HOME | DD

Description
Mk: The Smoke of truth

Smoke continues to hear the conversation inside the weapon vault.

The Grandmaster sounds like he losing his patent.

“Now Cyrax are you going help are clan or not?”

Cyrax has few options for his situation. If he didn’t do it he be killed. The Grandmaster wouldn’t care if his smartest assassin got killed; all he cared about was power just like his son. But if Cyrax prose the Cyborg project there was a good chance he and his fellow clansman would lose their souls. Never again be a normal human, never again to regain their souls.

It was a lose/lose situation.

“Grandmaster I will prose with the Cyborg project but I have one request.” Cyrax announced.

“Oh, what would that be Cyrax?”

“I would like to be the first one to transform. And also if this fail I would like you stop the project,” Cyrax said. He would rather suffer then have his fellow clansmen suffer.

Grandmaster and Sektor gave each other a look then they nodded. “You have my word Cyrax.”

Cyrax bowed. “Thank you Grandmaster.” Then he got up “I’ll start as soon as possible.”

“Good.” Grandmaster started to leave. “Don’t fail me Cyrax.”

“Yes Grandmaster.”

Smoke quickly got up and turned invisible. If the Grandmaster saw him, he would get killed on the spot.

Seeing the Grandmaster had left, Smoke went inside, but he bump in to someone.

“Watch it!” He heard, seeing who said that, and saw Sektor. Crap! I forgot about him.

“S-sorry.” Smoke said nervously.

Sektor just glared and left with out saying a word. Smoke could still sense some fear in Sektor. He never seen or sense fear from Sektor.

Wonder what’s his problem?

“Smoke, I was wondering where you were,” Cyrax said cheerfully. Like the whole with Grandmaster never happen.

“I have your weapon. The rope is now steel so it would last longer.”

Smoke smiled. “Thanks Cyrax. Tundra asks me to ask you if you have any available weapon foe us to use.”

Cyrax tilted his head. “Yea, what for.”

“Well Tundra and I want to train with weapon so if are power ever…backfire.”

Cyrax stared at Smoke, having some suspicion of Smoke words, but then he smiled.

“Finally someone gets me!!”

Smoke back up little by the surprises of Cyrax words. “What?”

“I always thought that assassins shouldn’t relied on their powers so much. I mean, what if they’re gone or worse backfire?”

Smoke just stared in relief at Cyrax said. Unfortunately, Cyrax started one of his nerd rents. Cyrax might be smart, but he can give you a major headache.

Smoke never noticed Cyrax going to the back room and bringing out some weapons.
Sword, shrunken, kunai knife, and some smoke bombs. “This all I got that is not gun-like,” Cyrax said as wrote Smoke’s name on the list.

Smoke eyes widen seeing with all this stuff on the table. “Uh… thank Cyrax.”

“Come back anytime if you need anything,” Cyrax said as he waved. How can someone be so calm and cheerful knowing he will lose his soul to become a cold-hearted killer? Smoke wondered as he left.

~
Back at the dorm

“Tundra?” Smoke said as he knocked on Tundra door. Tundra’s hallway always felt cold. Barely anyone come here. It usually felt stronger because Sub-zero and Tundra shared the same room. But since Sub-zero is gone the air felt a little warm.

Tundra opened the door and appeared look like he had just cried or woken from a nap.

“Are you ok Tundra?”

Tundra nodded, “I just needed some rest I feel much better now.” He looked at the stuffed Smoke was holding.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, the weapons you asked for.”

Tundra look at all weapons, then look back at Smoke “How did you manage to get all this?”

“I told Cyrax we were training.” Smoke shrugged.

“And he believed you?”

“Yea, I guess even though he was in his nerd lectures again,” Smoke said while rubbing his head. Dealing with a nerd lecture twice in one day was too much to handle.

“I’ll gather all my stuff and some of my brother’s,” Tundra said holding a blue scroll with Tundra’s name on it.

“My brother gave this to me. He said if anything ever happen to him I should read it.”

