By: Crayzee Chicka

Sub-Zero slowly stepped outside into the cool darkness and headed towards the shrine. He could hear voices chattering inside. Some solemn, others excited. He opened the heavy black double doors and stepped inside.

The shrine was dimly lit with a few torches and his footsteps echoed loudly in the halls. Silence fell as the voices stopped talking, awaiting his arrival. A brightly lit room suddenly came into view as he headed towards it and eventually, entered it.

All three ninjas turned to see who entered their domain. Two were male, and the other was female; they nodded their heads to him as he entered. He walked by them, stepped onto a crystal blue platform and turned towards them. He wore his traditional blue and black Lin Kuei uniform with the exception of the hood and the mask. His mid-neck length black hair gleamed in the light and his dark blue eyes were deep and solemn. He was about 6’5 and he had a very large physique.

"The time has come." His deep voice echoed throughout the shrine. "To avenge our families and friends, to finally receive what we’ve been waiting for. All our training, sweat, and blood come down to this, this one single battle. You three have been chosen, the best fighters I have ever encountered, to accompany me to this fight until the death. I am depending on all of you." All three nodded as he continued. "You are all free to go, for now. We are to meet back here in two hours, at 11:30 sharp. Use your free time well and be prepared for any surprise attacks. If you have any questions, I will be in my headquarters. You are all dismissed." And with that, he left.

* * *

"I can’t stand the pressure!" Glacier exclaimed as he furiously threw punches and kicks at the large, sand-filled, punching bag. He wore a white torn up tank top and navy blue baggy pants.

"Calm down Glacier. Just relax." Amethyst replied as she sat in a meditating position on the floor of the training room. She wore a deep magenta sports bra and black, skin tight, shorts. Smoke just shook his head as he stretched out his leg muscles.

‘Beginners.’ He thought tskingly.

Glacier and Amethyst were the newest additions to the Lin Kuei family. No one would ever suspect that these two would be a few of the most talented and dangerous fighters that the clan has ever witnessed.

Glacier, at nineteen, is a fifth generation fighter while Sub-Zero, at 28, is his predecessor. The reason for this being is because by the age of 28, if a Lin Kuei has not yet been engaged, then a relative of his will succeed him. Glacier, being the only other man in the family born with the power of Ice and being Sub-Zero’s cousin, succeeded him. Glacier’s fighting skills match and maybe even exceed Sub-Zero’s. Standing at 6’2, with his light blue dyed spiked up hair, striking light blue eyes, and strong, muscular, physique, Glacier is a very attractive young man. However, he took the power of Ice to a whole new level. He has a psychotic love for suffrage and enjoys the thought of his enemy begging for mercy at his feet. Instead of just freezing the enemy completely, like Sub-Zero does, he freezes certain body parts and rips them off one by one throughout battle. Because of this, Sub-Zero doesn’t take a liking to him. Although Sub-Zero respects him for his martial arts skills, to him, Glacier somewhat dishonors his title. He takes his membership to the Lin Kuei lightly, and does whatever he wants, whenever he wants. His fault: He is extremely crazy about women. That is his number one priority. Of course, at the age of nineteen, what young man’s wouldn’t be? But this had a tendency to take his concentration off fighting. Sub-Zero was against him joining the Lin Kuei and succeeding him, he didn’t trust him enough with this honor. However, Glacier won by the vote of the members of Lin Kuei. They absolutely loved his fresh new attitude and skills. That’s what got him to where he is now.

Unlike Glacier, Amethyst, at seventeen, is a first generation fighter. She is the first woman to ever join the Lin Kuei. Her long, straight, sandy brown, angled hair, her light brown eyes, her perfectly formed body, and her dazzling personality made her the major attraction and disruption of the Lin Kuei. She held the power of Hypnotism, which suits her well. She could put her enemy under a trance but only for a short amount of time. Although her fighting skills surpassed many of the Lin Kuei members, she was the main reason why Sub-Zero never wanted women in the clan. However, she also won by the vote of the members and was entered into the Lin Kuei.

So why were they chosen for the major battle that Sub-Zero is leading about to occur in a few hours? Because Glacier and Amethyst won two of the three tournaments that were held to determine who will participate in the battle. Sub-Zero didn’t like the thought of entrusting his life with such young fighters, but he accepted it anyway.

