise, and none of this would have mattered as all.”

“I…”

Reiko sighed again, still undecided. “All right. I’ll do it. For your sake.”

He took Liu’s hand, and closed his eyes. His hand started to glow faintly, as Liu’s wounds slowly closed. All this lasted a few moments; then, Reiko let go. He felt dizzy for a second due to loss of energy, and he shook his head slightly.

“This is all I can do. Anything more, and I won’t have enough energy left to go back.”

“And… what will you tell Shinnok?”

“Shinnok knows little about my full powers. I’ll tell–”

The rest of his sentence was cut off by a loud peal of thunder, and Rayden, God of Thunder, appeared next to them. The god looked around for a second, then his gaze stopped on Reiko. His eyebrows frowned, and the air around him began to crackle with electricity.

Diva stepped in between the two. “Leave him alone!” she shouted, drawing out her blades, although she knew she didn’t stand a chance against the god. “He didn’t do anything!”

“Diva! Back off!” Reiko said sharply. “If it’s a fight he wants, then it’s a fight he gets.”

Reiko shoved her aside, and a fireball formed between his hands. The same instant, Rayden raised his staff, and Reiko barely had time to dive out of the way. Rayden kept sending bolts of electricity towards him, and one of them his its target. Reiko resisted the urge to scream and unleashed a wave of ninja stars at the god. Rayden teleported out of sight.

Reiko drew in a sharp breath. “Where did he go?” he said to himself, glaring in all directions. Around the same time, Liu began to awaken.

“Liu!” Diva ran off to him and gently helped him to a sitting position. “Are you all right?”

“I… guess so, yes…” Liu looked around, and found Reiko standing a few steps away, crouched in a defensive position. His whole body tensed.

“It’s all right”, Diva said hurriedly. “He’s the one who healed you.”

“He is?” Liu raised an eyebrow. “Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but he looks even worse than I do. What happened?”

“What happened? Rayden happened”, Diva said bitterly.

“What? …oh, no!”

A sudden movement caught Diva’s eye, and she turned just in time to see Rayden materialize. His bolts caught Reiko off guard, and the general fell to the ground.

“Reiko!” Diva shouted, bolting towards him.

“Rayden! No! They’re friends!” Liu shouted at the same time.

Rayden raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“They saved me!” Liu said quickly. “Had there not been for them, I would be dead by now!”

All of the sudden, a low groan echoed in the cavern.

“The stone creatures!” Diva exclaimed, turning towards a tunnel entrance.

It was, indeed, the creatures. Giant, strong and mercyless, they were running towards the four.

Reiko jumped back to his feet and turned to Rayden. “Get them out of here!” he shouted. “Now!”

“But what about–”

“Go with them!” Reiko shouted, starting to fire upon the creatures. “Please”, he added in a whisper. “Go!”

Rayden nodded and created a portal. After shooting a few lightning bolts at the creatures himself, Rayden stepped through it, carrying Liu. Diva cast one last glance at Reiko, then she followed as well, and the portal closed behind her.

Reiko glanced behind and he nodded to himself; then, he opened a portal, and jumped through it as well, just as the first creatures reached the place where he had been a moment before.

~

The sun was setting in a blaze over the desert; from a low peak, a lone figure stood silently. She watched it until the last rays of light died in the distant horizon, then started to head back to the Temple of the Elder Gods, when she suddenly found a tall figure standing in front of her.

“Liu? Is that you?” she questioned, squinting.

“I was worried”, Liu Kang replied. “I couldn’t find you anywhere, so I figured you’d be here.”

“I was just… thinking.” Diva shuddered. “I didn’t know it gets so cold here.”

“Yeah, it’s a bit chilly. Let’s head inside.”

Liu wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and she didn’t protest.

“Liu?”

“Yes?”

“Earlier today, you asked me why would I put an entire realm at risk for you”, she said quietly.

Liu stopped to glare at her, but couldn’t see her face in the dark. “Yes?”

