(SCENE: CHURCH) (POV: OSCAR)
After getting Sub-Zero back to base, Jax started working on freeing him from his cybernetic enslavement. It took around 5 to 10 minutes as Sub-Zero started sounding like he's rebooting.
"That's it. Here goes nothing." Jax says as he wipes both his hands and the sweat off. "You are certain this will work?" Smoke asks. "Hell no! I've never done this before. It's not like there's either an on & off or manual." Jax says as Smoke & Cyrax leans over Sub-Zero face.
"Sub-Zero? Can he hear us?" Smoke asks. "He should. Didn't rip out his audio receptors." Jax says. "Sub-Zero?" Cyrax asks as Sub-Zero's eyes lights up, signifying him powering up. "Yes, Smoke, Cyrax." He says as he sits up.
"How do you feel?" Smoke asks. Sub-Zero says nothing as he groans. "What is it?" Cyrax asks. "I remember the things I've done for Shao Kahn. He cannot be allowed to merge the realms." Sub-Zero explains as Smoke placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Me & the girls understand how you feel: being enslaved and forced to work for that sociopath. But don't get too hung up on those feelings." Tanya explains as Skarlet & Nitara nods in agreement.
"Haokah, how can Sub-Zero best help us?" Nightwolf asks, using the Matokan name for Raiden to address him. "I don't know. Maybe deception. Our Outworld enemies do not know of his defection. But our interference with the time flow has wield mixed results, I fear if enlisting him could cause more harm than good." Raiden says.
"Raiden, maybe we should stop focusing on the time flow & focus more on defeating Shao Kahn. After all, we still do not know who 'He Must Win' is. We need to prioritize on one thing at a time. For now, sending him undercover seems like our best course." I explained as everyone went quiet at this.
(SCENE CHANGE: SHAO KAHN'S THRONE ROOM) (POV CHANGE: 3RD PERSON)
Meanwhile, Sub-Zero return to Outworld through a portal as he approaches Sektor, who is seen talking with Hydro & the black figure. "Earthrealm is finished. It will not be missed." The black figure says.
"Very well, you will return to the catalyst of our victory." Sektor orders as Hydro, the black figure & the Tarkatans presented in the left for the portal. Sektor notices Sub-Zero approaching. "You're late for your report. Where is the intruder?" Sektor asks.
"I killed him in Earthrealm." Sub-Zero lies. "Was he of any use? Information?" Sektor asks as Sub-Zero shook his head. "Negative. He was an ex-Black Dragon thug, possible traitor." Sub-Zero lies again as Sektor seems to bought it. "Very well. Come with me. We must lead a new mission." Sektor orders as he and Sub-Zero enters the portal.
(SCENE CHANGE: SUBWAY)
Sektor & Sub-Zero enters the Subway where Stryker previously fought Ermac. "What mission brings us here?" Sub-Zero asks. "I've scanned your neural net, 52O. Your neuromodulators have been recalibrated." Sektor says as Sub-Zero fakes shock.
"Impossible." Sub-Zero says in a fake shock tone. "The experience has been deleted from your systems. Remove your access panel so I can fix you." Sektor says as he approaches Sub-Zero.
But before he could touch his chest panel, Sub-Zero grabs his arm and knocks him back with an ice blast open palm strike. "Your programming has been corrupted." Sektor says with anger in his voice. "My soul was corrupted. Now it is cleansed." Sub-Zero says as he battles against Sektor.
Sektor's robotic nature proved to be his ultimate undoing as Sub-Zero's human intellect and instincts bests the corrupted grandmaster. "Artificial enhancements will never best a human soul." Sub-Zero as he approaches the defeated Sektor and accesses his memory bank.
It reveals the location of something big going on at the cemetery. But before Sub-Zero could disconnect, he also sees memories of Sektor before he became a cyborg: him convincing Bi-Han of the Cyber Initiative, him seeing Bi-Han abusing Frost & much more.
After taking his fill, Sub-Zero disconnects from Sektor's memory bank. "The Lin Kuei are better off without you, Bi-Han & that old fool." He says with anger in his voice as he creates an ice dagger & stabs it into Sektor's head, killing the cyber Grandmaster.
