Mortal Kombat: The Three Titans

Chapter Forty-Five: Start Over

(Suffocate - Nathan Wagner.)
-Kuai's POV- I adjust the white armor I had recently made for myself. The others don't know about it yet, so I figured showing up to the meeting dressed like this would surprise them. I glance in the mirror one last time, making sure the grey cape is fastened right.

With a sigh, I look down at Zodith and smile. She has gotten bigger, at least. About the side of a medium dog. Frostbite had hatched a few hours ago, much to the amusement of Bi-Han and Hanzo.
The meeting on rebuilding Hanzo's empire is going to start in about five minutes.
Everyone will be there, even Tundra.
I had fixed the Dragon Medallion years ago, so Tundra can reside in it, similar to a genie in a bottle.
After tossing Zodith a strip of salmon jerky, I exit my room.

Walking down the hall, I hear the others already talking. I stop and listen in for a moment.
"....hope things will go well." I hear Bi-Han finish.
"I'm certain things will be fine," Hanzo assured him.
"You worry too much," Tundra rasps.
"I know, I know....but isn't that my job? To worry about Kuai? About Pangea Ultima as a whole?"
"We all have our fears and doubts, Bi-Han," Fujin states softly, "but do not let those thoughts plague your mind."

I see Bi-Han walk over and place his white rose in a vase. Looks like both of them had kept the roses I made them. After taking a deep breath, I walk out into the light. The others turn once my footsteps approach. "Kuai..." Hanzo gasps.
"Your armor...." Raiden murmurs.
"Do you like it? Figured I'd show you all my redemption." I say softly.

Bi-Han walks over, tears in his eyes. He pulls me into a tight hug, body shaking with sobs.
"You look good," my brother's voice trembles.
I hug him back, the let go. "Okay," I smile, facing the others. "Let us begin."

Days pass as we slowly rebuild Hanzo's empire. My mood has vastly improved, but there is still one thing I need to do.
The walk back to the burnt field feels...therapeutic, in a way. The onyx crystals are still jabbing out of the ground, with the soldiers bodies having long since rotted away.

But still....
I get on one knee, lower my head, and weep. Then I collapse to both knees, forehead pressed against the hard earth as I sob. Something soft brushes against my cheek. Through my teary eyes, I see a daisy swaying slightly in the wind. I blink. That wasn't there before...

Another tear falls from my cheek. The tears are no longer black, but normal. Another white daisy grows out of the ground from where the tear landed. I blink again, hardly believing what I'm seeing.

"Kuai," I jump and turn around.
Both Hanzo and Bi-Han are standing there. They look....relieved. "Come with us to the cave. There's a new prophecy. We found more drawings."
"More cryptic stuff is a better term," Hanzo mutters, crossing his arms.
"Wait. Look." I stand up. They look at the flowers, but don't look shocked.

"Our tears make flowers as well, Kuai." Hanzo states. "Watch," he stomps on Bi-Han's foot, making the Ice Titan cry out in pain. "Ow!" Bi-Han snaps, a single tear landing on the soil. A rose sprouts out, as blue as ice.
"Winter's Rose...." I realize, thinking back to the many blue roses I saw at his temple. Gods, to think that's how many times he's cried....
"It only works on soil," Hanzo explains as Bi-Han glares daggers at him.

"And..." I begin, watching the rose blow in the breeze. "What is your flower?"
Hanzo sniffs, letting his tears fall. Three red flowers sprout out. "Red hibiscus. Usually signifies personal glory or fame." He answers, wiping his tears away. "These used to be everywhere at my temple. Before things got destroyed."

"What does the blue rose signify?" I ask, looking at Bi-Han. "True love that is unattainable. Grief. Back when all hope was lost, I thought I lost you forever. I wept and wept, which is why you saw all those winter roses at my temple."

"Come," I say, grabbing both of their hands with mine. "Let's go see that cave painting."
****
That familiar sense of dread fills me as we go back into the cave. This cave—which we call the Cave of Origin—is located near the center of Pangea Ultima, close to the Temple of the Titans.

Hanzo lights a torch and leads us down. Mysterious statues of us have appeared over the years—unexplained as to who carved them. None of us did, but they captured our looks to a T.
My statue is carved out of black rock, with amethyst gems that used to match my eyes.

Bi-Han's is made out of marble, most of his face obscured by his hood. Sapphires replace his blue eyes. Hanzo's is also made from marble, with smoky quartz to match his brown eyes.
We walk past them, and over to the Fallen Titan prophecy. "There," Hanzo motions to the other cave paintings.

It depicts all three of us, standing at equal height. I am at the center, eyes blue again. Bi-Han and Hanzo are on either side of me.
"Of the three Titans, one fell," I read the new prophecy.
"The other two wept while he raised Hell." Bi-Han reads the next line.
"Chains encased his heart, necromancy causing it to jumpstart." I murmur.
"Eyes azure again, he fought the darkness within," Hanzo reads.
"And the three rule together without sin." Bi-Han finishes.

We all stare at the cave painting. It definitely looks recent. "Interesting," is all I say.
"Kinda creepy, honestly," Bi-Han whispers.
"Definitely unnerving," Hanzo mutters.
****
Zodith, Kindle, and Frostbite are getting bigger with each passing day. They're all about the size of full grown horses. They've hit milestones faster than I originally expected.

But...that also means they have the teen moodiness kicking in. We all decided to meet up at the Temple of the Titans when all three dragons fly in. They had just come back from hunting in the forest. Over all the screeching and growling, they land on the stone floor.

Zodith walks over and regurgitates up half of a salmon at my feet. I cringe. "Uh, thank you...Zodith..." I sigh.
"At least it was on the stone floor this time," Bi-Han states, petting Frostbite.
"True," Hanzo mutters, watching Kindle scratch his ear.

"Yeah..." I trail off, deep in thought. "You okay?" Hanzo asks, watching the three dragons fly off.
"I am. Just thinking."
"About what?" They both ask.
I smile sadly, getting on one knee and lowering my head.
"That I should apologize. Ask for forgiveness."
I yell in alarm as them both hug me and we all end up sprawled out on the floor.

"You don't need to apologize, Kuai." Hanzo's voice sounds watery, like he is holding back tears.
"We forgave you a long time ago." Bi-Han states, crying himself.
Their smiling faces blur in my vision as I cry as well.
"I love you guys," I sniff.
"We love you, too," they both say.

I smile, sitting up. "What happens now?"
"That depends," Bi-Han smiles.
"What do you want to do?" Hanzo asks teasingly.
"Check out Hanzo's empire....but also sleep." I answer honestly.
"We can all take a nap, I could use one." Bi-Han laughs.
"That does sound good. We could always look around my place tomorrow." Hanzo states. Since we are at the Temple of the Titans, we all have spare bedrooms here.

"Last one to their room is cooking dinner tomorrow." I grin and bolt off.
"Oh, you are evil!" Hanzo shouts, laughing.
"I am not cooking dinner tomorrow night! No way!" Bi-Han argues. I laugh, feeling a genuine happiness I haven't felt in years. Seems like things are looking up.