Mortal Kombat 9: Ember Edition

Chapter 10: Things Go Wrong at the Coliseum

Ember and Sub-Zero were getting closer to the Coliseum, which meant they were getting closer to Scorpion. She almost had to run to keep up with Sub-Zero as he picked up the pace subconsciously, more than ready to face Bi-Han's killer. As light was spotted at the end of the corridor, getting larger with every step they took, Ember planned what she was going to do--one of the few times she actually thought ahead of action.

'I'll help Kuai take down Scorpion,' Ember reflected, '...but Quan Chi is MINE.' Sub-Zero had a reason to get revenge on the specter but he didn't have any reason to go after Quan Chi, not like Ember did. Just the thought of the pasty sorcerer made her blood boil.

Outside of the corridor light shined down on them, blinding them temporarily. They were no longer walking on stone but dried dirt, loosened dirt kicked into the air around their feet as they tread to the center of the Coliseum. The shouts, cheers, and boos were so loud that Ember was amazed that no one became deaf by just being there. When her eyes adjusted, Ember gazed in awe at the thousands upon thousands of people sitting above her surrounding those in the circular arena, they stared at the fight happening ahead and didn't notice Sub-Zero and her arrival. The sky above was originally grey but with all the dust going into the air, it turned the sky into a beige.

Before them, Kitana was fighting a man who appeared to be either a monk or a prisoner, the princess was winning as she attacked gracefully yet fiercely; the man stood no chance against her. Other fighters surrounded the princess and her opponent, Jade was amongst them, waiting for the outcome and for their turn. Behind the fight was a large throne with a humongous skull, the horns emphasizing the grandness and cruelty of whoever sat upon it. Currently sitting on it was a big man with orange glowing eyes and wore what looked like a cow skull from afar. He watched the fight without emotion, his face in a permanent scowl that made it nearly impossible to tell if he was entertained by the fight before him.

Kitana kicked her opponent to the ground, her blue boot hitting him in the chest, the man hit the ground with an 'oomph' the air knocked out of his lungs. On instinct at the sight of an enemy on the ground, she brought out her fans. The razor sharp blue fans shone beautifully in the light. Kitana stared down at the man, her brown eyes daring him to try and get up.

"I have failed...I deserve death." the man said to her, he only had enough strength to hold his head up. These words softened Kitana's expression, her own words to Liu Kang running through her mind.

"I have failed my father. You must kill me." the princess remembered telling the Shaolin monk on their encounter in Shang Tsung's garden. His kind act of sparing her, despite knowing she was planning on killing him for Shao Kahn, hadn't faded from her conscience. Her eyes dropped from the man to the ground, the arm holding the sharp fan let up slightly. The princess couldn't remember the last time she felt bad about having to kill someone.

"Kill him!" the man sitting on the throne ordered, his deep voice booming throughout the Coliseum, overpowering even the overwhelming noise of the crowd. Kitana looked at him, showing her indecisiveness, and he growled in annoyance. He lifted a lazy yet strong palm and the man was electrocuted, his body convulsing as the strange magic from Shao Kahn was killing him. Startled by the blood-curdling screams of her defeated opponent, Kitana backed away, horrified.

Even after the man had died, smoke rising from his blackened corpse, Kitana couldn't remove her eyes from the sight until her father called for her. "Kitana! You will join me." The emperor commanded. The princess turned to face him, hiding her horror lest he see, and stood by his side.

Meanwhile Ember and Sub-Zero were still walking, Ember felt a vengeful smirk grow on her lips as they neared the others, she was eager to get her revenge on the Shirai Ryu. She imagined herself beating him up, the sound of his bones breaking by her hands was satisfying to her mind's ears. Ember was so absorbed into her imagined fight with Scorpion that she didn't notice Sub-Zero halt right away. She had to stop abruptly too to avoid running into his outstretched hand in front of her.