Nicholas leaned next to a wall in the church as everyone else was talking strategy. Sonya was reporting that Shang Tsung and Baraka were found torn to pieces with only a single building separating their locations and that they were unable to search further due to interference from Kano. Nicholas took a quick survey, seeing what changes his actions had caused. Surprisingly, there were very few changes.
First, neither Sub-Zero nor Smoke were turned into cyber Lin-Kuei, and Kitana was showing more interest in him than Liu Kang. Other than that, no real changes had been made. Jax still had his arms replaced with cyber prosthetics, Kabal was severely burned and underwent the Vader makeover (mask and cyber lungs, among other things), and then there was Raiden, still trying to come up with plans based on partial memories from the future.
Well, there would be some other big changes once Raiden and Liu Kang left to plead to the elder gods to intervene. Until then, Nicholas would be in a bit of a holding pattern for now. He felt a shutter climb his spine as the bell signaling that an old snare had caught something, Nicholas decided to push it to the back-burner for now. He was still deciding how to do the big event when Johnny Cage approached, saying, "Is there a reason you're trying to play the brooding loner." It was a rhetorical question, but Nicholas answered anyway. He said, "I'm just contemplating what Sonya just said. On the one hand, Shao Kahn just lost two of his warriors. On the other hand, since I know who did it and what it means, the fact is that those killers are getting closer to finding me." Johnny asked, "Something I been wondering, why are they so hell bent on finding you?"
Nicholas glanced at Johnny for a moment and then said, "Honestly, it could be for any number of reasons, but if I had to guess then it would be pride." Johnny lowered his sunglasses and gave a look that said he wanted Nicholas to go into more detail.
Nicholas continued, "The place was essentially a prison, where the warden fed on our hope and despair, and took pleasure in our suffering. I, being the first person to successfully escape, have obviously wounded its pride, and it clearly wants to make an example of me so others don't try." There were holes in the story, but because it was a theory and not the absolute truth of what actually happened, Johnny decided to go with it and say, "I guess that's a good reason as any."
Raiden suddenly spoke up about some "soul-well" that was being created. Nightwolf volunteered to deal with it and immediately left. Nicholas decided to use that opportunity to tell Raiden about the artifact. He asked Raiden to speak to him alone, Raiden agreed, and they walked to a corner. Raiden wanted to know what the problem was.
Nicholas said, "New information has come to my attention, I tell you because it will affect your duties greatly, I didn't want the others to hear because they already have a lot on their plate and there is nothing they can do right now." Raiden gave an understanding nod.
Nicholas continued, "It seems that when I escaped from that torturous place, an artifact was created that is allowing my pursuers to follow me. The good news is that it's on this side. The bad news is that technically, it still has a hook in me, so if it breaks, I'll get pulled back there as well as anyone else it has a hook in."
Raiden asked, "Is there any way to remove that hook, and is there any way to tell who else this creature has a hook into?" Nicholas thought for a moment then said, "To the first, I'll have to find the anchor first in order to tell, and to the second, not to my knowledge, everybody here could already be tagged and we wouldn't know, not unless you have a means of examining their souls with out killing them."
Raiden got a sour look on his face, then said, "I understand. Once we dealt with this invasion, I'll help you in searching for this artifact." Nicholas nodded and walked away. The conversation had more or less gone how he wanted, and the fact that the Netherrealm would begin invading almost immediately after Shao Kahn's death, would give Nicholas the excuse to deny Raiden's aid when the time came.
Nightwolf returned, telling of his victory and the banishment of Noob Saibot. Raiden checked his medallion only to yell in frustration, saying, "How was that not enough!?" Then Raiden came up with the idea of asking the elder gods. Then he asked Liu Kang to accompany him. Liu Kang agreed. Raiden placed one hand on Liu Kang's shoulder and the other in the air. In a flash of lightning, they were both gone.
