Mortal Kombat: Escaping Hell

Toxic

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A quick authors note: Escaping Hell is in no way an MK10 plot idea. If you want something like that, go read Flying Jinko's story. I just came up with this idea after beating the arcade ladder with Ermac thinking it'd be fun to add all this depth to his character.

Welcome all, to my latest fan fiction masterpiece. I call it: "Escaping Hell." It's a story taking place directly after Shao Kahn's death starring Ermac as the main protagonist. Much like his arcade ending, Shao Kahn's death releases his control over Ermac and the many souls that make up his being fight for dominance. However, instead of controlling Ermac, the soul that become dominant becomes his guide. With that little bit of background knowledge out of the way. I present you with the first part of the story. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it.

Spoiler:

Chapter One: New Beginnings

Pain. That was all he felt. A storm of relentless pain as every soul in his body fought for control. Shao Kahn was no longer controlling him, and with that control gone, so too was the force that kept every soul in place. A fresh wave of pain blasted through his skull, and he fell to the ground unconscious.

* * *

“Jerrod?” That was Ermac’s first thought as he awoke on the cold floor of an earthrealm subway. “I am... Jerrod?” Suddenly, a voice in his head spoke to him

“No, you are Ermac. I am King Jerrod, one of the many souls inside you. I will lead you forward on your new path. A path free from Shao Kahn’s will.” The voice was strong. It cut through the many other voices inside, displaying an aura of power, of dominance. “Earthrealm may be safe for now, but it came at great cost; many strong warriors fell. We will seek redemption by defending that which we once sought to conquer.”

“I... Yes.” Ermac was too confused to question Jerrod’s judgment. The war fought inside of him, and Jerrod’s subsequent subduing of the other souls that comprised his being had given him something he had previously lacked. A sense of... individuality? He no longer heard the clamoring of the many souls inside him. It was still there, but it was just noise in the background, easily blocked out. It was a new feeling, to have control over his actions. A feeling that he savoured. He could pursue his own destiny, instead of having it decided for him. He would make the most of this new-found power.

“You must seek Raiden, he will help you understand your existence. He will help you understand what you must do.”

“I... I think that makes sense. And I think I know where to find him. When he died, I... felt... the location. He’s somewhere in the city.”

“Good, we must find him quickly.” There was an urgent tone to Jerrod’s voice, one that seemed... afraid? No, that wasn’t it, was he excited? No, excited implies happiness... I think. Suddenly it occurred to him. He was... worried? It was a strange thought. Emotions were new to him, something he had never felt before. Yet even so, he could tell that something was bothering the powerful soul that guided him. Maybe Raiden will know, Ermac thought to himself. Suddenly a dark realization hit him.

“I was a servant of Shao Kahn. Won’t they attack when they see me?”

“It is a likely scenario that they will. That is why you must show them your good intentions. If you do not harm them, they will realize that you no longer serve Shao Kahn. Still, it is best to be wary. Your own safety takes priority.”

Although Jerrod’s words were not very reassuring, he was confident in his ability to defend himself. Using his telekinetic abilities, he floated over the stairwell exiting the subway, and found himself in a wide street, still littered with the carnage wrought by Outworld’s invasion. His first intention was to refrain from using his psychic abilities as they would only draw attention to him, but he quickly realized that the bandages covering his body would do that anyway. It suddenly occurred to him that he could just teleport to his destination. Without giving it another thought, he did just that, vanishing in a bright flash of green energy.

* * *

Sonya Blade was furious. Furious at everything. At Shao Kahn, at Outworld, and at life itself. They were all gone. Jax, Stryker, Kabal, Liu Kang, Kitana, Nightwolf... the list went on. All dead because some immortal freak wearing a skull on his head wanted more power then he already had. She wanted to kill something, inflict the pain she was feeling on someone else. But who? They had defeated Outworld, and she didn’t know where Kano was. Who else could she kill? Her answer arrived in a bright flash of green.

