People like to use Bi-Han's behavior here as an excuse to paint him as a bad brother and instantly assume that he always treated Tomas that way because of one mean thing he says to him in the entirety of the story mode, intros included.
It's almost like siblings never argue and say horrible things to each other that they later feel bad for. Personally, I believe this is the first time Bi-Han ever snapped at Tomas like that, for a multitude of reasons.
Smoke doesn't hesitate to talk back to Bi-Han, he doesn't seem intimidated by him at all. If Bi-Han were to really constantly put Tomas down and say hurtful things to him, he would be more hesitant to provoke him and avoid confrontation as much as possible. But he doesn't.
Of course, every individual is different but take it from someone who has grown up in an abusive household. If someone regularly insults you and belittles you, you're going to start walking on eggshells around them and that's not what Tomas does around Bi-Han at all.
Smoke's expression here displays hurt, anger and confusion. That's the face of someone who just got a reaction he did not expect. His body language would be different if he was used to hearing things like that from Bi-Han. He wouldn't look so surprised if he heard that whole "Lin Kuei blood" speech before. He also doesn't lower his eyes, doesn't flinch... nothing that implies Bi-Han ever talked to him like this on other occasions.
Kuai Liang's silence in this scene speaks volumes too. He doesn't try and defend Smoke, doesn't tell Bi-Han his words are uncalled for and he doesn't interrupt him either. I believe Kuai Liang was just as surprised as Tomas was by Bi-Han's sudden harsh reaction. Furthermore, there is literally no reason for him to step in.
Brothers argue, they get angry at each other. Anger is a normal human emotion and snapping at someone when you're angry doesn't make you a horrible person.
Let's talk about this scene next.
I feel stupid for even mentioning this take here because it's the silliest, most ridiculous and wildest thing I've ever seen but a surprising amount of people with flat-earther mentalities cling onto it, so even though it's obviously bs, let's debunk it once and for all.
Honestly, the first time I saw a post claiming Bi-Han kicked that rock on purpose to kill Smoke I had to re-read it twice because I couldn't believe someone would actually believe that and expect to be taken seriously.
If Bi-Han ever wanted to get rid of Smoke, he could have done so a million times already. He could have banished Tomas as soon as he became grandmaster.
He also could have aimed better.
Here's what actually happened:
Both brothers rush to the edge to check if Smoke is okay. Both are worried about him. If Bi-Han never cared about Tomas he wouldn't even have bothered coming over to see if he's still alive. He would have done the only reasonable thing in this situation, which is keeping an eye on Nitara who just attacked them.
Yes, the rock comes loose as soon as Bi-Han steps closer to the edge but that's entirely accidental and Bi-Han's surprised expression proves it.
You can see the exact moment his eyes say "Oh sh*t" because he briefly looks at the rock and instantly back at Tomas. He looks concerned, not pleased with himself like he just commited a clever murder attempt. He even reaches out as if to stop the damn rock.
He wanted to save Tomas.
It's disgusting how some people try to twist this moment into anything other than that.
Are we also going to ignore the subtle way Bi-Han puts himself in front of Kuai Liang, bracing himself while Kuai Liang flinches backwards during Nitara's attack?
What about the fight against Ermac? Bi-Han almost died, fought an insanely powerful being and his first instinct is asking his brothers if they're unharmed.
I've seen someone argue that he "only asks them if they're fine because he needs them for the mission" to which I say, they were fine. They literally looked fine, no blood on them, no scratches. Tomas didn't even go anywhere near Ermac and Bi-Han still checks on both of them.
We all know what happens next.
Yes, Bi-Han scars Kuai Liang as a way to punish him for his disobedience. Would a good brother do that? No, but a good grandmaster would. Is it fucked up? Absolutely. But again, Kuai Liang seems shocked, hurt and angry by what his brother did, just like Tomas before. Neither of them ever taught Bi-Han capable of something like that, indicating that while flawed, he was a good brother prior to his descent into madness.
When the fight starts, Tomas doesn't even try to step in. He only gets involved after Kuai Liang is injured. He wasn't expecting Bi-Han to go that far. It was a surprise to both of them because Bi-Han never once hurt them before.
As a side note, punishing his warriors for disobedience was certainly not something Bi-Han came up with himself, but rather something he was taught was acceptable by either his father or other Lin Kuei elders, but this post is meant to only focus on canon facts and what we see on screen so I won't elaborate on that here.
In a twisted way of a peace offer Bi-Han still offers a hand to Kuai Liang after scarring him and actually expects it to be accepted. He wants his brothers to join him, he wants to share the glorious future he has planned out for the Lin Kuei with both Tomas and Kuai Liang. Yes, he may be in the wrong but he wants them both on his side.
He wants it to be them against the world. He never intended for it to be him against them.
So far, that's it for the story mode.
Sadly, we never got to see what the relationship between the brothers looked like before Bi-Han gave in to corruption but the intros give us a pretty good idea of that still.
Mileena: "My bond with Kitana can't be broken."
Scorpion: "I'd once thought the same of mine with Bi-Han."
They used to be close. If Kuai Liang really thought his bond with Bi-Han was unbreakable, there must have been good in Bi-Han before his frustrations led him to make all these bad decisions. Had he been some kind of abusive monster as the fandom constantly claims, they would have never been close to begin with. The brotherly love between them might be gone now but that doesn't mean it was never there.