Nicholas saw the opportunity and acted in it. Suddenly, Nightwolf perked up and said, "Something is approaching!" The front doors burst open, and one was left partially off their hinges. There was little time to react as his menagerie of killers came surging through the doors. Nightwolf shouted, "Everyone defend yourself!"
...
Johnny Cage was not sure what he was expecting when he signed up for some mysterious tournament that promised to tell the world that his skills were real. But, what he definitely was not expecting it to go from a tournament with the fate of the world in the balance and turn into some kind of B-Grade survival-horror movie. I mean, he is fighting a clown right now.
Not that the others are fighting normal opponents either. Sonya was fighting some tall dude with face paint and a bell. Jax was fighting against some demonic samurai. Stryker was fighting some Hillbilly with a sledgehammer and a chainsaw on his back. Kabal was fighting some horribly disfigured monster in black leather. Kitana was fighting some kind of cowboy with a dislocated jaw. Jade was stuck fighting 4v1. Her pole was help keeping them at bay, but it was clear from the way they were dressed that they were very used to cooperating with each other.
Sub-Zero was fighting that severely disturbing robot they saw back at the arena. Smoke was being kept at bay by some little girl. It was clear to Johnny that this was no ordinary girl. Nicholas was fighting some flashy pop idol using a baseball bat. Finally, there was Nightwolf, who was fighting some knight in bloody armor.
Johnny was holding his own fairly well, considering his opponent was larger and was using a weapon. Even if that weapon was only a small pair of garden sheers. Suddenly, Johnny's attention was diverted when he heard menacing laughter coming from the door. Johnny saw three more enter the room.
One looked like a doctor who had undergone some botched plastic surgery. Another had a pyramid for a head. Then there was the one that looked like it crawled from his worst nightmare. The nightmare creature suddenly had a black mass of shadows in its hand, and then the lights went out.
Johnny felt something huge slam against his chest and send him flying. As if on que the sounds filling Johnny's ears were not his comrades holding their own, but the screams of individuals being torn apart. Just as quickly as they disappeared, the lights came back. Johnny found himself next to Sonya, who quickly helped him to his feet. On the other side of the church were Nicholas and Jade, with an unconscious Kitana behind them. Johnny couldn't see anyone else as he and Sonya were quickly being surrounded.
Johnny began to think this might be his last performance when suddenly, Sonya's original opponent cocked his head as if he was hearing something important and then rang his bell. Then, the rest of them suddenly began to relax and dissolve away. Not leaving a trace that they were here, other than the now very visible and very mangled bodies. Before Johnny could even think about why they just left, a flash of lightning and the crash of thunder answered the question.
...
Raiden stood in absolute shock as he witnessed the carnage that layed before him. Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade recounted what had transpired. Nicholas and Jade were tending to Kitana, and Liu Kang was making his frustration known, demanding to know that if they were after Nicholas why was everyone else dead.
It was a valid concern, but Raiden wondered if it came from a place of jealously. Lui Kang apparently developed feelings for Kitana, but she had her eyes on Nicholas or at the very least was unsure about her feelings towards Liu Kang. Upon listening to Sonya and Johnny's testimony, Raiden figured that it was his presence that kept them at bay.
Raiden lamented over the loss of such brave warriors that he unfortunately led to their deaths. Stryker, who has his insides rearranged by a chainsaw. Kabal, who had a large hole placed in his chest. Smoke, who was folded like pretzel. Sub-Zero, who had a deep hole, punched into his head. Jax, who had several puncture wounds in his chest. Nightwolf, who had at least three knives in each of his major organs.
Raiden tried to apologize, but that was a mistake. Liu Kang rushed out, saying it was a mistake to have trusted him so blindly. Sonya and Johnny told Raiden that they would try to talk some sense into Liu Kang, then began to chase after him. Raiden took a deep breath and then said, "If the heavens have abandoned us, then I'll have to look to the devil for salvation. Nicholas I leave Kitana and Jade in your care."
Raiden opened a portal to the Netherrealm in order to enact a most desperate gambit.
...