“Tundra I-“

“No, in honor of my brother call me Sub-zero.”

Smoke nodded understanding what Tundra—Sub-zero—was doing.

Sub-zero grabbed his mask and hood and put them on. Then he grabbed his bags.

“I got some food and water that will last us for three days. Hopeful by then we’ll be near a village,” Sub-zero said as he was checking his bag to see if everything he had everything he needed for his journey. Smoke then gave him his bag (barely having anything in it, but a pair of extra clothes and another mask) then he gave Sub-zero half of the weapons he had. Both put them in their bags, and then into Sub-zero’s closet. Then Sub-zero turned towards Smoke.

“Smoke, how good are your abilities?”

“O.k. I guess. Why?”

“Just follow me.”

~

At the cemetery

Smoke and Sub-zero were near the gates of the cemetery. Five guards were outside.

“They look tough,” Smoke said

“Yea, but we are stronger,” Sub-zero said, trying to think up a plan “I could freeze them but it would make a scene.

“But I have a better idea.”

Smoke then concentrate on his powers. Soon a thick fog started to gather around the cemetery. The two guards at the front stayed alert.

First guard: “Tells the others to stay put.”

Second guard: “Right”

The second guard head to the back to warn the others. Sub-zero saw his chance then threw one of hard ice balls at the first guard and froze him in place.

“Got him!” Sub-zero then turned towards Smoke, who seemed out of breath. He never used this much of his power.

“Are you all right?”

“Yea. I am just fine,” Smoke said, as he rushed past Sub-zero. “Come on! Your ice ball won’t last long.”

Smoke tried to use the front door, but it was locked.

“Let’s try the windows at the side,” Sub-zero point out.

Both quickly head toward the windows, which was like 8 feet tall. Both them look at each other trying to figure out what to do.

“I can get on your shoulders and go for the window then I-“

Son they heard voice that were getting closer every sec. Smoke then started to panic, knowing there was only one thing to do.

“No time!” Smoke said as he grab sub-zero and use his “smoke away” turning them into smoke. Soon they rise near window height and went inside, reappearing back into their normal state. Smoke let go sub-zero who quickly took off his mask and vomited. Smoke also felt like he was going to throw up as well, but he let it slide. Smoke was about to ask Sub-zero if he was o.k., but Sub-zero response was a fist to Smoke’s face. *Huff* “Next time *huff* warn me when you’re about to do that.”
“Sorry, didn’t have time to think.”

“Whatever.” Said sub-zero as he put his mask back on. “I think my brother’s body is over here.” They head toward one of the bodies in the room. The smell of death waved heavily. Neither of them wanted to be here, but they must in order to gain the original Sub-zero’s honor back.

They finally reach Bi-Han’s body that look like it in a body bag. Sub-zero careful unzipped the bag to reveal a burned, decade body. Sub-zero flinched slightly. Smoke just turned away.

“What did you want me to do again?”

Smoke turned to look at him. “I want you to use your smoke abilities to gather some information about Bi-Han death.” Sub-zero said. Then he grabbed Smoke’s hand and placed on Bi-Han body.

“Don’t you feel his body is still warm?”

Smoke just nodded

“Whatever kind of flame that did this isn’t from our world.”

“O.K. I’ll do it, but you must keep a look out,” Smoke said.

Sub-zero nodded understanding the condition. “Right.”

Smoke began to concentrate on gathering all smoke (or want left of it) in Bi-Han body. There wasn’t much smoke left. He then gathered it around his hand. With it, he can see the memory of Bi-Han and maybe see his killer. Smoke then stab his finger at the skull, lucky it didn’t disintegrate.

Memory flashed through Smoke’s mind, seeing Bi-Han life flash before him. To the day he was kidnapped to being on his first mission. Smoke also felt all Bi-Han emotion from his past events. The angry as rival tried to take what seem like a map, the sadness of seeing one of his friends dying in front of him. This was both amazing and overwhelming for Smoke but he tried to stay strong. In one memory he saw the first time Bi-Han and Kuai Liang meant him.