Smoke: "Are we to be enemies for life?"
Sub-Zero: "Unless you submit, Tomas."
Tomas doesn't want them to be enemies. Yes, he says Bi-Han has always been cold with him in another intro, but cold does in no way equal cruel or abusive. Bi-Han had valid concerns about Smoke's loyalty to the Lin Kuei when Tomas lost his family because of the clan. If anything, Bi-Han not trusting Tomas only shows he was protective of the Lin Kuei and worried that Smoke would end up wanting vengeance one day.
If Bi-Han ever hurt Tomas before, Tomas wouldn't be going out of his way to reunite the brothers, even asking for Liu Kang's help to do so. He says he can't forgive Bi-Han for letting their father die and yet he wants him back in his life. If Bi-Han had always been a bad brother why would Smoke want him back? Shouldn't he be relieved it's just Kuai Liang and him now? Instead, he's heartbroken that Bi-Han and him are now enemies.
Sub-Zero: "Resist me, and there will be consequences."
Smoke: "And to think I once idolized you."
Tomas used to look up to Bi-Han. Who would look up to a genuinely horrible person? Absolutely no one. And for Bi-Han's part of the dialogue, he keeps warning his brothers, telling them to submit, to stand down, to not resist or try to fight him. It means he, too, doesn't want to fight them or hurt them.
Scorpion: "A shadow's fallen on your soul."
Sub-Zero: "No, brother. I've seen the light."
What more do you need than this bit here as proof that Bi-Han didn't always use to be like this? Shadows only exist where light is present too. There must have been light in Bi-Han before said shadow corrupted him.
Both Kuai Liang and Tomas only resent Bi-Han for two things. Letting their father die and breaking his oath to protect Earthrealm. Nothing else is ever brought up.
At this point I think it's safe to say it's canon that Bi-Han was never abusive or a bad brother towards either Kuai Liang or Tomas.
That's it.
No headcanons, no what if's. No bullshit, just facts.
The only time Bi-Han hurts Kuai Liang is after he reached his breaking point and snapped and they're both equally ready to fight and hurt each other by then. Kuai Liang is even the one who draws first blood. Does that make him abusive too? Not at all.
You're not a real evil character enjoyer if you need them to have a redemption arc, I love my evil bitch with no remorse who dosen't feel like they've did anything wrong and will never say sorry.
"Don't say your character growled, he isn't an animal!" okay but have you considered that i am intentionally drawing that parallel for a reason. he is dangerous, he is feral, he is ready to attack like a dog or a jungle beast. words have these things called connotations that allow them to carry layers and layers of meaning that would otherwise take sentences to convey--sentences that wouldn't do it as well as "he growled." i say this as an english major and as someone who has been writing for over ten years: "growled" is a valid word choice when you want your readers to know that your character fucking growled.
Warnings: Graphic descriptions of canon-typical gore and violence
Note: Oh, it's been a while, my friends, and what a while it's been. Here's a little update on my personal life for all those interested. I don't think I officialy mentioned it before, but I did get that degree I was working on during the summer. I was inactive for so long because I was dealing with my declining physical health, chronic pain, general lack of motivation to write, etc. I don't want to abandon this story though and I hope you guys are still interested in reading more.
Tags: @yandere-transformers-rock
Pairings: Bi-Han x Sektor, Kuai Liang x Harumi, Mileena x Tanya
Smoke, Temple of the Elements, 10:57 am
Things would return to how they used to be.
Tomas had clung to that foolish hope, repeating it like a prayer in his head as he had watched the last of Bi-Han disappear through Liu Kang's flaming portal into the maws of Outworld. He had whispered it to himself as he had said his own goodbyes to Kuai Liang, stiffly, awkwardly, with eyes that had spoken of guilt where words had promised reunion. He had never felt this lost before, and he had never felt this free.
Earthrealm was safe once more. His brothers alive, their old feud buried. The Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu no longer fought to destroy each other. Even if trust was going to take time to rebuild, even if some old scars still prevailed in their hearts, somehow, they would be brothers again. Once enough time had passed, Tomas had told himself, they would find their way back to each other. And perhaps, together, they would at last know peace.
Peace had never felt further away to him than now, in the suffocating quiet of the chamber Geras had gathered them in, Johnny, Kenshi, Raiden, Kung Lao and him. Earthrealm's champions. More would arrive, he had been told.
Tomas feels oddly lost among them without Kuai Liang or Bi-Han beside him. Though he had earned his own place among the realm's defenders, the only times he can recall being summoned here it was alongside his brothers. Next to Bi-Han and Kuai Liang, he had always felt invisible. Insignificant. He misses being insignificant now, when all eyes in the room settle on him, looking to him for leadership, to him of all people, neither Shirai Ryu, nor Lin Kuei, only a fractured memory of both. Then again, he can hardly blame them. His brothers are grandmasters. He was Kuai Liang's second in command once. To them, he must be the one most likely to know answers, to know the next steps they should take. But he doesn't. All of Earthrealm's protectors would come together, to debate how to move forward, how to best ensure the safety of the timeline without Liu Kang's guidance. Surely, one of them would know a solution.