“Shinnok had… made a decision. They were going to have you fight Goro. To the death.”

“I could’ve taken him”, Liu said reassuringly.

“Not in the condition you were into. And if you were to win, you would’ve fought another warrior, and another. It was a death sentence.”

Liu smiled. “In this case, I am even more in your debt.”

“It doesn’t matter. If anybody’s owing to anyone, that would be me.”

Then, the two headed silently for the Temple and disappeared inside.

~

“Incompetent!”

Shinnok’s eyes started to glow menacingly. “You left them get away?” he shouted, and everyone else present flinched. Reiko bowed his head.

“Rayden… couldn’t be taken. I appologise.”

“Fool!” A green bolt of energy strook Reiko in the chest, and the general was thrown a few steps away. He gasped and tried to get up, but his legs refused to support him.

Shinnok turned to his personal guards. “Get him out of my sight”, he ordered.

“Shall we kill him, master?” one of the masked ninjas inquired.

Shinnok seemed to consider the alternative for a moment. “No… Take him to his chambers.” The two ninjas nodded as they helped Reiko up and left.

“You know he lies”, Quan-Chi stated, matter-of-factly.

“Yes, sorcerer, I know that. But I believe he can still be of use for us.” Shinnok chuckled to himself. “Yes… It is time to use my highest card in this game.”

“And which is that?” Quan-Chi questioned, narrowing his eyes.

Shinnok chuckled again, and his eyes glowed menacingly.

“The Realm of Eccelsia.”

Escape

by Odeena Skywalker
——————————————————————————–

A few days passed without any sign from Diva. Sometimes, Liu thought it had been only a dream; but the spring was there, its clear, bright water dripping down the same sharp rock, and each time he drank from it, he felt he grew stronger. The thick darkness which seemed to surround him whenever he stood up, or made a sudden move, was now gone, and when he tried, he managed to do a simple kata, from one end to another, even though he had to lay down abruptly afterwards for fear he would faint.

And then she came. Being totally awake now, Liu saw her materializing from the shadows. He did his best to hide his astonishment however.

“Hello, Liu”, she said smiling.

Liu smiled as well. “I was starting to think you’d never show up”.

“Well, I’ve been… busy”, she told him, and she leaned against the bars, sighing. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Liu approached and took her hand. “Is something wrong?” he asked gently. Then, he spotted a burnt mark on her shoulder. “What…”

Diva followed his gaze. “Oh… that. Long story.” She sighed again. “Mind if I… come in?”

Liu smiled a bit at this. “Sure, be my guest. I’m afraid I don’t really have much treats around”, he continued as she disappeared and reappeared in his cell a second later. “There isn’t plenty of room, either.”

Diva smiled. “Don’t worry about the treats”, she chirped, “I have that covered. And about the room… well, this isn’t too much of a problem, either.” She leaned against the wall casually. “See? All settled.”

Liu was a bit puzzled by her sudden change of mood, but decided it was better not to push in at the moment. “You were saying something about some treats?” he asked tentatively.

“Yeah…” She reached for a hidden pocked and took out a small leather bag. “Ready?”

Liu nodded.

“Close your eyes and give me your hand.”

He obeyed, although he was, again, puzzled. Suddenly it occured to him that he was always puzzled around her. He felt something fall onto his opened palm.

“Can I open my eyes now?” he asked.

“All right… yes.”

Liu gazed down, and found that he was holding a few strange objects in his hand now: a few small, red spheres, two yellow cubes, a green cylinder, and a long, thin, blue stripe.

“What are those?” Liu asked, eyeing the shapes warrily. “Are they… umm, god candy?”

She smiled. “Right on.”

“I…” Liu tried not to expose his doubts. “Is it good?” he said instead.

“You don’t trust me”. It was rather a statement.

“No, no, I just–”

“Okay then, I’ll try them first. Point a color.”

“Umm… try the red one.” Liu didn’t sound too convinced. His instincts told him not to trust her; still, there were times when his instincts were wrong.