On the other hand, Smoke, at 24, is a second-generation fighter and longtime good friend to Sub-Zero. He won the third tournament and vowed to Sub-Zero that he would keep both Amethyst and Glacier out of trouble; Sub-Zero thanked him for that. Smoke is an experienced and talented fighter and, at 6’3, he is inhumanly fast. Although he didn’t emit smoke from his body like his father did, he stuck with the name. He mastered the art of the Spear and used smoke pellets in battle. He is a well-respected fighter.

"Hey Smoke, what are you thinking about?" Amethyst asked, looking towards him from across the training room. His dark brown jawline-length hair was matted onto his head with sweat and his dark gray eyes were deep in thought. He wore a dark gray sleeveless shirt and black baggy pants. He too has a very strong, muscular, physique. He looked towards her as he snapped out of his trance.

"Huh? Oh…Nothing." He replied tersely as he began to do military push-ups. Amethyst looked at him concerned.

"You alright?" She asked as she began to stretch out her legs.

"Fine…I’m fine." He answered as his pace quickened.

"He doesn’t talk…not to us anyway." Glacier said as he stopped beating up the bag and picked up a towel to wipe the sweat off of his face. The three have only known each other for a few weeks. Smoke didn’t reply as he continued doing push-ups.

"See?" Glacier said to Amethyst. "He’s too good for us." He sneered. Suddenly Smoke shot up from the ground.

"Look, I’m sorry if I’m giving you the impression that I’m an asshole, Ok? But we are about to fight one of the world’s most powerful clans and that doesn’t bother you? Well… it bothers me. They murdered my father and brother and I might be next. So right now…I’m not in the mood for talking." He burst out angrily. Amethyst and Glacier looked at each other in shock.

"Whoa, I’m sorry man." Glacier apologized.

"I don’t need your pity." Smoke replied a little more calmly, as he walked out of the training room. Glacier gave Amethyst a remorseful look. Amethyst just shook her head at him.

"That’s what happens when you don’t keep your mouth shut." She said standing up and brushing herself off.

"Yeah, but-"

"Don’t worry about it." She said cutting him off. "He’ll forgive you. We’ve got enough things on our mind. C’mon…let’s go to the weight room." She added heading towards the door. Glacier sighed as he followed her out.

"Damn." He said glumly as he threw down the towel and followed her out towards the weight room.

* * *

Sub-Zero sat at his desk, flipping through a stack of papers. When he came across a picture of a young woman, he stopped suddenly. She had long, curly, medium brown hair and bright violet eyes. In the photo, she was smiling contently. She was extremely beautiful. The bottom of the page read:

Myá Canonizado

Feb. 14, 1977 – Feb. 29, 2000

Beloved daughter, sister and fiancée

Murdered at the hands of Inferno

Sub-Zero stared at it, clenching his jaw and holding back tears. He asked her to marry him on her birthday, Valentine’s Day. She was beautiful, kind, caring, honest, understanding…she was the perfect woman.

Two weeks later, she died. No…murdered.

Inferno.

A large clan of hell-risen ninjas. They just formed after the last Mortal Kombat and their goal: Every member and loved one of the Lin Kuei dead. The reason why:

Scorpion, their god.

Sub-Zero’s father finally banished him into the nether realm at the last tournament, which cost him his own life.

Scorpion was infuriated.

Although he cannot escape, he could communicate with others through certain ‘gates’ and could make them extremely powerful beyond their wildest dreams. That’s how this clan was formed. They’ve already put fifteen Lin Kuei to death and countless relatives and friends… including Sub-Zero’s soon-to-be wife.

There was a sudden knock on the door. Sub-Zero looked up.

"Who is it?" He asked, clearing his throat, as he quickly put the obituaries away in the filing cabinet.

"It’s me, Smoke." Smoke answered.

"Come in." Sub-Zero replied as he quickly sat at his desk once again. Smoke entered and shut the door behind him. He sat on the chair in front of Sub-Zero’s desk and let out a deep sigh as he slouched in the chair to lean his head against it. Sub-Zero knew exactly what was going through Smoke’s mind.

"Clear your mind…we’re going into battle soon." Sub-Zero said.

"I can’t help it." Smoke said softly.

"I know what you’re going through." Sub-Zero replied, swallowing hard. There was a silent, thoughtful, pause. Neither man needed to say a word for they knew exactly what the other was thinking.

"We’ll get our revenge." Sub-Zero said, breaking the silence, as anger began to creep in.

