1 month later...

Kuai felt the cold air of the night touch his face once again, the same way it had been for the past month. He had garnered just enough willpower to stop himself from following after Hanzo. For the past three to four weeks, he had dealt with his heart telling him to go, while his conscience fought back the urges.

Their connection had not grown all too much in the 30 days that had passed. They had interacted a bit more than before, but were only fellow fighters.

Every day, Kuai wanted to make a move, one that would allow him to possibly create a stronger bond with the ninja. However, he still felt that it wasn't time yet. Perhaps he'd been able to soon enough, but, for now, he could only keep his internal yearns.

Kuai Liang threw his ice axe at Liu Kang, the weapon barely missing the monk. A ball of fire flew towards him, causing him to crouch quickly, before he got up and began to freeze the floor in front of him. The man, caught off guard by the move, stepped on the patch, his feet beginning to become encrusted in hard ice.

However, focused and intent, Liu Kang began to melt the ice away with his pyromancy. Allowing himself to calm his head, the monk felt Kuai approach him.

In an instant, Kuai was gripped fiercely by the neck, before an intense blaze coated his entire body. He gritted his teeth and screamed internally as he was discarded to the floor. His burns quickly reduced away as he got back up, forming a Kori Blade, retracting it behind himself as he ran at Liu Kang.

The monk instinctively jumped out of the way, but, in a brief moment, Kuai halted his steps and speed by planting his feet to the floor, the bottoms of his shoes screeching loudly. He quickly swung the blade forward, sending it into Liu Kang's body and causing him to be lifted into the air.

With his free hand, Kuai formed an ice axe, also digging it into the other man's body as he lowered quickly to the ground. Blood caked his hands and his clothes as Liu Kang gave out, flattening onto the floor with a small groan.

He smiled lightly as Raiden announced him as the winner. He extended his hand out to Liu Kang, who was still on the floor, propping himself up with his arms. With a small, proud grin, Liu Kang took Kuai's hand.

The two quickly bowed to each other, before they walked to their own respective groups. Smoke patted his back, as did Cyrax and Sareena. Hanzo nodded to him, a tiny smile formed on his face. He returned the gesture to the man.

In the back of his head, he felt his heart push his conscience, leading it to decide on an action he wished he had done a month prior.

Later...

Yet again, Kuai heard the door to their room being opened carefully. He quickly looked up to find Hanzo once more, dressed in only a pair of pants. He could barely catch the view of the man's toned back touched by the moon's white light. His extended hair had a lustrous glow as well, making him appear angelic and beautiful.

A sudden sense of inspiration compelled him to step out of his blankets, his bare feet touching the stone cold floors. Tiptoeing carefully, he walked to the door, carefully twisting its doorknob, before he delicately opened the door enough for him to sneak through a crack in the entrance.

He looked back at the opened door, before beginning to walk down the corridor to the left of the room. He could feel Hanzo's familiar and warm presence left residing amongst the emptiness of the cool halls.

The warmth felt nice, its calming touch wrapping around his hands, causing him to feel an immense sense of both tranquility and melancholy.

Kuai felt a tear beginning to form in his shut eyes, carefully touching the liquid and gazing at the finger that glistened from the moisture it held. He was not aware that Hanzo felt such sadness still. He thought that a month of training and connecting with him and his friends would help the man a little.

Kuai was not aware that this was what conjured the idea within Hanzo to escape during the night, constantly isolating himself.

He wasted no time at all.

He quickly began to jog now, trying to catch up to Hanzo. The warmth grew stronger now as he saw the man, a small distance away, opening the large wooden doors leading out to the courtyard. Kuai quickly jogged forward, reaching the doors and opening them carefully. Their soft creaks seemed to alert Hanzo, who had been sitting on the steps leading into the temple, looking back at who was exiting the building.

Kuai slipped between a crack in the entrance, before walking to the stairs, his finger simply pointing at the floor to signal if he could sit next to him. Hanzo only scooted to the side a bit more, which allowed him to sit down.

The two sat quietly, Hanzo now staring up at the night sky's dotted canvas, while Kuai simply had his hands planted to the stone floor, feeling the dusty and rough surface. He glanced at Hanzo, before following his line of sight to the open skies.

Kuai could see the thousands of stars in the blackness and void-like state. He said nothing. He wasn't quite sure why Hanzo did this in his lonesomeness. He knew that what lay out there in the millions of different stars and planets may have not even compared to the oddities of other realms.

"What are you doing here, Tundra?" Asked Hanzo with a lightly hushed voice. "You've never been awake at this hour before. What brings you to be here now?"

"I saw you leaving our sleeping quarters." Said Kuai. "I've actually caught you on multiple occasions..."