Smoke smiled as that brought him back. He wishing those days was back.

“Hey Smoke did you get anything?” Sub-zero said in worry

“I’m trying. Wait! I think I got something.”

“Please hurry,” Sub-zero whispered.

Smoke then started to feel pain in his chest. What the hell? A vision of a battle came to place in his mind. It looked like a battle between ninja. Through Bi-Han’s eye he saw ninja who wore an outfit that just like the Lin Kuei’s, but only in yellow.

Both warriors seemed an equally mach. But it seemed the yellow warrior had the upper hand. The fighting took place in the fire hell. The place for the damned. The Neitherealm.

“GET OVER HERE!!!” The yellow warrior yelled in an inhuman voice.

A Kunai knife stab Bi-Han in the chest giving the yellow warrior a free hit uppercut was the greeting for Bi-Han.

Even Smoke felt that one.

Bi-Han tried to stand but felt too dizzying he couldn’t stand up straight.

“I can’t believe the man I killed is about to kill me,” Bi-Han whispered.

The yellow warrior looked like he was about to finish off Bi-Han.

“I have gained honor for my fallen clan. I will not kill you, Sub-zero.” Yellow warrior said. Then a portal opened and a man appeared with skin as white as snow and red tattoos.

“Scorpion, why haven’t you finished him?”

“I have defeated him. There no need to kill him.”

“But have you forgot about your clan and what he done to it?” The bald man said then showed Scorpion a vision. Neither Bi-Han nor Smoke could tell what going on.

“NO!!” they heard Scorpion yell.

Bi-Han held his chest and realized the bald man must have shown Scorpion to be false.

“Wait, that was not me,” Bi-Han breathed out trying to convince Scorpion that what he has seen was a lied.

But it was pointless.

Scorpion then grabs his mask and ripped it off. Both Bi-Han and Smoke was shocked of what they saw. It was not face of a piss off man but a human skull under his mask. Suddenly the skull burst into flame. It was the last thing Bi-Han saw.

Description
Mk: The Smoke of truth

Smoke continues to hear the conversation inside the weapon vault.

The Grandmaster sounds like he losing his patent.

“Now Cyrax are you going help are clan or not?”

Cyrax has few options for his situation. If he didn’t do it he be killed. The Grandmaster wouldn’t care if his smartest assassin got killed; all he cared about was power just like his son. But if Cyrax prose the Cyborg project there was a good chance he and his fellow clansman would lose their souls. Never again be a normal human, never again to regain their souls.

It was a lose/lose situation.

“Grandmaster I will prose with the Cyborg project but I have one request.” Cyrax announced.

“Oh, what would that be Cyrax?”

“I would like to be the first one to transform. And also if this fail I would like you stop the project,” Cyrax said. He would rather suffer then have his fellow clansmen suffer.

Grandmaster and Sektor gave each other a look then they nodded. “You have my word Cyrax.”

Cyrax bowed. “Thank you Grandmaster.” Then he got up “I’ll start as soon as possible.”

“Good.” Grandmaster started to leave. “Don’t fail me Cyrax.”

“Yes Grandmaster.”

Smoke quickly got up and turned invisible. If the Grandmaster saw him, he would get killed on the spot.

Seeing the Grandmaster had left, Smoke went inside, but he bump in to someone.

“Watch it!” He heard, seeing who said that, and saw Sektor. Crap! I forgot about him.

“S-sorry.” Smoke said nervously.

Sektor just glared and left with out saying a word. Smoke could still sense some fear in Sektor. He never seen or sense fear from Sektor.

Wonder what’s his problem?

“Smoke, I was wondering where you were,” Cyrax said cheerfully. Like the whole with Grandmaster never happen.

“I have your weapon. The rope is now steel so it would last longer.”

Smoke smiled. “Thanks Cyrax. Tundra asks me to ask you if you have any available weapon foe us to use.”

Cyrax tilted his head. “Yea, what for.”

“Well Tundra and I want to train with weapon so if are power ever…backfire.”

