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“Raiden, you are a god.”
It was an unremarkable statement, yet its obviousness was enough to prompt one of Raiden’s eyebrows to rise into a perfect arch.
“You are fortunate that Johnny Cage is not here, Emperor,” he replied, lowering his cup and saucer slightly, “otherwise he would have had plenty to say about that particular remark.”
Kotal Kahn’s nose wrinkled at the mention of the loquacious Earthrealmer.
“Plenty to say, indeed,” he muttered. “Although his mouth is an eternal spring, his words are hardly potable water. At times it confounds me that General Blade can tolerate him, especially when he is in one of his garrulous moods. But I digress, Raiden …”
Sipping his peppermint tea, the emperor’s eyes briefly flitted to a tall building far off in the distance – the Outworld sun was at its peak, sending its warm rays down upon Z’Unkahrah, and adding an aureate tinge to the countless hoary structures and dwellings. With a silent thanks to Huītzilōpōchtli, he turned his attention back to his guest, who occupied the seat at the opposite end of the pavilion table.
“You are a god,” he repeated. “Yours is a state conferred upon you by the Elder Gods since time’s creation. As Earthrealm’s protector, you are – for the lack of a better word – privy to the customs, habits and behaviours of those in your care. You are familiar with and able to understand their emotions, and the actions that derive from them.”
Raiden tilted his head, the corners of his mouth drooping.
“Being the realm’s protector has certainly given me great insight into the workings of my charges’ minds. Even so, their ways of behaving remain somewhat of a mystery to me from millennia to millennia.”
“But you, of all beings, know enough to recognise their feelings. What they are feeling. You know … you know love.”
Raiden sat up straight in his chair, almost spilling his tea.
“Love?”
Kotal Kahn nodded, his olive complexion darkening.
“Yes, Raiden,” he answered. “Love. You know it when you see it.”
The Thunder God’s other brow also rose. His eyes widened into celeste-blue circles, before they swiftly narrowed into thin lines. Below, a frown crossed his lips.
“You must forgive me if I seem surprised, Kotal Kahn,” he said, struggling to keep the astonishment out of his voice, “but when you invited me to tea at your palace this afternoon, with reference to a particularly sensitive matter that you wished to discuss with me … I did not think that this would be it.”
Kotal Kahn’s own lips pursed, emphasising the dark-red apples of his cheeks. “Love is a sensitive matter, especially when it concerns …”
He paused.
Out with it, Ko’atal, he thought to himself. Tell him.
“… it concerns two people whom we both know.”
Here, Raiden slowly set down his cup and saucer. His face was a portrait of sombreness flecked with the barest hints of alarm.
“Of whom do you speak, Emperor?” he asked.
It was his host’s turn to narrow his eyes, which burned like fire across two pools of water.
“I think you know,” he answered. “One is in my employ, and the other’s in yours, so to speak.”
Raiden said nothing.
Kotal Kahn leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low mutter that bordered on a growl:
“I speak of Erron Black and your emissary, Kung Jin.”
Raiden blinked, then blinked again.
Suddenly, much to Kotal Kahn’s own surprise, the Thunder God’s face broke out into a smile – a small one, but a smile all the same. Simultaneously, his hard features softened considerably. He tucked a greyish-white strand of hair behind his ear as he spoke:
“Jin and Erron? Of course I know of them.”
The Osh-Tekk’s brows knitted together.
“By that, do you mean you know of them being involved?”
Again, his guest tilted his head, this time seemingly out of (oh, for goodness’ sake!) amusement.
“If you do not mind me saying so, Emperor, you sound as if you were not aware of such a relationship before,” he replied evenly.
Kotal Kahn scowled at him as he leaned in further.
“I am neither blind nor a fool, Raiden,” he hissed. “The signs have not escaped my notice, although I do admit to not comprehending them sooner, curse my beleaguered mind.”
