Mortal Kombat II

vow

The next morning, the remaining warriors headed towards the arena, while Kitana headed out the stadium door, she didn't know where she was going, but she felt she needed to get out. Unbeknownst to her, Mileena secretly followed her out. Now was her chance, finally she could prove herself to be better than Kitana…

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Meanwhile Shao Kahn sat on his throne, his cape draped over his back. Standing up, Kahn prepared to leave with his staff in his hand. Suddenly a blast of thunder hit the ground and Raiden appeared with his own staff in his hand.

"Raiden." Kahn said, not bothering to turn around. "We meet again."

"Yes… Kahn. You defy the Elder Gods."

"Defy them? I sent a challenge, if they did accept, then the rules state that I could take Earth for myself."

"Perhaps, but there will be consequences for breaking the rules." Raiden said, Kahn turned around to face the Thunder God.

"Perhaps you are right. Perhaps you are right." Kahn said, walking towards Raiden and looking him directly in the eyes. "Maybe we'll discuss it after I take Earth?"

"We'll see."

With that Raiden disappeared. "We will indeed Raiden. We will indeed."

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Sub-Zero was the first to emerge at the arena. According to the chart, his match would be first. Smoke remained behind in his room. Sub-Zero had told him to remain behind so that he wouldn't draw attention to the Outworld guards, the female warrior that he had frozen to save Smoke must have been thawed by now, and he was worried she might come to finish the job.

But now was the time to be thinking of his opponent: this ninja specter called Scorpion. His brother had told him of Scorpion, one of Shinnok's most fearsome hellspawn warriors. Scorpion tried to mercilessly kill him, but his brother had managed to defeat him. Scorpion had no honor. For whatever reason, Scorpion somehow returned to Earth and had slain his brother in combat. A killer though his brother was, Sub-Zero respected him. He was a killer as well, but he only killed those he was assigned to, he never believed in killing anyone else. He was here to assassinate Shang Tsung, but this time he would make an exception. This was about honor, but the question remained: How did you kill one that is already dead?

As Sub-Zero stepped onto the marble ground, suddenly the specter appeared out of thin air.

"Scorpion…" Sub-Zero growled.

Scorpion did not reply, in fact he didn't really do anything. Just stared at the Lin Kuei Warrior. Kahn arrived and took his place in his chair. "I see our combatants have already arrived. Very well then, FIGHT!"

Sub-Zero was on the attack first, he lunged for Scorpion's throat, but Scorpion vanished quickly. When Sub-Zero turned around, Scorpion had struck him in the face causing him to stumble back.

"He's slower than his brother." Scorpion thought.

Scorpion ran forward, and the two parried each other's blows. Sub-Zero struck Scorpion in the chest with a well-timed kick. Scorpion was pelted back and Sub-Zero continued the advance as a blast of ice left his hands and froze Scorpion solid. With another kick, the ice shattered and Scorpion was sent flying back, but the specter quickly got to his feet and flung his spear through the air, Sub-Zero's chest was hit by a piercing blade.

"GET OVER HERE!" Scorpion shouted and Sub-Zero was sent reeling towards him, with one move, Scorpion struck Sub-Zero across the face again. For a moment Sub-Zero was sent back and the two came at each other again. They both leapt into the air and when Sub-Zero moved in for a strike, Scorpion grabbed hold and spun him around in a circle in the air and then threw him to the ground.

Sub-Zero spun his leg around and tripped Scorpion as he landed. But combatants got to their feet and came at each other again. Ultimately Scorpion knocked Sub-Zero back with a knee to the chest, but Sub-Zero quickly spun his leg around in the air and struck Scorpion across the face.

Scorpion recovered and fire formed in his feet. As Scorpion back-flipped, Sub-Zero quickly jumped back and an ice clone took his place, upon contact Scorpion was frozen solid, Sub-Zero quickly formed a ball of ice in his hands and sent it at the still frozen Scorpion freezing him even more.

"The best thing about ice is…" Sub-Zero said as he slid towards Scorpion. "…it shatters!"

Sub-Zero leapt towards Scorpion, but suddenly a blast of fire emerged and Scorpion was set free, Sub-Zero was sent backward by the rings of fire. Landing on his back, Sub-Zero struggled to get up. While Scorpion landed on his feet, he quickly prepared his spear again, as Sub-Zero stood up, he struck in the chest by Scorpion's spear.

"COME HERE!" Scorpion shouted. As Sub-Zero was reeled towards him. But thinking quickly, Sub-Zero slid and suddenly Scorpion was knocked on his back. Scorpion quickly recovered and came at Sub-Zero again. Now the two were entering the final attack. Scorpion tried to trip but Sub-Zero, but he managed to jump clear. Taking his foot down, Sub-Zero attempted to strike Scorpion's face, however the ninja specter managed to bend just enough to avoid. Scorpion attacked again, with his foot narrowly missing Sub-Zero's face. Sub-Zero attempted another slide, but this time Scorpion teleported out of the way. As Scorpion returned Sub-Zero attempted a high kick, which Scorpion had to tilt his body to avoid, Sub-Zero then attempted to trip Scorpion, who managed to leap free in time. Scorpion attempted to bring his leg down upon Sub-Zero's chest, who leapt back just in time.

Finally Sub-Zero attempted one final attack, he tried to grab the specter, but Scorpion managed to grab a hold of Sub-Zero's arms and falling to the ground, he extended his leg and sent Sub-Zero flying through the air. As Sub-Zero was propelled airborne, Scorpion teleported one final time and ended the match with a hard punch to the chest that sent Sub-Zero flying back to the ground. Sub-Zero's yell of pain was interrupted when he hit the ground below.

Scorpion landed just a few feet in front of his defeated opponent, who lay panting and breathing hard. Kahn gave a small clap, he then stood up and announced. "FINISH HIM!"

"Go on… do it… kill me… just like you killed… my brother." Sub-Zero replied weakly. But yet Scorpion did nothing. With one silent look, Scorpion teleported again and vanished from sight. Sub-Zero could not say anything, the man or ghost rather who had killed his brother had strangely spared him. Wasn't Scorpion supposed to be some hellspawn warrior of Shinnok's like his brother side? Or could his brother have lied to him. Despite his injuries, Sub-Zero was able to stand. There was only one who could tell him the truth: Raiden.

Scorpion stood on top of the stadium, unwatched by anyone. He watched Sub-Zero and thought to himself.

"He's different from his brother…I remember that night… I was murdered in cold blood… by a Lin Kuei assassin named Sub-Zero… I learned that he had killed my family and led the attack on my clan…I hated him… I even rose from the pits of Hell itself just to kill him… I accomplished that mission… I thought my soul could rest. Yet I heard that he had returned… somehow… someway… I made my way here… however I now know that this is not the same Sub-Zero… the younger brother…unlike his brother, he shows compassion to life, he reminds me of myself really. I never killed the innocent only who I was assigned, but yet all I ever wanted was for my family to live a comfortable life… joining the Shirai Ryu was my last option… my murderer killed all who got in his way, regardless of who they were. I do not know what his reasons were… but he killed the family that I cherished so much… and yet as I succeeded in killing him, I took someone else's family away. I became what I hated so much. Now I must atone for my crime, this Sub-Zero, he is still young… he will need someone to keep an eye on him. Yes, that is what I shall do. From here on Sub-Zero the younger, I will protect you. This is my vow. This is my promise."
Turning his back, Scorpion took one last look at the arena below and leapt off the ledge…