Mortal Kombat 9: Ember Edition

Epilogue: Bi-Han's Apology

I teleported into a cave through a dark portal, the ice that encased her weighing heavy in my hands.

The cave was shallow and fairly lit from the moonlight that flooded through the large hole that made up the cave's entrance.

As if by coincidence, in the middle of the cave was rock lifted up to resemble a pedestal. Here was where I gently lowered the ice block.

The temperature was cold and the outside air would've chilled any normal person. It was the perfect place for her tomb, the ice would preserve her.

Even though the destroyed city where Shao Kahn's invasion hit the hardest was visible from the cave entrance, it was far enough that wanderers would have trouble finding it.

I sighed at the destruction and the cold silence that surrounded me. I could be annihilated at any moment for what I did, it would be dangerous for me to return to the Nethrrealm because Quan Chi would surely suspect me.

But I don't regret my course of action if it meant saving her.

"Forgive me, Ember." I said to her frozen corpse. "I took you to him to be brought back to life."

"We could've been together, sister, like you wanted--like I wanted... You could've helped me overthrow Quan Chi so that I could rule the Nethrrealm."

I don't know why I told her my plan, the plan I had been thinking up ever since Quan Chi encouraged my demise. She couldn't hear me, she was dead.

But, I felt I owed it to her to explain her role in my conspiracy. After all, I contributed to her murder. It's not something I'm proud of nor something I wanted to do, but I did it nonetheless.

"I would've won his trust by giving you to him. Of course...you would've had to sacrifice some things as well." Even though I wasn't speaking to a breathing person anymore, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the mention of her having to give up her body and soul.

Kuai-Liang was right about my intentions for not disowning her. And I feel wretched for it.

"As soon as I could, I would've killed him and taken over the Nethrrealm. And Ember, you would've been princess."

"You could've worn dresses and have things you only dreamed of...I would've had someone make Ariel's dress. I remember she was your favorite princess because you two had the same hair...when we would play I would be Prince Eric, remember?" I'm not sure why I remembered after all these years.

I sighed again and looked at her, holding her doll. I remembered when mother gave her that doll, it had to be hidden because Ember couldn't control her power yet.

"But..." My eyes, white and dead, couldn't stay on her and stared at the rocky cave floor. "when Quan Chi was resurrecting you, I was able to feel the anger and hatred he was injecting into you. And I knew I had to get you out of there."

I couldn't let her come back with an unsatisfiable thirst for revenge and undying fury, like Scorpion and I were plagued with.

Unfortunately interrupting the resurrection process meant that Ember was dead and going to stay dead. Honestly, it was better for her that way than to live as a slave to never ending bitterness.

But it shouldn't have ended this way. She shouldn't have died in the Water Maiden, I should've been the one to take her life. I would've given her the quickest and least painful death possible, unlike Quan Chi who wanted to see her suffer.

I cringed as I thought about how close I had come to letting that monster use her.

In the temple, I was supposed to distract whoever was with her with my clone, then I would've ended her life in the easiest way possible. But when I saw Smoke, a man I used to call friend, holding her like he was, I couldn't stop myself from punching his face in.

I tried to protect her and I failed, as an older brother as well. Hiding her away so that her soul may rest in peace, that was the least I could do.

"This is for me not being there all those years when you needed me the most. If things were different I would've been a better brother."

I placed my gloved hand on the ice, looking down at her pale and lifeless face, a twinge of remorse striking me.

"Wherever your soul may be, I hope you can forgive me, Ember."

I ran my hand over the icy coffin, making sure that Kuai-Liang did a decent job at encasing her. Then I backed away and headed for the entrance, the trees in the forest separating the cave from the city rustled from the wind.

I regret not getting to know her better, reuniting with her briefly on the last day of my life. But I am thankful for what little time I did get with her.

"Goodbye, Emmy."

I dragged a rock over to the cave entrance, blocking it so no one could get to her. With her tomb sealed, I teleported, ready to face the consequences.

But I don't regret it, because my sister is now in a better place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Moments Later...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since Bi-Han blocked off the cave, the inside was dark and cold, no light was able to sliver in through the cracks.

But even though the temperature was surely low enough to keep the ice, slowly and so unnoticeable that one couldn't see it with the naked eye, the ice was melting.