Before Raiden could think to say anything, his host went on:
“Not so long ago, I invited Kung Jin to tour the palace library. It is not often that I come across Earthrealmers as knowledgeable and respectful as he, considering his attachment to Mr Cage’s team and Special Forces at large – if I had to entrust the library’s contents to anyone, then he would be my first choice.”
In truth, Kotal Kahn developed what was akin to a soft spot for the scholarly monk. Similar to how he deemed Syzoth (and quite unlike the slightly embarrassing way he sometimes viewed his enforcers as children), he regarded Jin as his equal. Such feelings were far and few between in Kotal Kahn’s life; to say that he truly valued his fondness for the diplomatic Earthrealmer was an understatement of epic proportions.
Far be it from me to admit it to Raiden, the witless devil.
“Jin has since become a frequent visitor,” he continued. “He is an avid reader of note: he examines each tome at leisure, conducts research, and borrows books on behalf of his Shaolin brethren at the Wu Shi Academy. Often, he and I would discuss the texts that were of interest to him; our conversations usually took place here in the pavilion, and I would like to think we both took ample pleasure from them. I was completely happy with this arrangement until …”
His voice trailed away.
Raiden’s fingers enclosed his cup.
“Erron?” he offered.
Kotal Kahn winced, then gave a single nod.
“Erron,” he murmured, a breath short of sighing.
Glancing once more at the faraway building, the edifice appearing like a shining beacon stretched towards the lazuline heavens, Kotal Kahn again shifted his eyes forward. Small lines of apprehension ringed them.
“I cannot pinpoint exactly when Erron caught Jin’s attention – or perhaps it was the other way around – but suddenly the arrangement was disrupted. Jin hardly appeared for our discussions anymore. In fact, he seemed to go missing for hours at a time, after which he would reappear, mumble his thanks, and return to Earthrealm. When he did meet with me (a rare occurrence nowadays), he seemed distracted, unable to converse in his usual manner. It was as if invisible fingers were grasping his tongue, twisting it so his words became indistinct and sparse.
“Naturally, I grew concerned. I had to ask myself: ‘How could this be the same Earthrealmer who crossed my threshold with a fount of silver? If it is the same Earthrealmer, then who or what has caused him to act out of sorts?’ I had half a mind to employ Ermac’s telepathic powers to find out, but Syzoth swiftly disposed of that idea. He thought I was needlessly worrying, and he told me not to dwell upon the matter any longer. I obeyed, and for a while my misgivings were kept in tow.
“But several days ago … I saw them.”
A whorl of steam unfurled into nothingness as Raiden blew on his tea.
“Saw who?” he asked.
“The second coming of Mr Cage and his film career … Erron and Jin, of course!” barked the emperor; the booming volume of his voice made the table (and his cup) shake.
Straightening his posture, and ignoring the urge to massage his aching temples, Kotal Kahn snarled: “In this very pavilion, Raiden, I saw them. I had come here, hoping to find Jin or at least await his arrival. And indeed, he was here – albeit in an indelicate position with a member of my council.”
“Surely not indelicate, Emperor?”
“If you do not deem gnawing at one’s neck like a teething Tarkatan infant and groping at one’s breeches with all the subtlety of squeezing papayas as indelicate, then I dare not imagine what you consider as such.”
“Ah, I see what you mean.”
We can only but hope that you do.
“It was certainly an unexpected sight.” Kotal Kahn pinched the bridge of his nose. “I thank the Elder Gods that I was not wearing body-paint that day, otherwise it would have turned red on the spot. Had I not made my presence known, those two would have surely carried on with their display. They virtually sprang apart when they realised I was there. They had the decency to look embarrassed, strange though it made them appear. Especially Erron – I’ve never known him to be mortified unless money was involved.
“Seconds elapsed until I finally found my voice. But barely a word passed my lips when Jin made some sort of excuse to leave, something along the lines of returning to Earthrealm so that he could report to Special Forces. Hardly words forged in silver or spun from gold straw, I thought, but his face was truly copper yet as he passed. Erron and I were the only ones remaining. One would think his face was made of copper as well, it was incredibly flushed.