Diva took one of the red spheres and gulped it down. The next second she made a face.

“Cherry flavour. I don’t like cherries,” she explained at his puzzled look. “So. Still don’t trust me?”

Liu shrugged, then picked up one of the yellow cubes. “Here goes nothing…” he muttered under his breath, and he shoved it into his mouth. The next second, he felt a sweet lemon taste, and suddenly he felt lighter.

“This is great”, he mumbled, remembering too late that he was talking with his mouth full. “Sorry.”

“No problem. Glad you like it.”

Liu chuckled, amused. Of all the things that could have happened, the idea of a goddess giving him god candy was one thing he didn’t think about.

Diva tilted her head to one side. “Why are you smirking?” she asked, puzzled.

Liu chuckled again. “Nothing. Aren’t you going to have another?”

“No. I brought there for you. I have my own.”

“Alright then…” Liu took the cylinder and shoved it into his mouth. “Do all Immortals eat this sort of stuff?” he asked.

Diva looked at him in puzzlement. “Um… why?”

“Because if they do, I’m going to kill Rayden for not sharing any with us.”

She smiled proudly. “Actually, not many get this kind of sweets. They’re very rare. Reiko gave me some right before we came here.”

Liu frowned, and Diva realized she’d made a mistake. “I’m… sorry”, she nearly whispered. “I shouldn’t have…” she trailed off.

“What’s going on between you and Reiko?” Liu asked, silent, but determined.

Diva closed her eyes and sighed. “You’d hate me if I told you”, she said quietly. “You wouldn’t understand.”

Liu couldn’t tell whether he was confused, furious or both. Uncertain of what to do, he took her hand. “I couldn’t hate you, even if I wanted to”, he replied gently. “You saved my life. Please, tell me.”

“You promisse?”

Her voice shook a bit, and she did her best to hold back the tears she felt uprising.

“I promisse.”

“Alright.”

She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

“Shao Kahn–the one who you defeated in Mortal Kombat–is… was, my father.”

Liu’s eyes widened, but he remained silent as she went on.

“I don’t know who my mother is. Only Kahn knew, and he took that secret with him when he died. Reiko told me that my mother died at birth, and Shao Kahn told Reiko to take me to the Netherealm and prepare me to become one of his generals. But Reiko disobeyed his master, and didn’t take me to the Ziggurat, like he had been told to.”

Liu shuddered. Not even Immortals used to talk about the Ziggurat very often. It was thought to be somewhere in the Netherealm, a temple of damnation, home for the darkest souls in all the known Realms. The very thought made his hair stand on end and, despite his courage, he shuddered.

“Instead, he raised me like I was his own”, she continued. “I grew up in a small shaolin temple, somewhere in the realm of Eccelsia. Reiko wasn’t around all the time – most of the time he was carrying out Shao Kahn’s orders – but when he came, we used to spend hours together. I showed him what I had learned, and he used to show me some of his own katas. Other times, we used to go deep into the woods which surrounded the temple. We had out own secret place, a clearing, somewhere, on top of a hill.”

She looked him straight in the eye. “He taught me everything I know, Liu. He is the closest thing to a father I’ve ever had.”

Liu was silent for a moment.

“He was one of Shao Kahn’s most trusted generals”, he finally said. “Why would he disobey his master like that?”

“The Ziggurat is the most terrifying place in all the known Realms. He’s not how you think, Liu. He has a heart, too.”

“Then why did he obey Kahn?” Liu snapped. “Why did he kill millions? Why didn’t he–”

“Liu.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “Do you actually think he wanted to obey Kahn?”

Liu was taken aback for a second. “I… of course he did! Otherwise, why did he–”

“Ever heard of Edenia?”

Liu gave a bitter laugh. “Of course I did.”

“Then you must know what happened there, too.”

“I know. But what’s that got to do with Reiko and Kahn?”