"Tonight." Smoke replied, hands balling into fists.

TO BE CONTINUED…

11:30 PM Sharp

Sub-Zero watched his small clan of fighters file into the temple’s throne room, where they met once before. All three fighters were dressed in their traditional Lin Kuei uniforms; Glacier in light blue and black, Smoke in dark grey and black, and Amethyst in dark magenta and black. Each fighter bore the marking of the Lin Kuei on their right shoulder (a pale crescent moon with ancient writings in black meaning protectors of the night) and they all wore black masks that covered the lower halves of their faces and no hoods (as the traditional uniform had).

The Lin Kuei itself had changed dramatically over the last generations. The clan disbanded some centuries ago due to the cybernetic transformations of the ninjas to make them ‘more powerful than mortals’. The current Sub-Zero’s great great grandfather managed to be one of the lucky ones who left the clan when his good friend (the current Smoke’s great great grandfather) was transformed. The cybernetic project flopped when the fusing configurations in the fighters malfunctioned and each ninja died one by one, seizuring and blacking out. The clan disbanded…until the current Sub-Zero’s father restored the clan once again minus the cybernetics project. The clan was no longer a clan of assassinations and murder but a clan of protection and using your ‘inner powers’. His father changed many of the clan’s orders and used a democracy for its drafting and decisions.

Then Scorpion shows up.

The Shyrai Raiyu was brought back from the nether realm by the fallen elder god of the mind, Shinnok and still was intent on seeking vengeance on every relative and descendant of the first Sub-Zero. At the last Mortal Kombat tournament, the current Sub-Zero’s father banned him from whence he came and sacrificed himself; he too was sucked into the nether realm when the portal opened. He left the entire clan to his five-year-old son (at that time), the now current Sub-Zero.

And now, Scorpion has found a way to seek vengeance…

Through Inferno.

"Sub-Zero?"

"Hm?" Sub-Zero was snapped out of his trance when Smoke laid his hand on his shoulder.

"It’s time." Smoke said with a stern look in his steel grey eyes. Sub-Zero nodded as he stepped up once again on to the crystal blue platform and faced the ninjas.

"I hope you are all well prepared, mentally and physically for the battle to occur against Inferno."

Just the mention of the name of the clan made him cringe in anger.

"It is time to fight until the death." He continued, his clear deep voice echoing through the temple with a sense of courage and strength. "Good luck my brothers…and sister." He nodded to Amethyst as she smiled under her mask. "And I leave you with these words: Be brave, fearless and above all, fight with honor, for you are not only fighting for yourselves but for the innocent that died at the mercy of their hands." And with that, he stepped of the platform and walked towards the exit of the temple’s sacred hall, with an aura of prestige and confidence.

"Let’s go." Smoke said quietly to his younger companions as they followed their leader on the road to battle.

* * *

The night was silent and cool and not a sound was in the air besides the footsteps of the four ninjas making their way deeper and deeper into the Sholam forest hidden in the heart of the Himalayas near the Lin Kuei’s temple and training grounds. Sub-Zero led the group, making their way to the center of the forest where there was a vast open area; the area where the battle was to take place.

Glacier and Amethyst lagged behind while Smoke walked ahead a couple of feet behind Sub-Zero. All four were in complete and thoughtful silence.

The calm before a storm.

Not one of the four ninjas were afraid of death, not even Glacier nor Amethyst, they were well prepared for it. What they were afraid of was what would become of the clan and their loved ones if they failed. They had no idea of what exactly they were up against.

Suddenly, Sub-Zero stopped and extended his hand out to his side, palm facing the fighters, signaling a halt. All three ninjas stopped dead in their tracks. There was a clearing up ahead.

They have arrived.

Sub-Zero pointed to both Smoke and Amethyst, and then pointed to the right. Then, he pointed to himself and Glacier, and pointed to the left. As planned, the four were to partner off and search around the open area before meeting up in the center, in hopes of catching the four members of Inferno off guard or to ruin any surprise attacks. Neither Lin Kuei knew anything about the four enemies they were about to encounter. All they knew was that the majority used fire in some way shape or form and that they were Inferno’s best.

They were in for a big surprise.

* * *

Smoke and Amethyst walked side by side as they scanned the forest. Their only light was from the glistening crescent moon shining up above.

"I’m starting to get nervous." Amethyst admitted timidly as she looked around, both ninjas walking along near the open area of the forest.