Tomas feels frozen somewhere between numbness and shock. Several weeks ago, he had paced these same halls anxiously, waiting to see the brother he had thought lost. Now Tomas is back in this place, watching another person familiar to him kept alive by the magical coma that resembles death more than life. Bi-Han's fate had depended on him back then and it almost seems like Liu Kang's does too now, surreal as it feels to see a god, the creator of their timeline, brought to his knees, even if by an injury that would have killed most mortals.
"Is he... dead?" Johnny is the first to break the silence that had fallen over the room.
Tomas glances over at Geras, waiting for a response to the question they had all been secretly asking themselves since their arrival, but the construct pays Johnny's words no mind.
"While Lord Liu Kang's role is vacant, I will take on his duties as protector of this timeline." Geras explains calmly. "Do not fear. Lord Liu Kang prepared me for this task. However, we must remain vigilant, now more than ever."
"How... How could this happen?" Raiden's voice sounds shakier, smaller than Tomas had ever heard it before, reminding him that to some, Liu Kang is not merely their protector, but a mentor, a friend. Despite his conflicting feelings towards the Fire God, Tomas cannot help but sympathize with Raiden in that moment. A part of him had resented Liu Kang for allowing the death of his family, and still the sight of Liu Kang's floating form, surrounded by a healing aura of light, does not leave him unfazed.
Kung Lao cracks his knuckles. "Whoever did this, their deed cannot go unpunished."
"Any clues that can help us find the bastard?" Johnny asks.
The construct shakes his head. "Masked intruders overwhelmed our defenses. We were not prepared for an attack. Whoever they were, it seems their goal was to free Bi-Han's shadow counterpart."
"He did this?" Tomas can't help the way his voice nearly cracks.
Geras seems to contemplate his answer for a while before he finally chooses to speak. "I cannot say that for certain, but when we searched for traces of the intruders, we found him gone. He would have been the only one capable of defeating Lord Liu Kang."
"Bi-Han." Kung Lao mutters. "Why is it that every time this timeline faces danger, his name falls first?"
Tomas bites his tongue, even as anger flares up inside him. Not everyone was as quick to forgive Bi-Han for his actions as Liu Kang or him. Most of the other champions are still wary of his intentions, doubting the sincerity of his change of heart. They don't know him, Tomas reminds himself. They weren't there to hear his story. They weren't there to see him struggle, to see him fight not only the enemies who took Kuai Liang, but the very chaos inside of him.
"This is not Sub-Zero's fault." Geras responds. "Lord Liu Kang's efforts to cure Bi-Han created two separate entities."
Kung Lao crosses his arms. "Neither of them can be trusted."
"And how would you know that?" Tomas snaps in Kung Lao's direction. "Bi-Han traveled to Outworld to mend what he did. The Outworlders already blame him for Shang Tsung's crimes. I won't stand by and watch this repeat again. You heard Geras. My brother had nothing to do with this."
Once again, everyone in the room stares at him, perplexed this time. Tomas is too furious to care.
"We can't argue amongst ourselves now." Kenshi cuts in before Kung Lao can respond. "This is hardly the time for it."
"Kenshi has a point." Johnny agrees. "We should focus on finding Frosty's evil twin instead. If he did this to Liu Kang, I don't wanna know what else he's capable of. That guy's trouble."
"If this is true, he must be brought in immediately."
Tomas nearly jumps at the sound of a familiar voice he hadn't heard in a long while. Kuai Liang's voice.
He turns around to see his brother already walking towards him, wearing a small smile that fails to conceal his weariness. His arm, the one that once bore the Scorpion tattoo, is covered by a long sleeve now. Tomas stares at it, guilt gnawing at his insides. He cannot bring himself to meet Kuai Liang's eyes.
"Brother."
"Tomas." Kuai Liang gives him a firm, but gentle pat on the shoulder. No hug. The distance between them stretches like an abyss, vast and far, impossible to cross. Tomas wonders if Kuai Liang holds it against him that he had left the Shirai Ryu.
Behind Kuai Liang, Sektor strides into the room, wearing a seemingly upgraded version of her cyber suit. Tomas immediately notices the new elaborate helmet undoubtedly meant to highlight her status as Grandmistress. The visor comes up with a mechanical hiss, revealing her serious expression. "In accordance with the former grandmaster's wishes, the Lin Kuei will do what they can to help."
Kuai Liang turns to her with a frown. "That won't be necessary. The Shirai Ryu will find him."
"It would take you much longer." Sektor argues. "Your Shirai Ryu are not prepared to face such a dangerous foe."
"But I am." Kuai Liang pushes back. "I've defeated my brother's counterpart before."
"Not with one arm."
Kuai Liang glares at Sektor.
Raiden carefully clears his throat. "We should all work together on this." He suggests. "Shouldn't we first figure out who freed him? Could it be another timeline trying to interfere with ours again?"
"Unlikely. There is no evidence of disturbances from outside this timeline." Geras points out.
Sektor shrugs. "Plenty of people in this timeline opposed Liu Kang. The question is who would have the most to gain from this."
Silence falls over the room until Raiden speaks up again. "What about Outworld?"