“Edenia was taken by Kahn because Outworld warriors won the tournament ten times… and because the Edenians were too proud. Same thing happened in Eccelsia, too. A long time ago, when Kahn wasn’t even half as powerful as he was when you defeated him, his warriors won the Mortal Kombat tournament. As price for his realm, Reiko sworn loyalty to him. The reason he was so ever-obediant, was because, at the slightest sign of treachery, Kahn would have destroyed his Realm.”

“His Realm…?” Liu Kang repeated numbly. “You mean…”

“Yes. He was–is–a deity. Just like I am.”

Diva glared at him, unable to hold back her tears any more. “So, do you hate me now?”

A strange mixture of emotions raged through Liu’s mind. Comprehension and anger, mercy and blame, regret and compassion. But on top of all that was a question.

“What have you been doing the past few days?” it almost sounded as if he wasn’t even aware of the questions he was asking. “Where have you been?”

“All this time?” She gave a bitter laugh. “Shinnok wanted to see if I was worthy of being one of his generals. All this time, I had to fight his best warriors. I guess I impressed him after I fought prince Goro.”

“Goro?” Liu was astonished. “I thought he was killed–”

“Well, he was, until Quan Chi ressurected him somehow.”

“And… you have that–” he motioned towards her scar “–from him?”

“The scorge? I got that from Reptile. No mortal has the power to hurt a deity, you know that, but somehow, Reptile managed to get me–pretty bad, too. Him and Goro were the only ones I couldn’t beat.”

“No wonder”, Liu muttered under his breath. Goro, the Shokan prince, had been hard enough to defeat in the original tournament. The warrior had no doubt that Quan-Chi had added some sorcery of his own. “How’d you take him?”

She shuddered a bit. “Not that good. Well, to be straight… he nearly killed me. That’s why I couldn’t come.”

“And Shinnok allowed all this?” Liu nearly shouted.

Diva put a calming hand on his shoulder. “Liu, please, calm down. Shinnok doesn’t need weak fighters in his army.”

“And Reiko? Why didn’t he say anything?”

“He can’t”, Diva reminded him. “Eccelsia, remember?”

“Oh… yeah.”

She sighed tiredly. “I don’t know why all this is happening to me,” she muttered. “I don’t want to be a general in Shinnok’s army. I just want to go home.”

Suddenly she bolted up. “I have to go”, she said hurriedly.

“Telepathic call?” Liu asked.

“Yes. I’ll see you later then.”

With that, she disappeared.

~

The days passed, one after another. By now, Liu was used to Diva arriving when he least expected it. Then, they usually talked about things, and, time after time, Liu told her all about his life: the Temple of the Order of Light, the tournaments, the other chosen fighters, and so on. In turn, Diva told him about Eccelsia, about the temple where she had grown up, and about Reiko. Occasionally, she would bring some more of the sweets Liu had turned to like so much.

“I’m freaking Reiko out with these”, she commented once. “He keeps telling me that sweets are fattening.” Then, she smiled a bit. “I don’t recall asking for so many even when I was little-and trust me, I used to eat a lot then.”

The spring water was enough for Liu Kang though. He had made a full recovery as time passed–and now he felt ready for anything.

But neither of them was prepared for what lied ahead. And things were soon going to take a turn for the worse.

~

Liu opened his eyes and sighed. He slowly got to his feet, then stretched his arms. Making sure that none of the guards were around, he went for the spring and took a sip.

“What the-” he muttered.

For a strange reason, the water tasted sourly. He shrugged, then set up to do the usual kata he began each ‘day’ with.

~

It was later in the ‘afternoon’, and Liu was resting. A few minutes ago, he had tried the spring water again, and this time it had tasted almost like it usually did, but the sour tase was still in. Suddenly, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps, and he sat up and listened. It sounded like someone was coming towards his cell, or rather, running. A second later, Diva rushed into view and nearly collided with the bars. She looked around and seemed to be lost for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. A wave of her hand, and the bars disappeared.

“What–” Liu started, but she cut him off with an impatient gesture. The same second, the spring disappeared.

