Mortal Kombat 9: Ember Edition

Chapter 17: Alone in the Destruction

Kano picked up one metal piece at a time, not taking the time to examine it before putting it in place on the man before him. He wore a faint mischievous smile as he worked with certainty, the work he was doing seemed like completing the easiest puzzle in the world. From the blood-soaked table he took a grey metallic mask and put it on the man lying unconscious.

In the darkness of the room Kano's red eye glowed and he returned to the table just in time for the man to wake up.

Raspy breathing escaped from the mask as the man forced himself to sit up, his deformed and burned skin stretching like elastic as he moved his hands to touch the mask. Suddenly he started coughing heavily, feeling like something was stuck in his lungs.

"Easy there, mate." Kano said, "You've had a rough one."

The man exhaled deeply at the voice, "Kano?" He asked.

"In the flesh."

"I was...on fire..."

Kano nodded, "Yep, burned to a crisp, you were. Good thing I found ya, Kabal." He grinned, showing his teeth as his red eye regarded this sorry state. "Shang Tsung's magic healed the rest of ya, but your lungs?" He snorted, grabbing something from his table. "Yeesh."

"Take it off." Kabal ordered, his hands in black gloves weakly attempted to pull the mask off.

"Can't. It's permanent." Kano lifted two large hook blades, looking at them with satisfaction. "No mask, no breathing."

By then, Kabal had gotten himself onto his feet and found the closest thing to a mirror he could find. Taking in his new appearance, he couldn't even see himself frown with disgust. "I'm a freak!" He grieved, appalled.

Kano walked up to him, holding the hook blades out to Kabal. "Go on. give 'em a whirl." He encouraged after Kabal's hesitation.

"I don't use those anymore." Kabal said, refusing the weapons. But Kano was persistent.

"Yeah, you're all proper policeman now. The Black Dragon ain't the same without ya, mate."  Kano's greedy grin returned as he added, as if thinking this would convince Kabal to return "You should come back. We're making money on this war."

"You sold those monsters their firepower!" Kabal growled as the realization came to him, pointing an accusing finger at Kano.

Holding his arms up, Kano smirked. "Guilty as charged."

Taking a threatening step forward, Kabal shouted "This is your fault!"

"What are you on about, eh? You're still here aren't ya?" Kano dropped the hook blades, his smirk disappearing.

"I should be dead!"

Kabal uppercut Kano, knocking his former comrade to the ground. Before Kano could get up, Kabal picked up a hook blade and pressed it against Kano's throat, not enough to cut, but enough to get his point across. "How do I get outta here?" He demanded, pressing the blade a little closer.

"Good luck. No one leaves Outworld without Shao Kahn's say-so."

"Outworld? Shao Kahn?"