Kenshi shakes his head. "Impossible. They are our allies. Empress Mileena personally assured us that Outworld's intentions are peaceful."
"I know, but we haven't heard back from Sub-Zero in weeks. What if... something unexpected happened?" Raiden muses.
Geras steps forward and produces a small object that almost resembles a gemstone, round, fist-sized and emitting a faint amber glow. "Lord Liu Kang made sure to equip Bi-Han with a way to contact him should there be any need for it."
Johnny raises his eyebrows. "What is this? Some magic equivalent of a phone?"
"Not quite, Johnny Cage. The orb senses distress and reacts to it. Once we receive a signal, we can open a portal to allow Sub-Zero to come back. If he needed to return sooner than expected, he would have triggered the orb by now."
"Well, in that case..." Johnny sighs. "Who else do we have left? The sorcerers are taken care of and you say this isn't the work of another Titan, so maybe our culprit freed himself?"
Kung Lao shakes his head. "That doesn't explain the intruders."
All of a sudden, the gem in the construct's fist begins to glow brightly. At first, it merely radiates a soft light, but then it starts to pulse, the light growing weaker, then stronger again, almost like a heartbeat.
"What does this mean?" Tomas asks although he already knows the answer.
Geras looks up. "It means that Raiden might be right after all."
-
Sub-Zero, Sun Do, early morning
He watches the mountains in the distance as one would observe an enemy. The sun should have come up hours ago, but the sky above Sun Do remains shrouded in blood-red twilight, as if frozen in time somewhere between night and daybreak. The image sears itself into his mind, Mount Tsagaan aglow, oozing fire and smoke. From the balcony he can see the streets below where soldiers hastily set up a gallow before the panicked crowd, turning Reiko's execution into a macabre act that almost resembles sacrifice, an offering to appease gods who have long abandoned them. Inside their temple, the Umgadi priestesses conduct ritual after ritual under the guidance of their matron, chanting for the blessings of Delia and Argus, as if prayers can stop fire, as if devotion can save a city eating itself alive from within.
Gentle footsteps approach, the soft clicking of heels on stone tiles. Their rhythm is familiar.
Bi-Han does not turn around. "What punishment did the Empress choose for me?"
"None for now." With a quiet sigh, Kitana leans against the railing beside him, her knuckles paling as she grips onto the gilded steel. "Mileena will calm down. Once she does, I will speak to her again." She pauses, then turns her head to look at him. "You didn't have to stand up to her for me."
He grunts in lack of a better response. He doesn't want or need her help, for her to speak on his behalf. If he is to be punished, he'd rather accept it. At least, that way he can retain some of his dignity. The last thing he wants is to owe favors. He's already indebted to enough people as is. Liu Kang, Sareena, Geras, Tomas, even Kuai Liang. Each debt is another insult to his pride.
"I didn't know Sun Do had public hangings."
"It never did before."
Bi-Han throws a cautious side-glance in Kitana's direction. "You seem to disagree with some of your sister's choices."
Kitana doesn't answer right away. She avoids meeting his eyes, her gaze focused on the distant mountains. "No", she finally says. "Reiko endangered all of Outworld. He must be put to justice."
Bi-Han studies Kitana's expression. The tension in her posture. Her furrowed brows. He doesn't believe her. The pause before her words has already given away her doubts, that she merely repeats her sister's justifications, not her own convictions.
"When I became grandmaster, I believed it was my fate to rule." The tone of his voice carries bitterness, anger at his own delusion. "I never understood why I should follow at someone else's heel. I thought I knew better. Better than my advisors. Better than Liu Kang. In the end, I only fooled myself."
"You were brought down by your own arrogance." Kitana says, her voice softer than expected, almost bearing sympathy, not judgement. "But Mileena is nothing like you. I know her. She wouldn't act recklessly. She would never endanger her people."
"Do you mean to convince me of that or yourself?"
She shoots him a glare as sharp as a blade. "Mileena is a good Empress. Only at the moment, there is unrest. With Onaga's spreading influence, more and more people are seeking shelter in the capital. Shokan. Tarkatans." She stops herself for a moment as if debating whether she should reveal more to him. When she continues, it is quieter than before. "Baraka and his people have made camp outside the city gates. Mileena is in a difficult position. Allowing them entrance into the city will cause the public to fear infection. We're already facing war. An internal conflict would be devastating."
"You're the general. Tell me what you would do."
"I don't know." Kitana lifts one hand off the railing to pinch the bridge of her nose. "The people of Sun Do are afraid, and rightfully so. This is no ordinary battle. Our soldiers must fight against the most powerful being of our realm. Against an army that cannot be defeated. Should I lie to them and tell them they stand a chance?"
Bi-Han raises an eyebrow. "Who's to say they don't? Anyone can be defeated if you know their weakness."
Kitana exhales slowly. "You don't understand. Onaga has none. You've seen the Dragon Army with your own eyes."
The Dragon Army. He remembers it all too vividly.
"Shao's ancestors bested Onaga before, did they not?"
"I'm well aware, Sub-Zero, but that makes Shao all the more of a threat to my sister's reign. Some still believe that he's the only one who can save us."
Bi-Han scoffs. "The General did not inherit his ancestors' greatness. Shao is an imbecile. If your sister's reign is threatened by someone like him, she was never fit to rule."