“I’m getting out of here”, she said hurriedly, panting. “And you’re coming with me.”

Liu could only stare at her. “But–but what about Eccelsia?”

“Forget that”. She grabbed his arm. “We have to go now, before–”

The sound of approaching footsteps cut her off.

“–the guards arrive?” Liu finished, raising an eyebrow as he spotted four ninja guardians approaching.

“Stop!” one of them yelled. Another rushed to get help, as Liu and Diva both took defensive poses.

“This is gonna be fun”, Liu mused, just as a ninja charged him. Ducking out of the way, he sent the guard into the wall with a kick, face-first. The ninja spun around almost instantly, and his fist exploded in Liu’s stomach. Taken offguard, Liu staggered backwards as the ninja charged him again.

Meanwhile, Diva was having difficulties of her own. She desperately jumped up, managing to avoid a kick from one of the guardians. Just as she landed, the other one tripped her, and she fell. She rolled out of the way, barely avoiding another kick. She stood up and put her back against the wall.

“Not good”, she muttered, as the two ninjas approached from different directions, pulling out their swords at the same time. “Not good at all.”

A flash, and curved blades emerged from her bracelets. “Let’s play”, she mused as she charged one of the guardians. The ninja blocked the attack with his own sword, and a fierce battle began. It didn’t last long however, as the Goddess of Oceans was clearly outwitted. Before she knew it, she found herself pinned to the ground, with two swords against her throat.

“This was fun, while it lasted”, one of the guardians said in mock pity. “Good bye”, he finished, as he raised his sword, ready to strike.

Liu’s attack caught both ninjas by surprise. In a matter of seconds, both were on the floor, clutching at their wounds and clearly no threat at all. With a sigh, Liu helped Diva to her feet.

“Thanks”, she said uneasily as the two blades drew back into her bracelets. “But I could’ve taken him.”

“That, I doubt.” Liu waved his katana sword proudly. “Not bad, eh?”

“Yeah… not bad. The problem is, we have to get out of here, and that way-” she motioned towards whrere they had come from “-is blocked.”

“Are there any other exits?” Liu asked quickly, catching the sound of more guards approaching.

“Not as I know.”

“So what do we do now?”

“I’ll tell you what we’ll do. Run!” Diva yelled, just as a steel arrow passed only inches away from Liu’s throat.

“Sounds like a good plan to me”, Liu yelled back as they both ran deeper into the dark catacomb. “We’re doomed”, he added under his breath.

Suddenly they came to an abrupt halt, nearly colliding into the stone wall.

“Dead end”, Liu observed. “Now what?”

They could already see their followers. There were at least twenty ninjas, advancing towards them and waving their weapons menacingly.

Diva’s mind raced. She was the Goddess of Oceans, so she could have used her ellement to defent both of them, if only–

“Duck!” she yelled as she raised her hand. With a tremendous sound, a thick wall of cascading water emerged from the floor and smashed into the ceiling. The ninjas stepped back, startled.

“Not bad, is it?”

“Not bad”, Liu admitted. “But that won’t hold them off for long.”

He was searching frantically for a sollution, when suddenly, a thought came into his mind.

“Can you… um, form a portal or something?”

“I don’t know”, she replied. “I’ve never tried.”

“Well try it now!” An arrow hissed through the water wall and hit the wall next to Liu. More followed. “And hurry up, please?” the warrior finished, ducking as more arrows came through.

She raised her other hand. “Where to?”

“Anywhere!” Liu snapped.

“Alright…” Something sparkled into the air for a second, then disappeared. Diva sighed in frustration.

“It’s too much!” she yelled “I’ll have to drop the wall. Get ready!”

Liu tensed, and Diva waved her hand again. With a booming noise, the wall collided onto the other side, washing away most of the ninjas. At the same time, a portal began to form in front of them.

Liu glared at it. Portal travelling wasn’t exactly high on his pleasant-things-to-do list, but a quick glance at the ninjas who were recovering fast made his mind. Taking a step forward, he grabbed Diva’s arm. She started forward, but she suddenly froze.

