Close Encounters (Bi-Han/Sub-Zero x Reader)

Close Encounters of the Departed Kind

He was done for. He was finished.

Bi-Han could barely breathe from the beating he was taking. The open door to the fighting cage caught his eye and he made for it. His body ached. He had lost far too much blood for him to win this fight but he might, just might have enough energy to escape from it. But a thought crossed his mind, what would happen if he was unsuccessful in his mission? He worked with Shang Tsung, yes but the Lin Kuei were his reasons for ending Hanzo's bloodline. Should they ever find out he failed his mission so many hundreds of years ago then his life would surely end regardless. One way or another he was done for and he would much rather die in battle, serving his clan with honor than run away like a coward. He had never left a mission unfinished before and he certainly wasn't about to start now.

And so he turned around to face the two men, although his entire body ached and trembled.

He tore off his cowl in an attempt to let more air pass into his sinking lungs but blood was already filling them. There was no way he could win this and he knew that. He knew that when he left you this morning. Part of him wished he had just stayed with you, not even left the warmth and safety of your embrace, but he could never live with himself for even contemplating deserting his clan.

The events of the next few minutes flew by without him registering much, he was there in body of course but his mind was somewhere else entirely. He mostly thought of you, of your sweetness and your solace. He found comfort in knowing he'd secured your release from Shang Tsung that same day, that he'd done at least one certainly good thing. He relished in the peace that had come with having felt the warm embrace of another, of you. You were more than he deserved and then some and just having been in your presence humbled him greatly. And he knew you would be alright, you were more than capable of taking care of yourself. He just had to hope that you would live a good life, a full life.

Bi-Han hadn't the time to process Hanzo's return to the land of the living nor did his mind really register that these were his final moments, that he was dying. Flames soon surrounded him, licking harshly at his skin.

The very last thing he saw was fire. He could have almost mistaken its brightness for that of the sun.

When you stepped through Shang's portal you recognised the place instantly from your visions. The light reflecting and refracting through the ice was almost blinding. The one thing that changed from your vision now was the group of Earthrealm's champions who stood huddled around one another off to the side. They look threatened by your presence and that of Shane Tsung, but you paid them no mind.

Your eyes scanned the room frantically, hoping, just praying that maybe Bi-Han had turned around and left the fight. A charred body in the centre of the fighting cage caught your eye and you felt your entire body deflate. You ran to him and sank down to your knees at his side.

"Bi-Han," You called out to him, your voice barely a whisper as you spoke, your voice barely a whisper as you looked him over for any sign of life. But he was already dead. There wasn't a single flicker of light left behind his bright eyes. Tears threatened to spill from your eyes as you took in just how awfully he was hurt. Charred flesh peeled away from his body and blood hung from his lip.

You took his hand on your own and squeezed it as if holding it would somehow bring him back. But his body stayed still apart from the breeze that rustled his hair and the flaking matter that covered him. Shang Tsung approached you and Bi-Han's body turned to smoke, slipping through your fingers and fading into the air.

That was it, he was gone.

"Should his life end whilst he served me, he made me promise to grant you your freedom. So now you have it." Shang started speaking with his usual grandeur, no regard for the loss of his most lethal ally evident in his voice, "I am sorry to say it will be short lived for I cannot grant our enemy such an advantage by potentially having you on their side."