Kitana suddenly whips around, her eyes ablaze with fury. "How dare you–?"
"You asked for my thoughts." He interrupts her calmly. "I shared them with you."
"So what do you suggest? That we seal Onaga back inside his prison? Would that even be possible?"
"Perhaps if we had more time and a High Mage."
Her eyes narrow. "You can't possibly expect us to turn to Rain for help. He destroyed an entire realm!"
Bi-Han shrugs. "A demonstration of skill that speaks in his favor."
"Of course, something so monstrous would impress you."
"Killing all who oppose her will not strengthen your sister's reign. It will weaken it. Had Mileena killed Sektor, had she killed me, who would have saved this timeline from Havik?"
Kitana glares. "You believe yourself important, isn't it so? We could have sent troops to–"
"You have your troops now. Yet you still turn to me."
"I–"
Before Kitana can finish her sentence, one of the Umgadi enters the room.
"The execution is about to begin. The Empress demands everyone's attendance."
Bi-Han and Kitana exchange a brief look. He doesn't miss the flicker of doubt in her eyes. For a second, he wonders if she intends to defy her sister's order, but then she turns away and follows the Umgadi guard outside. Reluctantly, Bi-Han joins them.
A large group of spectators had gathered in front of the palace to watch Reiko's execution. Some cheer, others stay quiet, looking as unsure as Kitana did only moments before. Bi-Han cannot help thinking of how Sektor and him almost ended up executed themselves had Liu Kang not come to plead for them. Silence falls over the crowd as Mileena steps onto the balcony. The crowd parts as two Imperial soldiers drag Reiko up the stairs and to the center of the platform they had set up earlier. Something about the way Reiko stays calm and doesn't struggle alarms Bi-Han, but he forces himself to brush it aside.
"Too long have enemies of the throne conspired against us." Mileena's voice rings out from above them. "Today, they will finally face justice. Reiko stands accused of breaking Outworld law, assisting an usurper in his attempt to claim the throne. Such a grave crime cannot remain unpunished."
As the executioner steps forward, a flash of light suddenly blinds him. Bi-Han raises his hand to shield his eyes. The air itself seems to sizzle and tear as a portal opens before them. A familiar figure steps out, followed by a dozen soldiers, not human warriors, but the ones Bi-Han first saw at the Ying Fortress. Unmoving faces carved from stone. The Dragon Army.
Murmurs and gasps errupt from the crowd.
"General Shao." Mileena's voice trembles with rage. "You dare show yourself in my capital?"
"Your capital?" Shao laughs, then turns around to address the crowd. "People of Sun Do, I have come to free you of your false Empress. Our realm has only suffered since her reign began. Earthrealmers have disturbed our peace, dictating our fate, turning us against each other. Onaga, the beast inside Mount Tsagaan, was disturbed by this Earthrealmer's arrival." Shao's axe points at Bi-Han, then gestures upwards to the balcony. "Surrender Empress Mileena to me and all those willing to accept me as their new ruler shall be spared."
Everywhere around him, people exchange uncertain glances. Bi-Han notices some hateful looks being cast in his direction. Others stare back at Shao with grim determination, refusing to abandon their loyalty towards their Empress.
"You lie, Shao." Bi-Han's palms freeze over, his cryomancy fueld by his fury. He would not become Shao's scapegoat again. "You and Reiko planned this all along."
The General's eyes narrow. "Who would trust the words of a scheming Earthrealmer?"
"I was once your ally. Who would know your true motives better than me?"
"Enough, Shao! No one here is willing to follow you." With a wave of her hand, Mileena summons her guards. "Seize him."
Shao doesn't back away as the guards approach him. "You should choose wisely. Only I can tame Onaga. Without me, Sun Do will be burned to the ground."
The advance of the guards stops briefly, suddenly hesitant to carry out their order.
"You're not known to keep your promises, Shao." Bi-Han snarls. "I know you don't intend to spare any of us."
The General's attention returns to him. "Still meddling with Outworld affairs, Earthrealmer?" Shao raises his axe, the blade pointed at him. "You should take my advice and flee. Unlike Havik, I'll leave nothing for Liu Kang to piece back together."
"You don't intimidate me." Bi-Han prepares himself for the strike, his fists summoning ice. To his surprise, Shao doesn't attack him yet.
"I will give you time to think it over, Empress." He shouts. "Surrender or burn with this city. Either way, Outworld will be mine."
"You'll never have the throne, Shao." Furiously, Mileena turns on her heel and storms back inside, disappearing behind the silk curtains with her guards rushing to keep up with her.
"No matter what Mileena decides, Shao will attack regardless." Kitana clenches her fists at her sides.
"You need to talk to your sister." Bi-Han urges her as they march back towards the palace entrance.
"To tell her what?"
Instead of responding, Bi-Han casts his eyes around, studying the faces of panicked citizens and confused soldiers. "Not all of Sun Do's people are fighters. Even if we can repell Shao and his forces, many would die. Too many. The only thing we can do is..."
"... evacuate the city." Kitana finishes the sentence for him. "I know."