Running through the group of ninjas, general Reiko froze as well. Behind him, the sorcerer Quan-Chi raised his hand, and a green wave of energy bolted towards the two escapees. For a second, Diva’s gaze met with Reiko’s; then, Liu yanked her through the portal, and the universe seemed to collapse in itself.

Colors swirled around like mad, and both Liu and Diva closed their eyes, holding their hands tight. An eternity seemed to pass in mere seconds, then suddenly things reverted back to normal, and the two landed hard.

Liu slowly got up and dusted himself off. “I hate portal travelling”, he grumbled. “Diva? You okay?”

The goddess nodded slowly and got up as well. “I’ll survive”, came the answer as she looked around.

The question came from both warriors at the same time. “Where are we?” There was an unconcealed tone of astonishment in Liu’s voice, while Diva sounded tired and resigned.

The place where they had appeared was nowhere near anything Liu had ever seen before. They were in some sort of cavern, on the bank of what seemed to be an endless ocean of lava. Stones of strange shapes were sticking out of it here and there, and skeletons were pinned to them. On the other end of the bank, there was a giant dragon, carved in stone, and behind it there was the entrance to a dark tunnel.

“Oh, no.”

Diva’s face suddenly went pale, and Liu rushed forward to support her. The thought dawned on him at the same time, yet it was the goddess who spoke it first.

“We’re in the Netheralm”, she whispered, and then she collapsed into his arms, unconscious.

~

The ninjas on either side of Reiko took a step back as the general bowed his head respectfully before his master, Shinnok. The fallen Elder God looked down on his servant with unconcealed fury.

“Your protege has betrayed me”, Shinnok said in a harsh tone.

Reiko said nothing, but he dropped silently to one knee.

“She helped Liu Kang escape”, Shinnok continued.

Quan-Chi took a step forward. “Master, if I may…”

Shinnok turned to the sorcerer. “Yes?”

“I have done a little… trick on the portal the traitor opened. I know they intended to go to Earth realm; but somehow, they ended up in the Netherealm instead”, Quan-Chi stated, his entire attitude a cruel parody of astonishment and confusion.

Unseen by his master, Reiko’s eyes narrowed as Shinnok chuckled silently.

“Reiko.”

The general raised his look. “Master?”

“You can make amends for Diva’s regrettable treachery”, Shinnok started slowly, “or you can watch your entire Realm die.”

Reiko slowly stood up. “Your orders, Lord?”

Shinnok suddenly frowned, his mask of indifference dropping and this revealing the fury that was slowly building inside him. “Bring them to me”, he commanded. “Both of them.”

“As you command, master.” Reiko bowed and started to leave, but Shinnok stopped him with a gesture. “Yes?”

“Bring them alive”, the god hissed through his gritted teeth. “I want to kill them myself.”

The general nodded, then opened a portal and disappeared.

Shattered mirrors: Prologue

by Odeena Skywalker
——————————————————————————–

The narrow passage was barely lit up by half-burnt torches settled against the walls here and there. The holding cells had been carved directly into stone, and each was cold and barren. The weak light casted faint reflections on the thick steel bars, and there was not a sound disturbing the silence of the unholy crypt.

Many of those who had been imprisoned here were immortals; most of them, gods of various realms, who had dared to stand up against the invading forces from the Ourworld, and were now paying the price for their act. All had been defeated, their worlds destroyed and their allies killed. Some hadn’t seen the sun or the sky in millennia; others had slipped into the abyss of insanity over the years. But all had one thing in common. They had defied the renegade Elder God who had started this whole war – they had defied Shinnok.

Confined in one of the cells however, there was a mortal. A fighter from the realm of Earth.

From a distance, it was hard to tell whether the warrior was alive or not. He lay on the cold floor, his long, dark hair sprawled over the rocks in disarray, and his deep, brown eyes wide open.

But he was not dead. No. He was merely… thinking.