“I did not waste any more time. I addressed Erron: ‘Do not attempt to deny what I just witnessed. Upon my soul, your actions seemed as clear as day. So I must know, are you engaged in intimate relations with Kung Jin?’
“And would you believe, Raiden, that he no longer looked embarrassed? Why, he had the gall to appear bored stiff – complete with hands on his hips and such! – before making his reply …”
Here, Kotal Kahn’s speech shifted in a way that steered clear of a flat, southern drawl and veered into the territory of a rocky, directionless croak (one that pained his throat considerably): “‘Are you asking me if I’m stepping out with the Shaolin monk, Emperor?’”
“I told him: ‘In a manner of speaking, that is exactly what I am asking you.’
“He said: ‘Then yeah, I guess I am.’
“‘“Guess I am”? Erron, either you are or you are not, and what I saw clearly demonstrates that you are.’
“‘That’s one way to see it, I s’pose.’
“‘One way? Impudent xolopihtli! Was it not affection that I beheld? Did my mind cause me to imagine such an amorous sight? Do you think me a virtuous figure who cannot recognise what you two share? Well, Erron? Let’s see your tongue, and I pray that it is not forked.’
“But his answer was bewildering: ‘We share something, Emperor, but not everything. That’s for him to decide, and I’m not gonna force him.’”
The heat of Kotal Kahn’s tea soothed his throat as he swallowed a large gulp. “I almost throttled him on the spot,” he half-rasped. “But Erron took his leave right there and then before I could do so. He may as well have led me to the middle of the sea and left me there to be consumed by fog.”
Raiden shook his head.
“Vagueness does not suit men who are direct by nature,” he remarked. “One is used to receiving straightforward answers from them; when they speak vaguely, one is left with more questions than answers.”
Kotal Kahn acknowledged the truth of these words with a begrudging nod.
“I know Erron. He is not one to talk unnecessarily or cotton the bluntness of his speech. It is an attribute of his that I value, especially when it comes to, ahem, certain matters; it suits his occupation well enough. Overall, I regard him as an asset.”
A pause.
“But because of this … this entanglement with Kung Jin …”
His voice dropped to a whisper.
“… I now see the change in Erron’s attitude. Absence during mealtimes, idle focus while carrying out his duties, and settling for silence in his comrades’ and my company. Any attempt to talk about Jin comes to naught. When I, Syzoth or Ermac do manage to coerce words out of him, they are vague to the point of being hot and wasted air.”
“And this has been going on for several days?”
“Indeed. Perhaps longer (again, curse my beleaguered mind), though I am surely witnessing the worst of Erron’s behaviour. Taciturnity is his habit, yes, but this time he is taking it too far. I admit, it troubles me greatly to see him act this way.
“I also have similar concerns about your emissary,” Kotal Kahn added, staring into the vaporous depths of his cup. “He no longer appears at the palace. I have not received any word from Special Forces or the academy regarding his whereabouts, and as I say, Erron is unforthcoming about him. I just hope and pray he is well, considering the circumstances.”
Another pause.
“Then you will be pleased to know that Jin is well, Emperor.”
Kotal Kahn looked up. “He is?”
Raiden nodded. “He has been a frequent visitor at the Sky Temple over the last few days. I saw him just before I left.”
The Osh-Tekk’s spirits rose.
Thank goodness. If only Raiden told me sooner, otherwise I would have fretted myself to death.
“That is good news,” he said out loud. “And he was still well when you saw him?”
“Yes. Most likely because Erron Black was with him.”
“WHAT?!”
His spirits plummeted faster than his cup – the dregs of the tea splattered the hardwood surface as the porcelain landed with a resounding bang.
“Erron? With Jin?” he cried. “You are jesting, Raiden!”
“I jest you not,” replied Raiden, shaking his head. “Erron arrived a few minutes before my departure. I also count him as a regular visitor to the temple.”