“Ermac!” she growled fury evident in her voice. He had ripped Jax’s arms off. He fought for Shao Kahn. He was associated with the death of her friends and comrades.

He would pay.

To be continued...


Now because I like writing long chapters, I'm going to post the chapters in multiple parts, so I can give you lots of fast but short updates rather than giving you one huge update once every few weeks. Make sure you leave comments telling me what you think.

Oh, and I'd like to give a shoutout to Flying Jinko and Aldo Moreno. They listened as I rambled on about my plot ideas and then gave lots of helpful advice on info that will end up having a major impacts on the story. Thanks guys! You're both awesome!

Lastly, I'd like to give a special thanks to Iron Maiden, Rush, Megadeth, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Boston, Guns 'n Roses, Rage Against the Machine, Lynyrd Skynard, Killswitch Engage, and Motley Crue for providing some kickass music to listen to while I wrote.

ATTENTION: This story is also published on fanfiction.net. Why does this matter, you ask? Because the version that goes up there has been changed according to your guy's feedback as well as some last minute editing decisions that I always end up making. I'd revise the one that releases here but formatting these posts is just too damn annoying. Fortunately I'm giving you the link to the even more awesome version right here.
 
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Wow the first chapter is coming out really well mate. I loved the way you immersed yourself into Ermac's shoes and brought out his thoughts on how you think he would feel. That was really good.

But one thing that didnt click for me much though was Sonya's urge to kill. Since she is in the military she would be hardened since would have have witnessed deaths of her comrades over the years. However she still could be furious and angry over the death of her friends and would want revenge.

I am actually just nit picking on the Sonya part since everything else was very well done. Keep up the awesome work mate! :)
 
Wow the first chapter is coming out really well mate. I loved the way you immersed yourself into Ermac's shoes and brought out his thoughts on how you think he would feel. That was really good.

But one thing that didnt click for me much though was Sonya's urge to kill. Since she is in the military she would be hardened since would have have witnessed deaths of her comrades over the years. However she still could be furious and angry over the death of her friends and would want revenge.

I am actually just nit picking on the Sonya part since everything else was very well done. Keep up the awesome work mate! :)

Yeah, but Sonya never struck me as someone to stick to traditional military stereotypes *cough* costume *cough*.
Besides, I for one know that seeing comrades die doesn't make it any easier to take when it happens again. She watched almost all of her friends and comrades die just a few hours ago. Now that Shao Kahn's dead, the battle rush would be over, and her emotions would be taking over. Giver her a few hours and she would have been much calmer. Ermac just picked a bad time to pop in :laugh:
 
Yeah, but Sonya never struck me as someone to stick to traditional military stereotypes *cough* costume *cough*.
Besides, I for one know that seeing comrades die doesn't make it any easier to take when it happens again. She watched almost all of her friends and comrades die just a few hours ago. Now that Shao Kahn's dead, the battle rush would be over, and her emotions would be taking over. Giver her a few hours and she would have been much calmer. Ermac just picked a bad time to pop in :laugh:
Lol Yea, Given that background, guess her urge to kill fits in.:)
 
I love it so far Toxic! Keep writing and I will be totally intrigued!! =D The reason I like it so much is that I love, and I mean LOVE Ermac, he is so awesome! =D
 
I love it so far Toxic! Keep writing and I will be totally intrigued!! =D The reason I like it so much is that I love, and I mean LOVE Ermac, he is so awesome! =D

Glad you like it. And yes, Ermac is awesome. That's why he's winning the character elimination game thing. What's going to make this interesting is Ermac's new-found sense of individuality. It gives me an opportunity to do some interesting things with his character. It'd going to be especially fun writing him as a flawed protagonist, versus some valiant "always do good" earthrealm defender.
 