(SCENE CHANGE: GIANT CLOCK)
Inside of a massive clock near a cemetery, Kano is seen torturing some soldiers while Goro & Kintaro looks on with stoic expressions on their faces.
Sub-Zero enters the room and approaches them as Kano stops his torture. "Finally! C'mon, we gotta get 'em to the graveyard at Saint Dominic's." Kano says to Sub-Zero as he turns to the captured soldiers. "On your feet! All of you!" He yells at them.
"For what purpose?" Sub-Zero asks as Kano shrugs his shoulders. "Don't care really. So long as I get paid." Kano says in a nonchalant tone. "You heard him. On your feet!" Kintaro growls. "Get up!" Goro exclaims as he and Kintaro were about to grab the soldiers when Sub-Zero freezes them.
"Hey! What're y-" Kano was about to say, but got cut off by Sub-Zero freezing him. "I will free you." He says as he uses his ice powers to freeze the cackles and destroys both the chains & cackles with a Karate chop.
Suddenly, Goro's & Kintaro's hands started moving. "Go! All of you! Now!" Sub-Zero orders. "Let's go! Come on!" One of the soldiers exclaim as they ran out of the room, right before Kintaro & Goro broke free from the ice. "Your treachery will be punished!" Kintaro yells as he and Goro battles against Sub-Zero.
It was a difficult fight, but their large size & lack of mobility cost them the fight. "All those teeth & claws, yet still overmatched." He says. Suddenly, the building started shaking as the soldiers he freed were flung back into the room by a familiar green energy.
"Get behind me!" Sub-Zero orders as the soldiers rushed behind him. Ermac floats into the room as he lands in front of them. "Come no closer, fiend of Outworld!" Sub-Zero exclaims as he fights against Ermac.
Though Ermac's sorcery was formidable and powerful, it failed against Sub-Zero. "You are not so fearsome." He says as the soldiers congratulated him on his victory. "Thanks. I thought we were done for." One of the soldiers says. "I must go. I need to investigate the graveyard, see what they're planning." Sub-Zero says.
"We'd go with, but we have to return to our unit." Another soldier says. "That is for the best." Sub-Zero says as he leaves for the graveyard. "Good luck, man." One of the soldiers said. "He ain't gonna need luck." Another soldiers adds.
(SCENE CHANGE: GRAVEYARD)
When Sub-Zero reached the Graveyard, he sees the black figure etching some sort of a ring into the ground, around another group of captured soldiers, while Quan Chi is speaking in Netherrealm tongue.
He contacts the others. "This is Sub-Zero."
(SCENE CHANGE: CHURCH) (POV CHANGE: OSCAR)
Sonya held her arm out and set her communicator on speaker so we all can hear Sub-Zero. "I found Quan Chi. He is chanting some kind of spell." He says through the communicator.
Suddenly, Raiden has another vision. "Lord Raiden, what is it? what do you see?" Liu Kang asks. "One of Shao Kahn's Soulnados, on a scale I thought impossible. All of Earthrealm's souls imprisoned, absorbed by Shao Kahn, multiplying his power!" Raiden explained in horror as everyone got concerned at this.
Raiden took out his amulet as more cracks appeared. "No matter the efforts, the future remains in peril. How could we fail Earthrealm?" Raiden questions himself as I speak up. "We haven't lost yet. And we won't fail. Not while we're breathing. So stop doubting yourself & be the light of truth and justice we need in this darkest hour." I explained as Raiden is moved by this.
"Luonto is right, Raiden. Do not lose faith in the Great Spirit & her children. They'll guide us, protect us against all kinds of evil." Nightwolf says as he placed assuring hand on Raiden's shoulder.
"Sub-Zero, we will disrupted the Soulnado. I will be there momentarily." Nightwolf says.
(SCENE CHANGE: GRAVEYARD)
"Hurry. The spell appears to be nearly complete." Sub-Zero says as he approaches the duo. "Who is that?" Quan Chi asks. "The one Kano warned about. He is mine." The black figure says as he approaches Sub-Zero.
"You. You are not worthy of the name Sub-Zero." He says angrily. "Who are you to judge, demon?" Sub-Zero questions. "A man who wore those colors before, brother." Revealed the black figure.
