Mortal Kombat: Sub-Zero's Student

Chapter Eleven: Remain Calm

-Hanzo's POV- "Should I make Papa a card as a get well present?" Kana asks, looking up from his book on the floor. "I'm sure he would enjoy that. For now, he needs more rest. Everything will be fine."

Right as I finish my sentence, I head Kuai yell in fear and a crashing boom sound. "And I stand corrected. Wait here, Kana." I exit my room and rush over to Kuai's guest room. My mouth hangs open in shock at the scene in front of me. The door and wall to the room has been blown off with a large chunk of ice spikes stabbing out from the gaping hole.

I see Kuai crying on the floor, clutching something small to his chest in one hand and an ice axe in the other. "K-Kuai?" I stammer. He looks up, his blue eyes staring with a haunted expression.
"What...happened?" I reluctantly ask.
He eases his grip on the ice axe and gets up.
"It was—" He breaks into a coughing fit, more ice and mist flowing from his mouth. He wheezes, hacking up an ice ball and throwing it to the ground angrily. "Bi-Han. He...he came back! I saw him!"

I tense up at Kuai mentioning his older brother I killed out of misguided anger.
"But Bi-Han is..." I trail off, not wanting to say it.
"Say it!" Kuai snaps and coughs again. "Say that my brother is dead, Hanzo!"
"Calm down, Kuai. You were just having a fever-induced hallucination, that's all." Am I even sure about what I'm saying? "Calm down?" He wheezes out a bitter laugh. "You're telling me to calm down?"

He stumbles over to me, dropping the axe and placing the frozen cherry blossom in his pocket. His frostbite covered chest heaves as he grips one of my hands with both of his. I flinch at the sub-zero temperature numbing my skin and stare into his tired and pleading eyes. He looks so scared.

"You believe me," His voice shakes. "Don't you?"
The icicles on his skin dig into my flesh, but he is too scared to notice he's hurting me.
"Hanzo, please. Just say you believe me!" He cries.
"I..." I trail off, at a loss for words. "I honestly don't know, Kuai."

His grip on my hand tightens. Half-frozen tears stream down his frost covered pale cheeks. Despite the fact that Kuai is almost forty, he looks so much like a scared little child. Almost like...Satoshi. God, now Kuai is reminding me so much of my dead son.
"Listen to me," I begin, gripping his hand and feeling the bones in my hand and arm start to hurt from the cold.

"I understand that you're scared..." Now I sound like a father comforting his child. "But look at me. Look into my eyes, and focus on nothing else." I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from crying. Kuai does so, the tears still flowing. "Just listen to my voice. I believe you, Kuai Liang. If Bi-Han does come back, I'll make sure both you and Kana do not get hurt. I don't know why he's here, stalking you. But I'll find out, okay?"

Kuai nods, giving me a shaky smile. He lets my hand go. I shake it and set it on fire, warming it up again.
"Oh...I'm sorry about that." Kuai rubs his arms, icicles chipping off and looking unfazed by the bone-chilling cold. I manage to smile. "It's fine."

Kana suddenly screaming causes us both to jump.
"Kana!" Kuai yells, coughing, and sprints off to the direction of the scream. I follow, fear flooding my heart.

We both enter my room and see Kana cowering in the corner. I freeze. "Bi-Han," I choke out.
The elder Sub-Zero looks over his shoulder to face me, his eyes pure white.
"Scorpion, little brother....how nice of you both to come to our little family reunion."
Kuai looks like he's about to start screaming or break down in tears again.

Bi-Han turns around and I see he is wearing the same suit and mask I killed him in. "Tell me, little brother, who is the boy? Another apprentice, I assume? Haven't you learned the first time with Frost? This child will lead the Lin Kuei? Hah! This runt clearly needs a better teacher."
Bi-Han suddenly grabs Kana.
"P-Papa!" Kana cries, looking at Kuai.

Bi-Han's white eyes widen in amusement.
"Papa? Oh, Kuai, you cannot be serious. You raised this boy all on your own? Or did my killer help you? Either way, he's mine now." Bi-Han rips off his mask to reveal the lower half of his face is already decayed, showing nothing but a dark skull and black veins flowing up to the remaining flesh on his face.

With a laugh, Bi-Han vanishes with Kana.
"....You were right...." I admit, dropping to my knees.
"He really is back."
"Hanzo, we need to track him down!" Kuai screams.
"You think I don't know that?!" I snap, feeling my eyes sting.

"We need a plan. I think Bi-Han is taking Kana to the Netherrealm." Kuai states, beginning to hyperventilate.
"I'll go there." I say.
"Let me join you," Kuai states firmly. "Perhaps I can reason with my brother."
"But you're still sick,"
"I don't care. He is my son, even if it isn't by blood."