"Concentrate and relax, don’t let your fears get the best of you, focus on what needs to be done." Smoke replied as Amethyst nodded obediently. "It’s understandable after all; it is your first real mission.

Suddenly a woman’s maniacal laughter filled the air around them as two figures jumped down from the trees and landed about twenty feet away from them. There was a woman on the right, directly in front of Smoke, with dirty blonde hair that was cut short in the back (mid-neck) and diagonally cut long in the front (shoulder length). She had a cheetah skin cat suit with black boots that reached up to her knees and black elbow length gloves. She had thin slitted cat green eyes with highly arched eyebrows. She stood at about 5’5 and she had lightly tanned skin. Her companion that stood at about 6’6 and had short bright orange hair that was longer and spiked up in the front. He had these unearthly bright orange eyes that seemed to glow and a strong muscular physique. He wore a black sleeveless shirt and pants with an orange loincloth that draped down to his knees. He wore black boots and he had orange shin and wrist guards. Both strangers had a mysterious aura about them and an evil presence in their eyes.

"And your last." The girl replied with a snicker. Both Amethyst and Smoke got in to fighting stances while the two strangers just stood with their arms relaxed mockingly.

"Who are you?" Amethyst asked narrowing her light brown eyes at them.

"Inferno." Smoke answered before either stranger could.

"Ding, ding, ding! What do we got for him, Heat?" The girl said mockingly. Her companion smiled evilly as he raised his arms up in front of him, crossing them in the shape of an "X" with his wrists interlocking baring the marking of a blood red upside down pentagram tattooed on both of his forearms.

The symbol of true evil.

Suddenly the symbols began to glow as he slowly clenched his fists.

Right before his eyes, the image of Smoke’s dead brother began to materialize a few feet away from him. He looked just like Smoke, only younger. Amethyst watched in awe and disbelief and Smoke gawked in complete shock at the illusion of his deceased brother.

"Matthew…" Smoke whispered in amazement and a wave of sadness swept over him.

He seemed so real.

His brother began to reach out for him mouthing the words "help me" and then suddenly Heat unclenched his fists, the symbol’s glow died out, and his brother disappeared. Smoke stood in silence and kept staring at the spot where his brother just stood.

"It was so easy." The girl said smirking malevolently as she raised her right-gloved hand with black 4" claws extending from each finger. "All I had to do was—" She continued as she made a quick swiping motion.

"Slit his throat." She said with a soft maniacal giggle.

"Noooooo!" Smoke cried enraged as he ran at the speed of light towards them. But suddenly Heat disappeared and the girl, just as quickly, climbed up the tree, hiding in the green foliage.

Smoke stopped under the tree and began scanning for any movement. Amethyst stood her ground, looking out for any surprise attacks from either enemy.

All was silent except for the wind rustling the leaves of the trees around them.

"Where are you?" Smoke shouted in vengeful fury, searching for her as he rounded about the tree. "Hiding like the cowardess bitch that you are?!"

Suddenly, with lightening speed she dropped down, right foot outstretched, hitting Smoke right smack on the left side of his face causing him to be knocked ten feet away from the tree.

"Foolish pathetic Lin Kuei." She said laughing maliciously. "You are no match for us and neither is your little amateur girlfriend."

Suddenly Amethyst felt a blow to her head as she was knocked to the ground, her body unmoving. Heat materialized over her smiling wryly in satisfaction, cracking his knuckles.

Suddenly, a large grey spear shaped like a pitchfork attached to a black cord was thrown at the woman’s head as it skimmed by her missing her head by an inch and stuck to the tree. She gasped in surprise but then cocked her head to him as she smiled.

"You missed." She said sweetly, while Smoke pulled on the cord and the spear returned to him. Suddenly she ran at him at full speed preparing to counter the attack.

Heat stood over Amethyst smirking in satisfaction. She was sprawled on the ground, eyes closed with a thin stream of blood running down her forehead.

"This is too easy." Heat said as he slowly raised his hands over his head.

Suddenly, Amethyst’s eyeshot open and she quickly flipped backwards and swept Heat off his feet.

"That’s what you think." She replied as she got into a fighting stance. "Not bad for a beginner, don’t you think?" She added smiling down at him mockingly. Heat growled in frustration and fury as he picked himself up. His once bright orange eyes were now a deep red-orange, an obvious indication that his anger was slowly rising.