Everyone had warned him not to venture into the Outworld alone. Everyone had told him that it was a lost cause. They had all tried to stop him.

But he didn’t listen. When Rayden had told him that Quan-Chi had captured Kitana, rage had blinded him. He had only had one thought in his mind: to free her. At any cost.

At first, it had all been easy. Too easy. Having disposed of the three or four guards, the fighter had sneacked into Shinnok’s fortress, and then, unseen and unheard, had made his way to the fallen god’s throne room.

And then it happened. In a split second, hundreds of fighters had poured into the room. He had tried to fight them, but even with his unmatched strength and skills he was outnumbered. In a matter of seconds, he was immobilized, beaten and bruised.

Then Quan-Chi had appeared–and he was holding Kitana. Weakened and defeated, he could only watch then as the sorcerer had stolen the princess’ soul, slowly, enjoying her agony, laughing at his lack of power; a terrifying laugh, a laugh which would torment his mind each and every moment from then on.

Suddenly, he heard a faint sound, and felt another presence. Despite himself, Liu Kang turned his gaze towards where the noise had come from.

At first, the only thing he saw was a pair of deep, emerald-green eyes; then, as if materializing from the shadows, the face of a woman came to sight.

She looked very young; probably, no more than sixteen or seventeen years old. She had long, brown hair, and a thin, golden band arched around her forehead. She didn’t say a word; she merely looked at him. But there was something in her eyes that made him trust in her, even though he didn’t know very well why.

A small hand reached for one of the steel bars; the woman shuddered a bit, but her gaze remained pointed at him. One of her thick, gold bracelets caught a ray of light, and it beamed for a second, sending faint refflections around.

Slowly, painfully, the warrior stood up. Not knowing very well why, he tried to reach for her hand. Sensing the move, she pulled back abruptly.

“Who… are you?” Liu whispered, touching the cold bars.

She looked in his eyes, ready to answer, when they both heard the sound of approaching footspeps. In an instant, she seemed to dissolve in the shadows, and Liu threw himself down just as two guards went past. They eyed him suspiciously for one moment, then moved on.

Liu Kang waited until the sound of their footsteps fainted in the distance, then quickly stood up. The sudden move sent flashes of pain through his entire body, and he leaned against the bars and closed his eyes.

A cold hand reached for his, and he opened his eyes. For a second, all he could see were her wide, green eyes; then, she arched back a little.

“You’re… a mortal.” It was more of a statement then a question.

Liu smiled grimly. “How did you know?”

“Your blood”, she answered. “Only mortals bleed.”

She looked him straight in the eye.

“Are you the one who defeated Shao Kahn in Mortal Kombat? Are you Liu Kang?”

Liu nodded weakly.

“I am honored then.”

The warrior was more and more confused. “Are you a deity?”

“Yes. I am the Goddes of the Ocean”, she said, smiling proudly.

“Well, your eyes do remind me of the ocean”, Liu said involuntarely. A memory flashed through his mind: the sun, setting into the ocean as he walked on the beach, alone, with his thoughts…

“Yeah, that’s what the other monks used to say.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What monks?”

She realised what she had just said and her eyes widened. “I… shouldn’t have said that. Please… forget about it, alright?”

Liu was taken aback by the sudden panic he read in her eyes. “O… kay, I’ll… I’ll forget you said anything.”

She relaxed a bit. “Thank you.”

Liu smiled. “No, thank you.”

“What will happen to you, Liu Kang?” she asked in a whisper. “Will… will you die?”

“Yeah, I guess I will.” He had never thought of it before, but now that he had said it, it seemed inevitable. “They left me die here. I didn’t eat, or drink, anything, in–” he stopped in mid-sentence, not wanting to show his weakness “–a while”, he finished quietly.

He could see tears starting to glow in her eyes, and his confusion deepened. Who was this girl – this deity – who, although she seemed to be on Shinnok’s sire, felt sorry for the death of their greatest enemy? Why was she honored to meet the one who had defeated Outworld’s great emperor Shao Kahn? And frst of all, why was she even here?