Bi-Han nods slowly. He can imagine her inner conflict, how much the thought of abandoning her home must pain her, but they hardly have a better option if they intend to avoid pointless bloodshed.
"But we have nowhere else to go." Kitana continues. "Sun Do is the safest place in Outworld."
Bi-Han remembers the gem he was given on the day of his departure. Liu Kang had assured him that, should trouble arise, the orb would allow him to return to the safety of the temple grounds immediately. He can only trust that it still works. "Your people can seek refuge in Earthrealm. They would be safe there until we can retaliate."
Kitana shakes her head. "Mileena would never give up Sun Do. She'd sooner die than surrender the throne to Shao."
"She will if you don't convince her to make the right choice now.“
"Mileena will insist that we fight. I know her." Kitana protests and Bi-Han can see the dispair in her eyes, her heart torn between loyalty and reason, duty to her Empress and duty to her people.
"When I was Havik's captive I've seen enough madness for two lifetimes. What Mileena commands is madness."
Kitana doesn't answer, but he can tell that she knows he's right.
They reach the throne room at last, guards and armed soldiers rushing back and forth, shouting orders at each other. Mileena had exchanged her Empress robes for her fighting gear, her sais strapped to her legs in preparation for combat. "Shao is a fool if he thinks I will hand him the throne. I will fight alongside my people."
"Empress, please. We cannot risk losing you." Tanya attempts to reason with her. "It is best if you stay inside the palace."
Mileena pushes past her regardless. "If I hide here, I will prove Shao right and lose the last of my subjects' respect."
"If you don't, you will lose your life."
"There is another way." Bi-Han interrupts their argument. "I believe you should hear out your sister."
Kitana's gaze lingers on him for a moment, then turns to Mileena. "If we surrender, Shao will have us all killed. If we don't, our people will suffer. We can't possibly win this battle, Mileena. Our best chance right now is to get our people to safety."
"This is our people's safety. We must defend Sun Do, no matter the cost."
"We can't do it alone." Kitana argues. "Liu Kang can help us. Our allies can help us."
Bi-Han opens his palm to show Mileena the orb he was given. "Liu Kang entrusted this to me. It will open a portal into Earthrealm. If we act fast, we can get everyone out in time."
"I'm not abandoning our capital." Mileena snaps. "You want me to beg Liu Kang for help? To cower before Shao and plead for mercy?" She takes a step towards him, an accusing finger pointed at his chest. "I knew you were many things, but I never held you for a coward."
Her attack misses. Bi-Han holds her gaze, unprovoked by her jab at his ego. "I'm willing to stay back and help your soldiers hold off Shao's army."
Disarmed of her final weapon, Mileena backs away seething, her dark eyes bleeding into Tarkatan red. She looks like she wants to lunge at him.
"Mileena." Kitana grabs onto her sister's arm to stop her. "If we leave now, we can come back and reclaim your throne. If we die, so does mother's legacy, so does everything father and mother have fought for. You can't possibly want that to happen."
Mileena's nostrils flare. Her eyes dart around as if searching for someone to back her up, but the throne room stays silent. Even her closest confidants do not speak up. Finally, her gaze settles on her bodyguard. "Tanya?"
Her voice is not that of an Empress anymore, but that of a frightened girl, hurt and betrayed. For the first time, Bi-Han sympathizes with her. He sees a part of himself in her, the part that never had control over his own fate, the part that was taught to sacrifice all else in pursuit of becoming the perfect heir, the part that, at last, cracked under the pressure of leadership.
Tanya keeps her eyes downcast. "I believe we should go with Princess Kitana's plan, Your Highness." She forces the words out through clenched teeth as if knowing how much they would hurt Mileena, as if they hurt her too.
Watching Mileena's resistance crumble does not feel like triumph. Her shoulders slump, her hands trembling. With her word overruled, there is no more for her to do than surrender. "Open the portal." The order is given quietly, reluctantly, but he does as she tells him.
At first, nothing happens and he wonders if he's using the orb wrong. He tries to focus, clutching the gem tighter as Mileena's gaze bores into him.
Come on, Liu Kang. Don't even think about letting me down right now.
The orb begins to glow and finally, the portal appears in the center of the throne room, a gaping hole inside reality itself, waiting to send him home. "We best make haste. I don't know how long it will remain open."
Without breaking eye contact, Mileena gestures for Li Mei to step forward. "Gather every civilian. Guide them through the portal." Then she strides up to him, so close he can almost physically feel the heat of her rage. "Shao and I agree in one point. All of this is your fault."
Bi-Han doesn't respond this time and yet her words sting more than he would ever admit.
A scream tears Mileena's attention away from him.
Simultanously, Mileena, Kitana, Tanya and him rush to the balcony, only to find a scene of carnage before them. The two guards who had escorted Reiko, slaughtered. The executioner's head in a pool of red at Shao's feet. "Your time is up, Empress."
-
"I take it you are finally willing to surrender." The General's smug grin exposes teeth as jagged as shards of glass. The large space before the palace had cleared entirely, citizens fleeing in terror as more stone soldiers appear through the portal Shao had opened.
"Far from it, Shao." Bi-Han summons an ice spear, feeling the cold of his cryomancy flow through him where too long chaos had lingered. Ice spreads across the ground beneath his steps, covering the corpses of the slain guards as Mileena's words repeat in his mind. All of this is your fault.