"Time to meet your doom, Lin Kuei." He hissed as the symbols on his forearms began to glow and two bright orange force balls of light began to form in the palms of his hands.

* * *

Sub-Zero and Glacier walked side by side in complete silence through the forest in the opposite direction of Smoke and Amethyst. The open area was seen along the left side of the forest. All that was heard was the crushing of twigs and branches under their feet and the wind slowly rustling through the trees.

"Are you prepared for this?" Sub-Zero asked Glacier breaking the silence between them, glancing at him timidly. Glacier didn’t reply as he stared straight ahead. There was a short pause.

"You may be angry with me but the least you could do is talk to me." Sub-Zero added.

"Why should I Sub-Zero? Tell me, why should I?" Glacier shouted angrily as he stopped walking. "You think I can’t handle this do you? Just like everything else, you think I can’t do it. You thought I couldn’t get into the Lin Kuei and I did, you thought I wouldn’t be able to make it passed the physical trials and I did, you thought I couldn’t get in on this mission and guess what? I did! And now you think I can’t carry this mission out, don’t you? Well I can, with or without your support, cousin." He seethed, fists clenched, as he stormed off in anger.

Sub-Zero set his jaw, standing in regretful silence as he watched Glacier storm away. He sighed.

‘He’s gonna get himself kill—‘

Suddenly Sub-Zero’s train of thoughts was interrupted when a huge stream of fire was shot between Glacier and Sub-Zero, separating them. Both ducked on instinct and then slowly stood up to examine their surroundings. Separate rings of fire surrounded both men! They both immediately got into fighting stances.

"Glacier, you alright?" Sub-Zero shouted in hopes of getting a reply from his younger cousin.

"Yeah, I’m OK. What the fuck is going on here?" He shouted back.

Suddenly, a man entered Sub-Zero’s ring, walking through the fire directly in front of him. He stood at 6’3, very muscular, with buzzed (almost bald) blood red hair, which perfectly matched his inhumanly satanic red eyes. He had two eyebrow piercings on his right eyebrow and the marking of a dark red upside down pentagram on both of his biceps. He wore a black tank top and pants with a red loin cloth that draped until his knees, black wrist and shin guards, and black boots.

"Well, look what we have here." The man said with his deep, somewhat raspy voice. "The legendary Sub-Zero."

"Who are you?" Sub-Zero asked, eyeing the stranger warily.

"Why, you don’t know?" The man replied as he began to walk towards him. "I am the master of all destruction, the embodiment of all evil, the warrior of eternal death…" He continued as he came within a few feet of Sub-Zero.

"I am—your worst nightmare."

Suddenly there was a huge burst of fire and Sub-Zero rolled out of the way as a large fireball hit the ground he was standing on just a few moments ago.

‘Whoa, that was close.’ Sub-Zero thought as sweat began to stream down his face from the smothering heat from the flames.

‘I’m in for some major competition.’

* * *

Glacier scanned the arena of fire, waiting.

‘Now what?’

Suddenly a figure dropped to the ground from the overhanging trees and landed dead center in the middle of the ring, about ten feet or so away from Glacier. It was a woman, about 5’9", with long, pin-straight platinum blonde hair that reached until her lower back. She wore a bright yellow leather skin-tight cat suit that had a huge slit that started from the middle of her chest and ended at her lower stomach. A yellow cord held the slit together, but it still bore a good amount of her body. She had a bellybutton piercing and wore yellow shin and wrist guards and she had had yellow leather boots that reached up to her mid-thighs. Her eyes were demonically bright yellow; they glowed somewhat and you can sense a cold evil presence in them. She was lightly tanned and incredibly attractive.

She giggled softly.

"You’re trapped." She said softly, her voice was oddly soothing. Glacier watched her silently, trying to keep his concentration on her and not on her outfit.

"You’re so quiet." She said smiling flirtatiously as she started walking towards him. "So shy…just like a little mouse." She added as she came within a few feet from him. "Let’s experiment, shall we?" She said raising an eyebrow.

"How long will it take for me to kill you…"

Suddenly, there was a burst of blinding white light as Glacier shielded his eyes and stumbled backwards, careful not to fall into the flames of the ring. The light continued and he was unable to see her.

"You’ve just met your match, Lin Kuei!" She said as her maniacal laughing came from all directions.

TO BE CONTINUED…