He was about to say something–when a very familliar voice, a deep, hatred voice, boomed across the narrow catacomb.

“Diva!” came general Reiko’s voice. “Diva, are you here?”

The girl started up. “I have to leave”, she whispered hurriedly. “But I will be back–I promise!” With that, she ran away.

Liu watched her until she went out of sight, then sighed. Somehow, he realised numbly, this meeting had done something almost impossible. Whereas before he was prepared to die, now he found himself thinking that, against all odds, there could have still been a chance. If only…

Suddenly, he heard a faint sound, and he turned around, looking towards where it had come from.

Clear, bright water drippled along a sharp rock, then fell down in a small gathering. It seemed to glow faintly in the dark, and, without knowing very well why, the warrior extended his arm and took a sip.

For a second, he felt nothing; then, the unperceptible smoke which seemed to cloud his vision was gone, and he welt an irresistible wearmth flooding him. Slowly, he laid on the floor, which no longer seemed cold and barren.

“Thank you, Diva”, he whispered.

Then, he slipped into a peaceful sleep.

~

‘In your next battle, use the ellement which gives life.’

The cave was cold and dark, and he felt fear rising. He heard faint cries for help.

‘Kitana?’

He took a step forwars, extending his hands in front of him cautiously, and suddenly, he fell. He shrieked, trying to grab onto something; but the void was mercyless.

‘Liu, if anything happens to me, I just want you to know that–‘

‘Kitana, I have lost everything, and I’m not going to loose you, too.’

He landed hard on something; the same time, cold wines wrapped tightly around him.

‘They’ve got Kitana… There was nothing we could do… there was too many…’

A cold hand reached for his.

‘It will be alright.’ Was that Kitana, who whispered into his ear? But it couldn’t be. Kitana was dead.

‘I love you, Liu Kang.’

‘Just hold still, this won’t hurt you.’

‘Liu, don’t go. It’s a trap, and you know it. Please, listen to me! Don’t go!’

‘But I must save her… I must…’

Hypnotic, green eyes glowed faintly in the dark.

‘Diva?’

‘I love you, Liu Kang. Love you…’

‘Help me!’

The eyes came closer.

‘Your soul–‘

‘Kitana!’

‘–is MINE!’

‘NOOOOO!’

~

Liu bolted upright with a shriek.

“No…” his voice was barely above a whisper. The dream would return, over and over again, to torment his soul. He closed his eyes and, despite himself, a single tear ran down his face. A second later, a cold, small hand wiped it.

“What…?”

Liu opened his eyes. Next to him, Diva smiled, although her eyes showed concern.

“Are you alright?”

Somehow, her voice, her touch, made him feel secure for a moment. “The dream…” he whispered. “It just won’t… won’t go away. It’s all… my fault… that…”

Diva reached for his hand. “It’s alright. It’s over now. You shouldn’t weep on the past. It’s done. You can’t change it.”

He sighed painfully. “I know… But I just wish… wish… that…”

“‘Analyze the past, live the present, and you will be prepared for the future’. Reiko told me that once.”

Liu frowned. What was the connection between Diva and Shinnok’s general? And why, when she spoke of him, he could sense something different in her voice? Was it… affection?

“Listen…”

Liu Kang snapped out of his thoughts.

“I have to go now. Reiko’ll get suspicious if he sees me around here too long.” She frowned for a second. “I hate lying to him about all this”, she confessed. “But you…” she trailed off, looking a bit troubled. “I’ll be back–and I’ll try to snitch some food, too”, she said quickly.

“But how are you going to–”

She giggled and waved her hand, her bracelet sending weird refflections around as she did so. “I’m a deity, remember? Watch.”

Before Liu’s stunned gaze, Diva seemed to liquify, and the next thing he knew, small rivers of water passed the bars of the cell easily. Moments later, she materialized on the other side.

“Take care, Liu Kang. And don’t loose your faith.”

With that, she walked away.