He should have never freed Shao. At last, he is given the chance to right his mistake.
Suddenly, Kitana steps between him and the General. "Leave Shao to me." Opening her bladed fans, the princess crouches into a fighting stance. "Go help the Umgadi."
Bi-Han hesitates. His mission was to capture Shao and Reiko and they both stand before him now. The selfish part of him craves the satisfaction of defeating them himself, but he knows that saving the people of Sun Do takes priority. He gives Kitana a brief nod, watching her and her soldiers charge forward to meet the advancing Dragon Army, while he stays back alongside the Umgadi to defend the palace.
Fighting these stone warriors reminds him of why he had taken such an interest in Shang Tsung's offer in the first place. With every blow he can feel the raw power of the ancient magic coursing through these soldiers, a terrifying force rattling bone and muscle with each strike that lands.
Even frozen until brittle like glass, no punch or kick can shatter them. Whatever enchantment binds them together, it is stronger than his ice, perhaps stronger than any force he had ever encountered. These soldiers can be slowed, hindered, but never destroyed. To wield power over such an unstoppable army would have made the Lin Kuei a force to be reckoned with. Sektor's cybernetic suits, though brilliant in their design and efficient in their functionality, still retain some flaws. The human hearts inside. An army of fearless, remorseless soldiers, loyal to one master alone, could shatter any realm's defenses.
He dismisses that thought, the treacherous lure of power. Never again would he follow its call to his doom.
Another ice blast shoots out from his palms, freezing the next line of warriors mid-motion. Around him, the Umgadi push back, initiating a counterattack. Their golden seals of magic illuminate a morning darker than any night. Exhaustion creeps in slowly. Bi-Han knows that his cryomancy alone would not be able to hold off the Dragon Army and neither would the Umgadi's desperate efforts, brave as they may be.
The stone warriors close in around them. Bi-Han ducks beneath the swing of a spear, striking the ground with a frozen fist that sends sparks of ice errupting from the earth. To any mortal soldier, the spikes would have been lethal, skewering them in an instant, but the stone warrior merely stumbles back a few steps, his hollow eye sockets glowing furiously with the flame of his master's will.
One might expect the movements of these soldiers to be slow and stiff, but they're surprisingly nimble and quick, each attack carried out with lethal precision. Bi-Han hurls another ice ball towards Onaga's approaching warriors. Some get trapped in the ice, a few manage to avoid the trap.
Out of nowhere, a heavy stone fist strikes him across the face. The blow is vicious. The sheer force of it knocks him to the ground. Bi-Han's head spins, the taste of blood filling his mouth. He recovers just in time to roll out of the way as the head of a spear is thrust into the ground where he just knelt seconds ago. He gets back to his feet, swaying slightly as he takes a few cautious steps back, creating distance between the stone warrior and himself as he channels his cryomancy again, into another devastating ice blast. Bi-Han blinks, trying to shake off the dizziness and focus. He would have to aim carefully as to not hit any allies. Around him, the ground is already littered with corpses, Umgadi and Imperial soldiers, but not a single fallen warrior belonging to the Dragon Army. It is a hopeless battle, and still they cannot give up.
Bi-Han releases the ice blast. It takes more out of him than he cares to admit. Sweat rolls down his temples, his heart hammering inside his chest. His cryomancy is not as strong as it used to be. He wonders if this is one of the side effects Liu Kang mentioned. With his soul, perhaps his powers were halved too.
"There are too many of them." Tanya's bloodstained face appears beside him, her chest heaving with ragged breaths. "I don't know how much longer we can last."
"I know, but we need to buy Li Mei as much time as possible."
They should retreat, he knows this already, but every minute of their senseless fight is another innocent life saved... and more of their soldiers' lives lost.
"Sub-Zero. We must fall back."
"Take your Umgadi and go."
"Retreat!" Tanya shouts over the noise of weapons clashing.
Bi-Han cannot see Kitana, but he hears her voice from somewhere amidst the chaos of battle echoing the same order, commanding the Imperial soldiers to fall back as well. Bi-Han fires one last blast of ice towards the stone warriors pursuing them before rushing up the palace steps behind Tanya.
If Sun Do had been cloaked in darkness before, it is cast into absolute blackness now, the last bit of daylight disappearing as though something gigantic and monstrous blocks out the sun. The soldiers light torches, the Umgadi relying on their magic to guide them. Bi-Han lifts his hand and summons an ice sphere, the faint blue glow of his cryomancy helping him to see in the dark corridor ahead. People bump into him left and right. Somewhere up ahead a flash of blue moves among the retreating warriors. Kitana. The guards slam the doors shut behind them and Imperial soldiers begin to barricade them with their shields and weapons.
Back in the throne room, Li Mei and her constables are still guiding people through the portal into Earthrealm. Mileena had not left yet, overseeing the process with a furious expression, flanked by her guards.
"We must leave. Now."
Bi-Han looks around, trying to get a measure of how many more people they would have to get through the portal, how much more time it would take. So far, it seems that Sun Do's constables have made good progress. After the civilians, only the Umgadi and the Imperial soldiers who have come in last remain.
And the Tarkatans.