Glad you like it. And yes, Ermac is awesome. That's why he's winning the character elimination game thing. What's going to make this interesting is Ermac's new-found sense of individuality. It gives me an opportunity to do some interesting things with his character. It'd going to be especially fun writing him as a flawed protagonist, versus some valiant "always do good" earthrealm defender.
That would be awesome! I'm glad he isnt under the power of Shao Kahn anymore, its probably better when he is an individual =D
 
Got quite a bit more written today. Here's the next part of Chapter One:

Spoiler:

Chapter One: Part Two

Sonya whipped out her pistol and fired a quick burst of shots, all aimed at Ermac’s head. Unfortunately for her, Ermac had created a telekinetic barrier around his body upon hearing the obvious hostility in her voice. The rounds bounced harmlessly off the powerful energy field, completely useless against the psychic warrior. Without thinking she charged forward, bringing her fists to bare. Her gun might be useless, but that barrier wouldn’t protect him from everything.

Ermac let out a quick sigh. He had hoped to gain entry to the building peacefully. It was apparent now that peaceful entry wasn’t an option. He waited the few seconds it took Sonya to close the distance and caught the female warrior in a telekinetic grab, holding her in the air above him. Now that she was no longer a threat, he took the time to examine her. I know I’ve seen her before, Ermac thought to himself. He tried to figure out where she was from, but the memory eluded him. Maybe I should ask? That’s probably the best thing to do, he thought to himself. He was about to ask, when the woman spoke up.

“What are you waiting for?” she asked him. “You going to kill me now? You’ve already got me, it’s not like I can fight back.”

“Why would I do that?” he asked her, surprised. Did I kill someone when Shao Kahn controlled me?

“Why would you do that?” the woman exclaimed. “I don’t know, why would you rip Jax’s arms off? Why would you throw Stryker through a subway?”

“I... I did what?”

“Oh, don’t play ignorant, you know what you did.”

“I... I might. I just... it’s all blurry. It’s there, but it’s not, and-” he was cut off as a torrent of memories washed through his head. He saw it all. Everything he did while under Shao Kahn’s control. Shattering the arms of a man while the woman in front of him watched, throwing another man into the subway he had just left. As his mind tried to sort all the memories his control over his abilities weakened, and he his grip on Sonya was broken. He was helpless as she pointed her gun at him.

* * *

Why can’t I pull the trigger? Sonya asked herself, as she pointed her gun at Ermac, who was helpless before her. She had seen him... explode... Jax’s arms without a second though, seen him throw Kurtis Stryker through a subway station, so why was she hesitating now? There’s something different about him now... He could’ve killed me when he had me in that grip, but he seemed almost... shocked... at the idea of it. But why? He never had a problem with it before... Suddenly a realization donned on her.

Ermac referred to himself as I, instead of we! He referred to himself as a single being rather than a collection of malevolent souls! Shao Kahn’s death must’ve triggered something in him! Raiden can probably make more sense of it than I can. At the very least, we might get some useful information. Without another thought Sonya walked over and smacked Ermac on the head with the butt of her pistol, knocking him to the floor, unconscious. That was for Jax you son of a *****.

With her urge for revenge somewhat sated, Sonya slung Ermac’s limp form over her shoulder and carried him to the elevator. She would head to the top of the tower and tell Raiden about Ermac’s sudden change in heart. He would know what to do. She pressed the button for the roof, and waited as the elevator began is ascent.

* * *

Raiden hadn’t move from his position on the roof in over ten hours. He just sat on the edge of the building, staring out into space and observing the destruction wrought by Outworlds armies. He couldn’t get his mind of their deaths, how almost every one of them had been brutally murdered by the resurrected queen of Edenia. It was his fault. He had left to petition the elder gods, knowing what their answer would be, yet hoping against hope for some sort of intervention. And that pointless venture had resulted in the deaths of so many... Yet that wasn’t the worst of it. It would’ve been one thing to see them dead, but to see their souls corrupted and shackled by Quan-Chi... and being forced to fight them... Raiden sighed to himself. Shao Kahn might have been defeated, but it didn’t seem like a victory.