“Regular?” Kotal Kahn almost looked ill. “Take me now, Elder Gods …”
Before the Elder Gods could comply with his request, however, his eyes suddenly became alight with the flames of a thousand scorching suns.
“Of course … you said earlier that you knew of them,” he rumbled. “You knew they were involved before I sent for you.”
Raiden crossed his arms.
“Jin came to me after he left the palace that day,” he explained. “He told me everything – or at least, as much details as he could allow. And like you, Emperor, I, too, had my reservations about the entire situation; after all, what I knew of your employee was very little, yet those meagre facets did not strike a good impression. At the same time, I sympathised. The Sky Temple is the only place that Jin felt was safe for them to rendezvous, so I allowed it.”
Kotal Kahn’s soul nearly departed with his moan. “Tlacatecoloyotl …”
“What could I do but relent, Ko’atal? If anything, I viewed this as an opportunity to see this mercenary for myself.”
Kotal Kahn sunk in his seat, his arms linking together across his chest. The sunlight highlighted his countenance, the edges of which had taken on a pale green tinge. His lips whitened as he pressed them together.
“Earthrealmers,” he snapped weakly. “Truly they are the image of Huehuecóyotl: roguish, sneaky creatures, curse them!”
Raiden refrained from rolling his eyes.
“So roguish and sneaky, yet important enough for you to conduct an emergency meeting about them,” he retorted.
His host responded with what could best be described as a huffy grunt.
Biting back a chuckle, the Thunder God gazed out at the sprawl of Z’Unkahrah. Stone and earth resembled fire and embers in the glow of the yellow-red sun; each structure he saw, whether behemothic or humble to their foundations, appeared to him like ignited pillars. Come the night, he knew they would be as argent as the dust that covered the very surface of the moon.
Where there are imperfections, the Elder Gods dress them in gold and silver, he mused.
Yet for some, imperfections make things even more beautiful …
“Upon meeting Erron Black, I was surprised and unsurprised in equal measure,” said Raiden, uncrossing his arms. “Occupation, reputation and, er, ambiguous alignment aside, he was – is – an Earthrealmer at his core, and there is no changing that. Hardly talkative, I admit (then again, whom did I expect? A Johnny Cage duplicate?), but he exuded a strong presence that made up for his lack of speech. When he did speak – with a bit of prodding – he was concise and straight to the point. However, at times he sounded restrained, as if he wanted to add something or change his words completely, but just could not.”
Kotal Kahn frowned.
“Not even being back in his former realm has diminished his strange new attitude,” he murmured.
“Within reason, Emperor.”
“Reason? I cannot fathom one, good or bad.”
“Simple. He is waiting.”
“Waiting? Waiting for what?”
“For Jin, of course. Who or what else could he be waiting for? A pay-rise?”
“Raiden.” Resentment and exhaustion surrounded the name. “You are fast making me believe that I wasted tea upon you. Speak plainly and get to the point at once.”
Raiden swallowed the last mouthful of his tea before replying:
“It is as Erron told you before: he and Kung Jin ‘share something, but not everything’ – I believe he is merely waiting for Jin to become comfortable with the idea of their being in a relationship before fully committing himself to it. For Jin to openly admit that they are – to borrow the term you used, Emperor – involved may be more complex, but Erron is willing to wait even longer, hence his diffident attitude.”
Kotal Kahn’s frown deepened.
“Why refrain from revealing their dalliance?” he asked.
“Because not everyone would accept it,” Raiden answered. “You hardly seemed pleased about it when you found out.”
Faint pink spots appeared on the emperor’s cheeks as he spluttered, “My reaction aside (borne out of concern, you understand), relationships in general should not have to be regarded or hidden away as if they were … were … acts of sin.”
Raiden fixed Kotal Kahn with a sombre look.
“Unfortunately, Earthrealm does not enjoy the same liberties as Outworld,” he stated, almost forlornly. “Mine is a realm where some of its inhabitants do not think kindly of such relationships. To celebrate love of all kinds is a luxury there, Emperor; here in Outworld, it is a given.”
