#skar-zero

Also on Ff.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13322593/12/Thaw

Chapters: 12/13 Fandom: Mortal Kombat (Video Games) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Characters: Sub-Zero, skarlet, Sareena, Cetrion, Kharon Additional Tags: Adventure, Death, unlikely allies, Tense partnership, Sexual Tension, Underworld, Rescue, mission, new timeline, Trauma, Resentment, slowish burn Summary:

Even in a new timeline, viles seeds do germinate.

Sub-Zero embarks on a mission to the Netherrealm to retrieve a soul in possession of great power. But this is not an undertaking he can face alone. Cruel necessity forces him to cooperate with an old foe. Suspicion hounds his every step, as Skarlet surely operates under an agenda of her own.

The voyage into Hell commences in a lonely shore...

Chapters: 9/? Fandom: Mortal Kombat (Video Games) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Characters: Sub-Zero, skarlet, Sareena, Cetrion, Kharon Additional Tags: Adventure, Death, unlikely allies, Tense partnership, Sexual Tension, Underworld, Rescue, mission, new timeline, Trauma, Resentment, slowish burn Summary:

Even in a new timeline, viles seeds do germinate.

Sub-Zero embarks on a mission to the Netherrealm to retrieve a soul in possession of great power. But this is not an undertaking he can face alone. Cruel necessity forces him to cooperate with an old foe. Suspicion hounds his every step, as Skarlet surely operates under an agenda of her own.

Also on Ff.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13322593/8/Thaw

Even in a new timeline, viles seeds do germinate.

Sub-Zero embarks on a mission to the Netherrealm to retrieve a soul in possession of great power. But this is not an undertaking he can face alone. Cruel necessity forces him to cooperate with an old foe. Suspicion hounds his every step, as Skarlet surely operates under an agenda of her own.

The voyage into Hell commences in a lonely shore...

Preview:

One night, in an ethereal recess between matter and soul, a deity befriended a mortal. It was through retaining the memory of her Mother and her Brother’s schemes in a timeline unmade that Elder God Cetrion made a fateful decision. The Elder Gods’ detachment from the living experience of mortals could only lead to ruin, even if indirectly. She humbly realised that the Thunder God Raiden had the right of it. His bond with mortals was a truer path to balance than her own steadfast allegiance to Kronika.

Thus, she reached out towards some curious soul; any may do. In doing so, her voice resonated within a man’s meditation. That man was the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei: Kuai Liang, known across the realms as Sub-Zero. In him, she found a sober mind, and a soul full of deeds and principles. Their alliance proved extraordinarily effective as a force for good. But sometimes, their talks would stray from the ever-present concerns for the welfare of the realms.

“Is there room for love in your heart, Kuai Liang?” Cetrion asked him once.

“Love gets in the way.” His tone fell strangely on her ears; his speech was often formal, but rarely cold as this.

Thaw - Chapter Three

Preview:

True to Kharon’s estimation, the ship was due to arrive on the afternoon of the following day. The emerald coast of the Sankha Island came into view as a tiny strip of land amidst the Sea of Blood. Even from this distance, the red looked cleanly purged from the island’s shores; this was one of many mysteries which adored Sankha’s reputation. Scholars from both Earthrealm and Outworld debated whether the island’s distinctive phenomena were a consequence of the portal to the Netherrealm concealed in its caves.

Sub-Zero himself had witnessed many such strange occurrences during the mission to secure the portal back in the day. But none of those uncanny sights were in his mind at the moment. He was not thinking wholly of the mission itself either. Despite himself, all he saw were the bags under Skarlet’s eyes. He heard her tossing and turning in the deep of night; the creak of her bed as she got up, and the moan of the floorboards beneath her feet.

The assassin’s attempts to maintain her demeanour were less and less successful as they approached the island. She was anxious, and restless, and it showed during their sparring sessions, which had become a daily activity. Sub-Zero needed to know the reason for it, whether it would compromise the mission, or if it was a cover for a hidden intent. It certainly was unexpected from as capable a fighter as she. But by now, he fully realised coldness would not get anything out of her, other than the games he was now used to expect.

There probably was no way to learn the truth from her – this he was well aware of. The crux of her unease shall likely reveal itself eventually, and he would be ready for it. If necessary, he harboured no doubt or hesitation to cut her down.

Also on FF.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13322593/4/Thaw

Preview:

The ship docked on Sankha’s shores at midday. All that was red in the clouds and sea lay far behind in a lifeless horizon. Warm sand, a sky full of light, and bursting vegetation greeted the visitors like a sight for sore eyes. Even the air felt different, like the island belonged to a different, geographically impossible height. This was the kind of place a frivolous soul would seek for leisure. But Sankha, much like the rich islands of the Pacific Ocean in Earthrealm, concealed its darkest secrets deep in the core.