"Bi-Han?!" Sub-Zero exclaims in shock. "Yes, Kuai Liang. It is I. Quan Chi has restored & perfected me." He says. "Restored? Perfected? You're about as flawed as I was when Sektor enslaved me." Sub-Zero argues. "That's because Sektor was an imbecilic fool with delusions of grandeur. Now that you killed him, I'll take over as the rightful Grandmaster." He says.
"You'll never be fit to become Grandmaster, Bi-Han. Not while you still abuse students. I know now about Frost & your true colors." Sub-Zero says. "It is merely Lin Kuei principles: to birth strong warriors, we must beat the weakness & insecurities out of any new members. If you expected guilt, then you are greatly mistaken, brother." Bi-Han explains as Sub-Zero shook his head at this.
"We share blood. We are not brothers." Sub-Zero says as he and Bi-Han battle. Quan Chi may've given Bi-Han powers of darkness manipulation, but it failed against Sub-Zero's sense of justice. "It was you who is not of the Sub-Zero name." Sub-Zero says.
But the fight proved to be a distraction as Quan Chi completes the spell, absorbing the souls of both the soldiers & the buried bodies in the cemetery.
Nightwolf arrived shortly after. "Go! Your soul is not safe here!" Nightwolf orders as Sub-Zero retreated back to base. "Earthrealm's fate is sealed, Nightwolf!" Quan Chi taunts.
"Not yet, sorcerer! We fight until all our hearts are on the ground!" Nightwolf proclaims as he fights Quan Chi. The powers of the Nightwolf mantle given to him by the Great Spirit far surpasses the dark arts of Quan Chi. "Your time is over." He says as Bi-Han got back up and tries ambushing Nightwolf.
After an exchange of blocks, dodges & blows, Nightwolf kicks Bi-Han into the Soulnado. Due to his dark powers, the Soul ado was starting to become unstable. Nightwolf puts up a shield while Quan Chi teleports away from the cemetery.
The Soulnado exploded as the cemetery was destroyed by the shockwave. Nightwolf groans in pain as he recovers from the blast. "Pilamaya." Nightwolf says 'thank you' in Matokan.
(SCENE CHANGE: CHURCH) (POV CHANGE: OSCAR)
"So that's how you got here in our world, huh?" Sonya asks as I nod in confirmation. While Sub-Zero & Nightwolf were busy with the Soulnado, I decided it was time to tell everyone the truth about me & my group.
"Damn. That's a lot to take in." Jax says. "Yeah, honestly prefer this world's craziness over our own world's insanity." Dabi says as he smokes a cigarette. "And I don't blame you guys. Sounds like your world is a shit show that's been left in the trash for too long." Johnny Cage says as we chuckled at this.
Suddenly, I hear someone coming in as I checked the entrance to see Nightwolf coming in. "Nightwolf, you're back. Is the Soulnado destroyed?" I asked. "Yes. Earthrealm's souls are safe." He says as he joins us at the altar.
I turn towards Raiden, who checks his amulet for any changes. However, it was only minimal. "No! How is it not enough?!?" He yells out in frustration as he slams his hand on the altar. We were all shocked and concerned at this act of anger from the normally calm & collective god of thunder.
"I must speak with the Elder Gods. Shao Kahn's violation must be punished." Raiden says as we all grow concern. "But the battle is joined here, in Earthrealm!" Liu Kang says with Kung Lao nodding in agreement. "We cannot win without the Elder Gods." He says as he places his amulet back.
Liu Kang & Kung Lao looked at each other with concern. "Then go by yourself. We cannot abandoned our friends here." Liu Kang says. Raiden didn't say anything as he looks towards Nightwolf & me. "Nightwolf, Oscar, you two shall lead until I return." Raiden orders.
"As you wish, Haokah." Nightwolf says while I nod in agreement. Raiden then teleports out of the Church. "So now what? We can't just sit around with our thumbs up our asses." Stryker says as Sub-Zero senses something.
"What is it, Sub-Zero?" I asked. "The Lin Kuei! They surround us!" He exclaims as we got on guard. Suddenly, multiple Cyber Lin Kuei teleported into the Church, with Hydro leading the assault. "So much for standing around." Stryker says.