Bi-Han spots them waiting by the doors, as far away from the fleeing citizens as possible. He marches over to the only familiar face he can recognize among them. Baraka. "What are you doing? Get to the portal. There's not much time left."
To his surprise, not a single Tarkatan moves.
"I have consulted with my people." Baraka responds. "We don't want Tarkat to spread to another realm. We are willing to stay behind."
"Shao will have you executed."
"Why the sudden concern for our kind, Sub-Zero?"
Bi-Han grits his teeth. He would not have considered saving Tarkatans once, before he learned what it meant to be named monster and deemed unworthy of saving. Seeing him inflicted with chaos magic, turned into a creature of darkness and death, his own brother had been willing to leave him behind to die. He understands the bitter feeling of being given up on deeper than anyone else.
"When Mileena takes the throne back, she will need every support she can get." Bi-Han says, ignoring the question. "Until then, Liu Kang will find somewhere for you to stay. Somewhere others will be safe from infection."
Baraka's mouth twists into a grim immitation of what could either be a grin or a snarl. "Maybe he will have your head for letting Tarkatans into Earthrealm."
"I'll take my chances."
Suddenly, the ground beneath them shakes.
Bi-Han stumbles over to one of the windows. It is too dark to make out anything at first, but then, as his eyes adjust and the fires outside twitch and tremble with every tremor shaking the earth, bending closer towards the palace, he sees it. A giant scaly fist pushing its way through the portal Shao had opened outside.
"He's here!" He spins around, shoving Baraka towards the portal. "Go! All of you! Take the Empress and go!"
Tanya moves first, grabbing Mileena and with the help of Reptile and Li Mei, she drags the protesting Empress with her. A pillar in the throne room collapses, rubble falling from the ceiling.
The Tarkatans go next. One after the other, they disappear through the portal.
Before long, he is the last one left in the collapsing throne room. The portal flickers. Bi-Han stands before it, frozen, reliving memories of the night of Havik's attack. He sees himself and another shrinking portal, a gruesome mirror of the present, watches himself take the leap that would be his undoing.
All of this is your fault.
He cannot move. A brazier falls over, lighting the curtains on fire.
All of a sudden, a quiet sob catches his attention, breaking him out of the torturous cycle of memories. He is not the only one left in the throne room.
Bi-Han turns around to find Kitana staring at something behind them and as his eyes follow her gaze, he finds that she is looking at the mural of her parents. Sindel and Jarrod, immortalized in vibrant color against the palace wall. A relic from peaceful days. A reminder of the family she lost.
"This won't be the last you see of your home." He doesn't know if his words can offer any comfort, but he tries regardless. Slowly, Bi-Han extends his hand towards her.
Kitana's eyes meet his through her tears. Her fingers tremble as she takes his hand.
Together, they step through the gateway between the realms and for the second time, Bi-Han leaves Sun Do's burning throne room through a closing portal. Only this time it will take him home.
-
Sektor, Lin Kuei Temple, late afternoon
"What did you tell them?"
"What you instructed me to say."
"Good."
Noob Saibot tilts his head, the void of his eyes watching her with an expression she can never read. She would like to think he's impressed or satisfied with her efforts at least, but if that's the case, he doesn't say so out loud.
"No one suspected anything?"
"No... But Kuai Liang still doesn't trust me." Sektor lowers her gaze to the tips of her boots. "I believe he could become a problem."
Her words get no reaction from him. Instead, he turns his back to her, wandering past the long line of cybernetic suits in various states of completion. Row after row of them fills the recently built warehouse. Liu Kang's gift to the Lin Kuei had proven quite useful in making the production process more efficient. Sektor's stomach twists at the memory of the Fire God.
"What you did to Liu Kang... Was it truly necessary?"
Finally, he stops. "It was inevitable. He cannot stand in our way."
Sektor doesn't dare to oppose.
"What about the amulet?"
"I've secured it." She produces the golden disk carefully, watching the warehouse lights reflect on its polished surface. "Quan Chi was captured and taken to Outworld, however. I don't see how it can be of use to us."
"Store it for now." Noob Saibot commands. "We may find use for it later."
"There is... another matter."
His gaze pierces her, expecting for her to continue.
"Our warriors are... unsettled. Confused. They do not remember you... like this." She bites down on her bottom lip, wondering if bringing up this topic with him is a mistake.
"They fear my gift." Noob Saibot raises his hand, shadows dancing between his fingertips. "Worry not. We have no need for them anymore."
"What?"
He doesn't respond. Instead, he places his hand on one of the suits of armor. With a mix of fascination and horror, Sektor watches the lights inside the visor come to life. The armor moves, lifting its' fist to its' chest in the Lin Kuei salute. Without a Lin Kuei to pilot it from within.
"This is only a small taste of what my chaos magic enables me to do." Noob Saibot declares proudly. "Once i gain back the missing half of my soul, no one will stand in our way anymore."
Perhaps she should feel guilty... and yet, this is the side of Bi-Han she had missed so much. His ambition. His determination to pursue the plans they had made together. Noob Saibot may not be the same Bi-Han she fell in love with, but he resembles him more than the man who returned to her from the Temple of the Elements only to abandon her again.
"In that case, I have news that will interest you."