Cyrax stared at Smoke, having some suspicion of Smoke words, but then he smiled.

“Finally someone gets me!!”

Smoke back up little by the surprises of Cyrax words. “What?”

“I always thought that assassins shouldn’t relied on their powers so much. I mean, what if they’re gone or worse backfire?”

Smoke just stared in relief at Cyrax said. Unfortunately, Cyrax started one of his nerd rents. Cyrax might be smart, but he can give you a major headache.

Smoke never noticed Cyrax going to the back room and bringing out some weapons.
Sword, shrunken, kunai knife, and some smoke bombs. “This all I got that is not gun-like,” Cyrax said as wrote Smoke’s name on the list.

Smoke eyes widen seeing with all this stuff on the table. “Uh… thank Cyrax.”

“Come back anytime if you need anything,” Cyrax said as he waved. How can someone be so calm and cheerful knowing he will lose his soul to become a cold-hearted killer? Smoke wondered as he left.

~
Back at the dorm

“Tundra?” Smoke said as he knocked on Tundra door. Tundra’s hallway always felt cold. Barely anyone come here. It usually felt stronger because Sub-zero and Tundra shared the same room. But since Sub-zero is gone the air felt a little warm.

Tundra opened the door and appeared look like he had just cried or woken from a nap.

“Are you ok Tundra?”

Tundra nodded, “I just needed some rest I feel much better now.” He looked at the stuffed Smoke was holding.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, the weapons you asked for.”

Tundra look at all weapons, then look back at Smoke “How did you manage to get all this?”

“I told Cyrax we were training.” Smoke shrugged.

“And he believed you?”

“Yea, I guess even though he was in his nerd lectures again,” Smoke said while rubbing his head. Dealing with a nerd lecture twice in one day was too much to handle.

“I’ll gather all my stuff and some of my brother’s,” Tundra said holding a blue scroll with Tundra’s name on it.

“My brother gave this to me. He said if anything ever happen to him I should read it.”

“Tundra I-“

“No, in honor of my brother call me Sub-zero.”

Smoke nodded understanding what Tundra—Sub-zero—was doing.

Sub-zero grabbed his mask and hood and put them on. Then he grabbed his bags.

“I got some food and water that will last us for three days. Hopeful by then we’ll be near a village,” Sub-zero said as he was checking his bag to see if everything he had everything he needed for his journey. Smoke then gave him his bag (barely having anything in it, but a pair of extra clothes and another mask) then he gave Sub-zero half of the weapons he had. Both put them in their bags, and then into Sub-zero’s closet. Then Sub-zero turned towards Smoke.

“Smoke, how good are your abilities?”

“O.k. I guess. Why?”

“Just follow me.”

~

At the cemetery

Smoke and Sub-zero were near the gates of the cemetery. Five guards were outside.

“They look tough,” Smoke said

“Yea, but we are stronger,” Sub-zero said, trying to think up a plan “I could freeze them but it would make a scene.

“But I have a better idea.”

Smoke then concentrate on his powers. Soon a thick fog started to gather around the cemetery. The two guards at the front stayed alert.

First guard: “Tells the others to stay put.”

Second guard: “Right”

The second guard head to the back to warn the others. Sub-zero saw his chance then threw one of hard ice balls at the first guard and froze him in place.

“Got him!” Sub-zero then turned towards Smoke, who seemed out of breath. He never used this much of his power.

“Are you all right?”

“Yea. I am just fine,” Smoke said, as he rushed past Sub-zero. “Come on! Your ice ball won’t last long.”

Smoke tried to use the front door, but it was locked.

“Let’s try the windows at the side,” Sub-zero point out.

Both quickly head toward the windows, which was like 8 feet tall. Both them look at each other trying to figure out what to do.

“I can get on your shoulders and go for the window then I-“

Son they heard voice that were getting closer every sec. Smoke then started to panic, knowing there was only one thing to do.