"Attack!" Me & Nightwolf orders as we took on the Cyber Lin Kuei. Me and Nightwolf blocked an incoming water Sword slices from Hydro with a combination of his Tomahawk & my Khopesh sword.
I then blast him back with a fire blast at point blank range. "My speed and skill are beyond you both." Hydro says as we faced off. He attempts to strike us with water created shurikens, but Nightwolf reflects him back while I deflected them with my swords.
I rushed at Hydro and sliced off his left arm & right leg. Hydro started hopping around, but not for long as Nightwolf shot him three times with his bow: one at his knee, the other through his chest & the last one directly through his skull, killing the water manipulation cyborg.
"Human willpower will always triumph over machinery." Nightwolf says as he and I split up to help our friends. Frost & Sub-Zero froze three cyborgs as I trapped two of them in roots.
Kitana decapitates one of the cyborg while Jade thrusted her staff through the heart of another one. Kabal slices the throats of two Cyber Lin Kuei while Stryker gunned down one of them.
When we were done, the Cyber Lin Kuei were left either unconscious or cold scrap metal. Kitana approached us with an uneasy look on her face. "Uh oh, I don't like that look." I said as Nightwolf turns to her. "What is it?" He asks as Kitana turns to the entrance of the Church.
"Mother." She says as we turned to see a woman with no pupil entering and unleashing a powerful scream at us. It was powerful enough to send the Cyber Lin Kuei flying while half of us were nearly blown away by it.
She stopped her screaming as we regrouped. "Come forward, if you dare! I will finish what the Lin Kuei could not!" She proclaims as everyone prepares to fight, but I couldn't allow that to happen. I can sense a massive flow of power emitting from her.
"Guys, I'll handle this. If Shao Kahn hates anyone right now, it would be me. So, I'll give that gorilla what he wants." I said as I stepped forward and conjured up a magical barrier around me & her, trapping us inside while keeping the others out.
Kitana's mother started laughing wickedly. "You're a fool! Sealing yourself with your demise!" She exclaims as I scoffed. "Sorry crazy lady, but I ain't meeting with Death until I'm well over 90 and have kids." I said as I used a creature's power of invisibility to disappear.
"Coward! Too afraid to face me?!" She asked as I reappeared in front of her & blasted her with a blinding light. She screamed in pain while covering her eyes. While she was distracted, I used the powers of the Chameleon's king tongue to take away her Kwan Dao as I threw it aside. I then fired a sticky Amber like substance on her feet, body & arms. It quickly hardened as she fell flat on her back.
I approached her and sprayed her with the same pheromones I used to knock out Jade awhile back. Once I was certain she was knocked out, I dispelled the barrier. I was met with various overhead smacks by some of the girls & guys.
'Are you crazy?!'
'No, Reckless!'
'Definitely Insane!'
I turned to Kitana, who was checking over her mother as I approached her. "She'll make a full recovery, though we might need to postpone that till after we break the spell Shao Kahn has her under." I explained as Kitana didn't seem to hear me
Suddenly, Raiden came back as we regrouped with him. "Let me guess: the Elder Gods aren't helping." I guessed. Raiden says nothing as he looks around, seeing the Cyber Lin Kuei & Kitana's mom, all with a horrified face. "What have I done? I abandoned you all in your hour of need & you all would've dead, all because of my foolishness & frustration." He says with voice filled with regret.
I approached Raiden and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't be too hard on yourself. This whole 'He Must Win' thing has you on edge & you're not thinking straight. Now we must focus our attention on defeating Shao Kahn." I said as Raiden seemingly gotten an idea.
"Shao Kahn can't merge the realms without victory in Mortal Kombat. If he attempts to without permission, he'll suffer the penalty of death!" Raiden exclaims. I was a little skeptical at this, but after everything we've been through, I can't very well turn against him. Besides, there is a bit of sense to what he's saying.
"Well? What are we waiting for? Let's go give Shao Kahn what he wants." I said in a tone that is the exact opposite of what I said.
(Here's chapter 11 done. I was considering the idea of a big fight between Oscar & Sindel, but I decided to scrap it because of him not wanting to hurt Kitana's feelings by beating her mother. I'm sorry I didn't include a big battle between Sindel & Oscar, but I'll make up for it in the next chapter.)