Nicholas had laid Kitana on a pew with the guise of pretending to watch over her. The truth was Kitana was perfectly fine. The Doctor had simply knocked her out. Kitana would wake up in five more minutes.
Nicholas listened to what was happening, and for the most part, it had played out the same. Most of the fighters were dead, and Liu Kang ruthlessly and foolishly blamed Raiden. Nicholas had a crow follow Liu Kang in order to make sure that he didn't just decide to come back.
As Raiden left, Nicholas decided to use this free time to check on the new arrival. Only to find he had two. One was a new killer, a Xenomorph, better known as the Alien. As well as a new survivor, a very famous Ellen Ripley, from the same universe as the Alien. Nicholas knew he had a decision to make. Keeping Ripley was a given, but the Alien was another matter. Nicholas had subconsciously placed filters on the Entity's old snares, but that only prevented the snares from collecting male survivors. Once a new killer was caught, he couldn't simply toss it back. Nicholas could either try and tame them or toss them into the dumpster that was the void. This reminded him that he should check the void for any useful killers or survivors that his predecessor tossed out.
The Alien would definitely be useful, but the problem was that it rarely did any straight-up, direct fighting. For the Alien, it was all about stalking and the smash and grabs. Then again, Nicholas could kill two birds with one stone. By taming the Alien in front of Ripley, he could get get a new killer and lower Ripley's guard at the same time. But that was for later, and after he finds the effect of trying to tame new arrival inside his realm.
Kitana began to stir, getting Nicholas's immediate attention. As she opened her eyes, Nicholas took the role of comforter, speaking softly, and being a friendly face. Kitana, understandably had questions, Nicholas gave her the version that suited his needs. Jade, already under Nicholas's influence, only agreed when Kitana looked at her for confirmation.
Then Kitana said, "So Liu Kang declared us useless and left to take on Shao Kahn himself. Sonya and Johnny left to try and talk some since to him. Raiden left in order to carry out some desperate gamble, and all of our other comrades are dead." Nicholas nodded and said, "That about sums it up."
Kitana had a sullen look and muttered, "Did he only ever see me as a tool for his personal glory?" Nicholas pretended not to hear, placed a hand on her shoulder, and asked, "Are you going to be okay? This was a lot to wake up to."
Kitana answered, "When Shao Kahn had me locked up, Liu Kang appeared at the tower I was being held at. I thought for a moment that he actually cared for me, but it seems I was nothing more than a tool for him to achieve his "chosen one" glory or maybe a prize he felt entitled to."
Then Kitana looked at Nicholas, with a look that said she was coming to a decision. She continued, "I realize that it was foolish of me to pine over a man that I barely interacted with, but the truth is that my limited interactions was because I was stuck choosing between two individuals."
Kitana looked away for a moment, carefully considering her next words. Then she said, "With everything that has happened, I'm afraid that the choice has been made for me." Nicholas acting coy, asked, "Why does that scare you?"
Kitana, a nervous expression all over her face, didn't answer. She simply looked at Nicholas. Deciding to go for broke, Kitana, not even caring that Jade was right there, kissed Nicholas.
As soon as their lips touched, Kitana felt a surge of energy flow through her body. Her inner voice screamed for more. Kitana found herself practically ripping her clothes off as Nicholas removed his own. The moment their bodies intertwined, Kitana felt an even stronger surge of energy spread throughout her body. Every thrust of his hips, every bite on her neck and breast, every twist of her nipples, and every slap on her ass made Kitana more ecstatic. Then, when the climax was reached, Kitana was not only filled with the warmth she expected but also knowledge.
Kitana knew who and what she had just decided to love and give herself to, and honestly, she couldn't care less. Kitana suddenly felt another pair of hands on her. When she checked the source, she found her her friend Jade joining in. As their lips connected, Kitana felt a new surge of energy and excitement coming from Nicholas. Kitana was well aware that in this relationship, she was the consort, and Nicholas was the one with a harem, and she was perfectly fine with that.