The sudden chime of an elevator caught his attention, interrupting his musing. He sighed when he saw Sonya Blade step out. He wasn’t prepared to talk to her, not anyone... at least not yet. He was about to send her away when he noticed the limp form slung over her shoulder. Covered from head to toe in dark green bandages it could only be Ermac. “Where did you find him?” Raiden demanded, his tone sharper than he had intended. “And why didn’t you kill him on sight? He was a servant of Shao Kahn, you saw what he did.”

“Yes I did,” she replied. “And I did attack him on sight. Attacked him on sight without even thinking about it, letting my rage cloud my judgements. He beat me easily, and left me helpless in the air.”

“Then, why are you carrying his body?” Raiden inquired, his curiosity piqued. “Why didn’t he kill you?”

“I actually asked him that same question, expecting him to just laugh and rip my arms off. You know, like he did to Jax. But when he answered, he asked me why he’d do that, and it might have just been me, but he sounded almost... shocked at the suggestion.”

“But why?” Raiden asked, completely confused. “He didn’t have a problem with it before.”

“I know, and that’s why I told him. I asked him why he ripped Jax’s arms off, why he threw Stryker through that subway. He said he didn’t remember any of that, and when I pressured him, he fell to the ground incapacitated, said something about blurred memories, and lost his grip on me. I didn’t really know what to do, so I figured I would knock him unconscious and bring him up for you to look at. He wanted to talk to you anyway.”

“Wait, he wanted to talk to me?” Raiden asked, surprised.

“Yeah, that’s not the strangest thing either. You know how he always refers to himself as we?”

“Yes, I thought that was because he was made up of many different souls.”

“Well whatever the reason, he’s not doing that anymore. He refers to himself as I, and his voice is different too. It sounds... normal, almost.”

“Shao Kahn’s death must have done something to him.” Raiden had an idea on what might’ve happened, and was about to explain, when another voice interrupted him.

“Jerrod?”

Raiden gasped at the name. He looked over at Sonya, but she hadn’t spoken. And if it wasn’t her, then it had to have been...

“Ermac,” Jerrod’s deep voice resonated. "You need to wake up. You need to talk to Raiden. I will provide help when you need it."

“But what do you me-” Ermac stopped speaking when he realized that he was no longer unconscious. Instead he was staring into the face of the thunder god himself, Raiden. Instinct caused him to shy away from the mans imposing figure, expecting some sort of electrical attack.

Instead the man spoke. “You,” he began, pointing a figure in Ermac’s direction, “have some explaining to do.” There was no venom in his voice, and Ermac simply nodded as he began to explain the events leading to his abrupt arrival at the tower.

To be continued...


Well... that's the next part. What'd you guys think? Remember, R&R makes the world go 'round.
 
Lol I guess Sonya doesn't realize that Stryker recovered easily from his trip down into the subway and opened a can of whoop ass on Ermac ;)

But yeah it's going great! I still find it interesting that you chose Ermac as the protagonist.
 
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Lol I guess Sonya doesn't realize that Stryker recovered easily from his trip down into the subway and opened a can of whoop ass on Ermac ;)

But yeah it's going great! I still find hit interesting that you chose Ermac as the protagonist.

I wanted to do something unique, and Ermac as the protagonist provides a lot of interesting opportunities for story telling, especially with a dead and vengeful Edenian King as his guide. Plus, Ermac's just awesome. Glad you liked it by the way. I can almost guarantee that this story will elevate your opinion of Ermac so you see him as even more awesome than he already is.
 
Yeah I love Ermac as a character. Gameplay wise? Not so much lol but that's not to be discussed here so just witness this epic picture lol

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It's funny, there's a picture of Classic Ermac in a face off with a hamburger, and the first thing I notice is the word Kratos in fine print stamped in the bottom corner.
 
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