Mortal Kombat: Sub-Zero's Student

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Flawed Copy

-Kuai's POV- I shrink back in fear. Who is this...this thing? How does he know my name? Why does he look like me?
"You look shocked," he muses, standing up to his full height. "You're confused!" He laughs. "Allow me to enlighten you, Kuai Liang. Like Scorpion, I am your personal demon. I'm all of your insecurities, your fear, your anger. All of that resides in me. You even gave me a name! How thoughtful of you! You called me...what was it?" He teases, pacing back and forth while tossing the medallion from claw to claw.

"Ah," he stops, the normal side of his face looking at me from the corner of his eye. "Right." He turns to face me, the frost bitten side of his face twisting in a maniacal grin. "Tundra. Yes, that is what you called me. Oh?" Footsteps rush from down the hall.

"Looks like you have company. Have fun trying to tell them the truth." With a grunt, Tundra snaps the medallion in half and teleports away in a flurry of snowflakes. The pieces of the ancient artifact crumbles to the floor right as Bi-Han and Hanzo rush down the hall.

Bi-Han gasps, running over and kneeling down to my level. "Kuai, what happened?! We heard a boom sound and came as quick as we could! Are you all right?" He demands.
"I..." I gasp.
"Leave him be, Bi-Han. Give him space. He is clearly shaken up." Hanzo states.

"You wouldn't believe me," I cry, curling into a ball and sobbing into my hand. "The...medallion....Tundra...he came out of the medallion! He said my head injury was your fault! That's not true, is it?" I ask, lifting my head up.

They both freeze at my weak explanation. "Is it true?" I demand. Bi-Han looks upset. My eyes widen. "How could you?" I yell, getting up and backing away from both of them. "My own brother..." Tears blur my vision. "Kuai, listen," Bi-Han starts. "No," I shake my head. "You hurt me, Bi-Han! Why?! Do you...hate me? Was this all done to mess with me?" I hiccup. "Please," Bi-Han begs, walking towards me. "Brother, just stay calm and listen." Hanzo suddenly freezes. "Wait," he whispers. We all stand still. "Something else is here," Hanzo breathes in a sharp breath.

Someone slow clapping in the darkness of the hallway causes us all to jump. Much to my horror, Tundra steps out of the darkness. "Now isn't this just amusing? My, my, how the drama continues." "W-what...?" Hanzo gasps, looking between Tundra and I with wide eyes. "My God..." Bi-Han chokes. "You were telling the truth." Tundra tilts his head and laughs, the noise sounding like icicles breaking.

"Really, Kuai? Must you ruin all my fun? I was going to surprise them." Tundra teases.
"You are Kuai Liang's personal demon," Hanzo spats, clutching his Kunai tightly.
Tundra's attention is all on Hanzo now. "Grandmaster Hasashi," he growls. "Never thought I'd see you in person. I must say, you put up a weak fight in the forest. I expected more from you." He taunts.

"Kuai, get behind me!" Bi-Han yells. I back away from all of them, trembling. "And where do you think you're going?" Tundra twists his head to face me, purple eyes flashing in anger.
I scream when his icicle claws dig into my wrist.
He yells and immediately lets go, the same icy marking appearing on his wrist as well.

"Right," he huffs. "I cannot harm you because the damage will also be done to me." He snarls in annoyance. With an angry yell, Tundra shoves Hanzo away and charges for the main entrance. Before we can catch up to him, he is already gone with the doors swinging on their hinges.

I break down, crying in fear and confusion. Bi-Han sits next to me and places me on his lap as I sob. This time, I don't pull away. His good arm is curled around me protectively.
****
I lay in bed and listen to Hanzo informing Raiden of everything in the hall. I'm finally allowed back in my room. I stare at the fireplace, wrapping myself in the polar bear fur blanket. I sniff.

I close my eyes tightly when I hear Bi-Han enter my room quietly. "Kuai, I'm so sorry."
I say nothing with my back facing him. Much to my annoyance, he walks over and lays next to me in bed.
"I never wanted this to befall you."
I open my eyes and looks down.

"Why did you hit me? What did I do that caused you to hit me?" I ask softly. Bi-Han lets out a tense sigh.
"Tundra messed with you. Got into your head. You weren't thinking right. I had to do it in self-defense.
But I still blame myself," he hiccups, tears flooding his eyes.

I get out of bed, the blanket dragging behind me.
"What do we do now?" I ask. Bi-Han doesn't respond. "What if we track him down?" I ask, turning to face my brother. Bi-Han scoffs, wiping his tears away as he sits up.
"Doing something that reckless is suicide. Both Hanzo and I saw how powerful Tundra is when he possessed you. But fighting him now that he exists as his own person...." he trails off, shivering.

"But he can't hurt me." I say, dropping the blanket on the floor. "You saw what happened when he grabbed me." I hold up my bruised wrist. "The same mark is on his wrist as well. He can't touch me."
"Don't you dare think of going to track him alone," Bi-Han snaps, stomping over to me.

I glare up at him, my mind already set. "Follow me if you must." Is all I say. I walk over to my dresser and pick up my blue silk headband. My hand had healed enough that I can move it around without much pain. My hand is finally out of the cast.

"Kuai, you can't!" Bi-Han cries as I tie the headband over the gauze still around my head. I stare at myself with a fractured shard of mirror. The headband covers the gauze perfectly. "I don't want you to die!"
I turn back to face him, a sad smile on my face.

"I won't die." I say, taking the wilted cherry blossom from the dresser and cupping it in my hands. I hand it to him, kissing his cheek quickly as I do so.
"If I don't comeback by nightfall, come look for me."

Without waiting for him to respond, I rush out of my room and past Hanzo and Raiden. I hear them all call out for me, their voices mashed together into a cacophony of noise. Once I'm outside, I run down the snowy steps of the temple.

The sun is beginning to set over the mountains as I keep running. Tundra is out here somewhere. Maybe I can convince him to aid us. We need all the help we can get, since the Cyber Lin Kuei cyberization has suddenly stopped, or so Bi-Han says.