The Thunder God dipped his chin.
“Erron may or may not have been scorned for his interests in the past, but when he came here, he was able to act on them without fear of repercussions. Yet no matter how far away or how deep the roots grow, they still form part of a tree: Erron is of Earthrealm, and now that he is seeing an Earthrealmer just like him, he recognises the precarious position that Jin is currently in. And I can tell you, Emperor, that Jin has endured scorn from all quarters … including himself.”
Kotal Kahn was silent.
Raiden lifted his head. His eyes caught the sunlight, making them flash before they returned to a subdued reflectiveness.
“That is what I believe,” he said softly, “which is why I was content to leave them be after meeting them. Why I have been letting them continue their rendezvous at the Sky Temple. I as a god full-heartedly trust that they know what they’re doing.”
A pause.
“The nature of gold is durability, while ductility is that of silver. When one mixes them together, they incorporate each other’s attributes to create something extraordinary – that is, if they are given the chance. It is the same when flames dance in the arms of the wind, steel weakens itself for iron, ice forms in the presence of smoke, and not least when turquoise forsakes jade for emeralds. Do you see now, Emperor?”
Kotal Kahn stared at him, blinking slowly.
Then, with a large intake of breath that ballooned his lungs to almost thrice their size, he issued a sigh of hurricane proportions. At the same time, he laid his palm against his eyes, the tips of his fingers digging into the far side of his forehead.
“Nitlacaqui achi,” he groaned. “Still, how like fools to abandon their common sense in favour of imprudent actions. And it would be the Earthrealmers in my midst to succumb to such imbecility and cause me utter misery in the process. I swear upon my long-suffering soul, those two will be the death of me yet, curse them twice over!”
Another pause.
A pause that drew out for ten long seconds.
And then, Kotal Kahn uncovered his eyes, which almost mirrored his guest’s own in softness and clarity.
“But I must know: do you see love there, Thunder God?” he softly asked.
Raiden smiled.
“Yes, Ko’atal. I do.”
“I wonder if they’re talking about us.”
Kung Jin gave his companion a sidelong glance, his ponytail blowing across his face. He spoke up again, “I’m guessing that’s why the emperor invited Raiden to the palace in the first place – because of us.”
Erron Black shrugged, trying to keep his hat from flying off his head as a strong gust of wind swept through the Sky Temple’s courtyard.
“Probably cussin’ us out as we speak,” he replied, letting go. “If your ears burn, you’ll know.”
“Then I’m surprised your ears haven’t set on fire yet.”
The Shaolin monk’s chuckle morphed into a low moan as the mercenary’s lips suddenly imprinted themselves on the side of his neck. They travelled upwards, leaving warm kisses against the smooth line of his jaw before stopping short of his mouth; Erron pulled back an inch, smirking.
“You already burn me up plenty, Junior,” he purred.
Before Jin could respond, Erron pulled back completely, looking solemn.
“Whatever happens between Raiden and the Kahn, don’t think for a second that it’s gonna change anything between us,” he said, halfway between gentle and firm. “That is, if you wanna keep it that way or …”
Reaching out to clasp Erron’s shoulder, Jin picked up where the other man trailed off: “We’ll see what happens, Black. If the emperor’s willing to give us a chance, then that’s a huge step in the right direction.”
His thumb traced the white curl of a scar. “Because I want it to change for the better. You know that.”
Erron nodded, his skin tingling beneath the monk’s touch.
“I’m not goin’ anywhere. I can wait.”
Jin smiled.
“Not for much longer, I hope,” he said.
“For as long as you’re the Kahn’s precious golden boy and I’ve got hold of your so-called silver tongue –”
Erron could say no more as Jin pulled on his shoulder, making him lean forward and allowing their lips to collide. Another gust of wind, as powerful as the last, surrounded them, but they barely paid it any heed; so, it swiftly ascended into the indigo expanse above, dancing around Earthrealm’s sun with the same zeal that would later accompany a similar reel around the moon.