“No time!” Smoke said as he grab sub-zero and use his “smoke away” turning them into smoke. Soon they rise near window height and went inside, reappearing back into their normal state. Smoke let go sub-zero who quickly took off his mask and vomited. Smoke also felt like he was going to throw up as well, but he let it slide. Smoke was about to ask Sub-zero if he was o.k., but Sub-zero response was a fist to Smoke’s face. *Huff* “Next time *huff* warn me when you’re about to do that.”
“Sorry, didn’t have time to think.”

“Whatever.” Said sub-zero as he put his mask back on. “I think my brother’s body is over here.” They head toward one of the bodies in the room. The smell of death waved heavily. Neither of them wanted to be here, but they must in order to gain the original Sub-zero’s honor back.

They finally reach Bi-Han’s body that look like it in a body bag. Sub-zero careful unzipped the bag to reveal a burned, decade body. Sub-zero flinched slightly. Smoke just turned away.

“What did you want me to do again?”

Smoke turned to look at him. “I want you to use your smoke abilities to gather some information about Bi-Han death.” Sub-zero said. Then he grabbed Smoke’s hand and placed on Bi-Han body.

“Don’t you feel his body is still warm?”

Smoke just nodded

“Whatever kind of flame that did this isn’t from our world.”

“O.K. I’ll do it, but you must keep a look out,” Smoke said.

Sub-zero nodded understanding the condition. “Right.”

Smoke began to concentrate on gathering all smoke (or want left of it) in Bi-Han body. There wasn’t much smoke left. He then gathered it around his hand. With it, he can see the memory of Bi-Han and maybe see his killer. Smoke then stab his finger at the skull, lucky it didn’t disintegrate.

Memory flashed through Smoke’s mind, seeing Bi-Han life flash before him. To the day he was kidnapped to being on his first mission. Smoke also felt all Bi-Han emotion from his past events. The angry as rival tried to take what seem like a map, the sadness of seeing one of his friends dying in front of him. This was both amazing and overwhelming for Smoke but he tried to stay strong. In one memory he saw the first time Bi-Han and Kuai Liang meant him.

Smoke smiled as that brought him back. He wishing those days was back.

“Hey Smoke did you get anything?” Sub-zero said in worry

“I’m trying. Wait! I think I got something.”

“Please hurry,” Sub-zero whispered.

Smoke then started to feel pain in his chest. What the hell? A vision of a battle came to place in his mind. It looked like a battle between ninja. Through Bi-Han’s eye he saw ninja who wore an outfit that just like the Lin Kuei’s, but only in yellow.

Both warriors seemed an equally mach. But it seemed the yellow warrior had the upper hand. The fighting took place in the fire hell. The place for the damned. The Neitherealm.

“GET OVER HERE!!!” The yellow warrior yelled in an inhuman voice.

A Kunai knife stab Bi-Han in the chest giving the yellow warrior a free hit uppercut was the greeting for Bi-Han.

Even Smoke felt that one.

Bi-Han tried to stand but felt too dizzying he couldn’t stand up straight.

“I can’t believe the man I killed is about to kill me,” Bi-Han whispered.

The yellow warrior looked like he was about to finish off Bi-Han.

“I have gained honor for my fallen clan. I will not kill you, Sub-zero.” Yellow warrior said. Then a portal opened and a man appeared with skin as white as snow and red tattoos.

“Scorpion, why haven’t you finished him?”

“I have defeated him. There no need to kill him.”

“But have you forgot about your clan and what he done to it?” The bald man said then showed Scorpion a vision. Neither Bi-Han nor Smoke could tell what going on.

“NO!!” they heard Scorpion yell.

Bi-Han held his chest and realized the bald man must have shown Scorpion to be false.

“Wait, that was not me,” Bi-Han breathed out trying to convince Scorpion that what he has seen was a lied.

But it was pointless.

Scorpion then grabs his mask and ripped it off. Both Bi-Han and Smoke was shocked of what they saw. It was not face of a piss off man but a human skull under his mask. Suddenly the skull burst into flame. It was the last thing Bi-Han saw.