A paradise that housed a gate to hell.

The irony was lost to nobody.

Old Man Kharon did not seem particularly enthused about stationing his ship anywhere but his own domains. He spoke dryly to the island’s inhabitants who tended the port, as they went about their duty to tie down the ship. Sub-Zero insisted the need for his assistance ended with their arrival to Sankha. But though Kharon could have sailed back home with no consequences, he chose to stay and wait on their return. It would set his mind at ease, the old man said.

But Sub-Zero knew, from past voyages aboard Kharon’s ship, that it was mainly a bad augur to sail away so soon. Regardless, if the mission went smoothly, he may find the ship still docked for the way back. Less certain than that was whether Skarlet would be aboard as well. He certainly viewed her in a different way than before the voyage started, but he still harboured doubts. She was not particularly known for being a manipulator, but underestimating an assassin’s penchant for duplicity was potentially a deadly mistake.

It only made sense that he would continue to closely observe her. But things were somewhat different now. She kept stealing glances, preening herself with teasing smiles. But sometimes her eyes lingered one or two blinks longer, as if faced with a change she could not fully understand. This made him wonder if something had changed in the way he looked at her, albeit without his conscious knowledge. It bothered him that he would pay mind to trifles as these, and it bothered him further that she suddenly looked somewhat innocent and perplexed.

One night, in an ethereal recess between matter and soul, a deity befriended a mortal. It was through retaining the memory of her Mother and her Brother’s schemes in a timeline unmade that Cetrion made a fateful decision. The Elder Gods’ detachment from the living experience of mortals could only lead to ruin, even if indirectly. She humbly realised that the Thunder God Raiden had the right of it. His bond with mortals was a truer path to balance than her own steadfast allegiance to Kronika.

Thus, she reached out towards some curious soul; any may do. In doing so, her voice resonated within a man’s meditation. That man was the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei: Kuai Liang, known across the realms as Sub-Zero. In him, she found a sober mind, and a soul full of deeds and principles. Their alliance proved extraordinarily effective as a force for good. But sometimes, their talks would stray from the ever-present concerns for the welfare of the realms.

“Is there room for love in your heart, Kuai Liang?” Cetrion asked him once.

“Love gets in the way.” His tone fell strangely on her ears; his speech was often formal, but rarely cold as this.

“Love leads the way.” The Elder God declared without a doubt in her mind. She knew Sub-Zero would hear no more on the subject, yet she trusted time would prove her right.

A year passed. Catastrophes and tyrants loomed over the horizon, and heroes rose to vanquish them every time. But one day, a disturbing call echoed through the Netherrealm. It prefaced a coming scourge the likes of which had not been seen in a mercifully long time. Cetrion brought this to Sub-Zero’s attention, but not merely out of confidence in his might.

This mission required his skills, and those of certain parties he was acquainted with. One was already in the Netherrealm, a close ally of the Lin Kuei’s Grandmaster. The other was more uncertain to locate, and even more troublesome to handle. Sub-Zero steeled himself with patience and all the tolerance - however little - he held towards the latter. Thusly, he reluctantly set out to the shores of the Sea of Blood, where Kharon the old ferryman dwelt.

Preview:

Some phantoms lay dead beneath the sands of time, while others continued to haunt the timeline before being put to sleep. The Netherrealm harboured many such ghosts, with bitter memories of foes who rose time after time. No matter what decision was made, what situations were weaved to prevent a tragic outcome, some events remained as fixtures across timelines. To this day, many consider the sorcerer Quan Chi to be the vilest of these fixtures. In his lifetime, he committed a great deal of atrocities and crimes, with consequences that may prove to long outlive him.

The sorcerer is dead now. His legacy of terror and ambition are the reason most portals to the Netherrealm are now destroyed. The few that remain are hidden, accessible to only a handful, and spread out across the realms. The Lin Kuei played no small part in the task; but although Sub-Zero believed in its necessity, he now slightly regretted it.

There was one portal in Outworld still, diligently guarded by Kotal Khan’s elite forces. It lay dormant in the heart of a large continent across the Sea of Blood. Sailing the distance alone was a matter of weeks. Penetrating through the thick forests of the landmass would take just as long. This was the quickest alternative at hand, and all the same, it signified a dreadful stretch of time ahead of him.

And Skarlet knew it. That much was plain in her expression, in her perverse smile and teasing eyes.

Kuai Liang’s sole comfort was knowing the Lin Kuei was in safe hands during his absence. Patime Samedi, codename Autumn, exhibited all the qualities he valued most in a person. The woman was devoted to the principles of the clan, to Earthrealm, and to her fellows. She was exceptionally skilled in martial arts, and educated in medicine and philosophy. And quite unlike the previous heir to the clan, she believed in patience and serenity as fundamental necessities for any who would lead.