The Game

Chapter Two: Baptism by Combat

The ground beneath Y/n trembled as Raiden extended his hand toward her. A surge of energy, like static electricity, filled the air, making her skin tingle. She had no idea what was coming, but Raiden’s eyes never wavered from hers, glowing with quiet intensity.

“Brace yourself,” he warned, his deep voice sending a chill down her spine.

Before Y/n could respond, lightning shot from Raiden’s hand, enveloping her entire body. For a split second, everything turned white—her senses overloaded by a sharp, burning light. Then it stopped as suddenly as it had started. She gasped, blinking rapidly as her vision cleared.

When she looked down at herself, her eyes widened in disbelief.

Her casual clothes—the hoodie, jeans, and socks she’d been lounging in—were gone. In their place was sleek battle armour, the kind she had seen only on the fighters in the game.

Black and blue leather hugged her form, reinforced by metallic plating on her shoulders and chest. The gauntlets on her wrists hummed with a strange energy, as if they were alive. Her hands clenched into fists, feeling stronger, faster. She could feel the power coursing through her veins, the weight of a new strength she had never possessed before.

“What…What did you do to me?” Y/n asked, breathless, marvelling at the transformation.

“I have given you what you will need to survive,” Raiden replied. His voice was calm, though it carried the weight of the situation.

“You now possess the skills of a warrior. But do not be mistaken—these abilities are useless without your courage and will to fight.”

Y/n took a step forward, still feeling the strange hum of power in her limbs. She moved with surprising grace, every motion more fluid than anything she had ever felt in her life.

She had played the games before, imagined herself as one of the warriors, but this—this was different. The weight of the world pressed down on her. Every muscle in her body tensed, ready for battle.

“I… I don’t know if I’m ready for this,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Raiden’s piercing eyes softened, just for a moment. “No one is ever truly ready. But that does not matter now. You must act.”

As if on cue, the ground shook again, but this time, it wasn’t from Raiden’s power. The air grew colder, and the battlefield seemed to darken. Y/n’s heart rate spiked as she turned toward the source of the disturbance.

Emerging from the shadows was a figure she instantly recognized—Sub-Zero.

His dark armour gleamed under the crimson sky, his eyes glowing a cold, icy blue. Every breath he took emitted a frosty mist, and the very air around him seemed to drop several degrees. He was as terrifying in person as he had been on her screen, if not more.

Without a word, Sub-Zero stepped forward, his eyes locked on Y/n. The ground beneath his feet froze with every step, leaving a trail of ice in his wake.

Y/n’s heart pounded in her chest. She knew Sub-Zero’s moves—she had played against him countless times—but playing the game and facing the cryomancer in real life were two completely different things.

“This is your first test,” Raiden said calmly, stepping aside. “Defeat him, and you will prove your strength.”

“Wait… you want me to fight him?” Y/n’s voice wavered, panic creeping into her thoughts.

Raiden didn’t answer, but his silence spoke volumes. There was no escape. This was it—her first battle.

Sub-Zero raised his hands, frost forming in his palms. Y/n’s instincts kicked in. She dove to the side just as a sharp blast of ice shot past her, freezing the ground where she had been standing moments ago. Her heart raced. This was no longer just a game.

She barely had time to think. Sub-Zero moved with lightning speed, his fists clenched as he charged toward her.

Y/n’s mind screamed at her to do something—anything. She raised her arms instinctively to block as he swung at her with a swift punch. To her surprise, her arms held firm, the metallic gauntlets absorbing the blow.

“Focus,” Raiden’s voice echoed in her mind.

With a grunt, Y/n pushed back, using the force of Sub-Zero’s attack to create space between them. She stumbled but managed to regain her balance, her body responding faster than she could consciously think.

A memory flashed in her mind—one of her favourite moves from the game. If she could just replicate it…

Without hesitation, she concentrated on the gauntlets. They pulsed with energy as if responding to her thoughts. She swung her right arm forward, and to her shock, a bolt of blue lightning shot from her fist. It wasn’t as powerful as Raiden’s, but it was enough. Sub-Zero staggered back, surprised by the attack.

“I did that?” Y/n whispered, half in disbelief, half in awe.

Sub-Zero’s eyes narrowed, and he retaliated quickly. This time, he conjured an ice sword in his hand and lunged at her with precision. Y/n barely managed to dodge, but as she sidestepped, a searing cold grazed her arm, sending a sharp jolt of pain through her body.

“Stay focused!” Raiden barked from the sidelines.

Y/n grit her teeth, fighting through the pain. She couldn’t let fear take over. This was life or death. Summoning every ounce of determination, she faced Sub-Zero head-on.

The next few moments were a blur of movement. Sub-Zero attacked with ruthless efficiency, each strike intended to kill. But Y/n was faster now, her body reacting with a fluidity she had never experienced before. She blocked, dodged, and countered, her gauntlets crackling with power. She could feel the flow of combat now, like an instinct buried deep within her.

Finally, the opportunity presented itself. Sub-Zero overextended with an icy lunge, and Y/n saw her chance. She spun around him, her gauntlets charged with electric energy, and delivered a powerful strike to his back.

The shockwave sent Sub-Zero flying forward, crashing into the frozen ground. He groaned, ice crystals forming at the edges of his armour as he struggled to rise.

Y/n, panting heavily, watched him warily, half-expecting him to spring back to his feet. But Raiden stepped forward, his hand raised to signal the end of the fight.

“That is enough,” Raiden declared, his voice cutting through the tense silence.

Sub-Zero, now kneeling on the ground, cast one final glance at Y/n before vanishing into a cloud of icy mist.

Y/n stood frozen, her chest heaving as the adrenaline slowly drained from her body. She had done it. She had survived. But the reality of what just happened hit her hard—she had fought Sub-Zero and won.

Raiden approached her, his eyes full of approval. “You have proven yourself, Y/n. But this is only the beginning. The tournament has many more challenges ahead. You must be ready for anything.”

Y/n nodded, though the weight of what was to come felt heavier than ever.

"Welcome to Mortal Kombat," Raiden said, his tone somber. "Your journey has only just begun."