"I do not like you snooping around my affairs, Tundra."

"Yes, that is reasonable. Perhaps I shouldn't eavesdrop on your actions, but curiosity is a killer. And, now, I ask politely - What exactly do you do when you reside out here?"

Kuai could not see the man's face too clearly. The blackness of the night could barely be pierced by the bright moonlight. However, he was almost certain that Hanzo's brows furrowed disapprovingly, yet the man still obliged to the presented question and answered, albeit with a sour tone.

"I just gaze at the skies..." Hanzo mumbled. "I just ponder on all that's happened. I think about my life choices, my future, and my past experiences. I always try my best to wade away from thinking about my family. It never works."

Kuai frowned a little as the other man continued.

"I always question whether attempting to retrieve that map was worth leaving my family alone. Had my clan not tasked me to get ahold of the item, perhaps I could have saved them... Perhaps Harumi and Satoshi would still be alive."

Kuai heard the sound of teeth gritting together as he looked at Hanzo, who had his jaw tightly clenched, a balled fist lightly slamming onto the floor's surface. The familiar warmth began to increase in heat, turning more into a burning fire.

He didn't want to do this action that sprang into his mind as a notion. He was afraid of any consequences that could pop up if he went through with it. He wasn't sure if this would only drive Hanzo away or, hopefully, connect them more. He was worried of the risks.

But had he not taken more huge risks in his past? He had dared to challenge Kronika, only his anger and vengeance pulling him forward. He reset a timeline, creating another that had risked him losing or gaining more. He had done much more before; why did he feel the need to stop now?

Kuai Liang took the risk, extending his arm out, before wrapping it around Hanzo's shoulder. The touch of his warm, soft skin made his soul quiver, the feeling in his arm and hand so foreign, yet all too familiar.

Hanzo flinched from the sudden touch. It almost seemed as if he would jump away at any moment, not wanting what had come.

Kuai waited for that. He waited in suspense for him to jerk away and protest the action angrily.

He waited...

...

Nothing had happened. There was no sign of rejection, nor any sign of fury. Instead, Hanzo's body relaxed, obliging to the hold on him. His face became looser, as did his tone with the words he let out.

"I'm sorry..." He murmured. "I did not want to vent out my thoughts to you, but I could not hold it in much longer. I just yearn for my family to return once more."

"Hanzo..." Kuai said. "You have no need to apologize. I understand that it pains you at every second of your life now, but... you must accept what happened. I am not saying to forget them, nor to never lose the love you felt for them, but to simply accept that they've passed on, waiting for you to return to them as a wise and mature elder man."

Hanzo's head had been hanging low, his eyes staring at the floor. Kuai could barely see his furrowed eyebrows and light frown transform and soften, his mouth becoming a pained smile.

He huffed with a small laugh. "I am not sure if I am willing to wait till then. I am also not sure whether I'd like to see myself as an old, wrinkly man. My body will be too overused to be able to kombat."

Kuai chuckled at the comment. "I am sure you will be a fine elder. Perhaps, with time, you can even become Grandmaster of the rebuilt Shirai Ryu. They will need someone of much experience."

Hanzo cocked his eyebrow at Kuai, before snickering at the idea. Kuai smiled at him as he laughed to himself a bit more, before calming down.

"That is a wild concept, Tundra! I will give you that!" Hanzo said loudly. "I do not think I am worthy though. I am not sure if I can ever let go of my grief. That baggage would only set me back if I were to be a Grandmaster."

"Well," Began Kuai. "There's still time to grow. We never stop growing, nor do we stop making things up as we go. I truly believe that you will be the best master a clan could ask for."

Hanzo smirked at him, the moonlight shining against the tiny wrinkles formed from his smile. Kuai smiled back, before he looked at the sky now. His focus became solely on the blackness and shining beauty dotted in the sky.

"I now understand why you enjoy residing out here." Commented Kuai Liang. "It is soothing. No fighting. No talking. No dilemmas and no thoughts about the Tournament. It's just quiet and tranquil, even if for only a short moment."

Hanzo nodded.

"Yet..." The ninja began. "I am still plagued by my own thoughts here."

"Would you like to speak on your issues?"

"Not yet. The topic still stings my heart with great capacity."

"Well, if you decide you need someone to listen and help you, please do not hesitate to ask me."

...

"I will be sure to take note of that."

...

"Thank you, Kuai Liang..."

...

"You are welcome, Hanzo."

He walked along the path of dirt, the edges growing bright green grass. Scattered throughout the floor were leaves in hues of orange, red, and yellow. The glow from the evening's soon departed sun shown onto the temple, barely outlining against a figure standing outside of the building.

He smiled at the sight of Hanzo, his black, long hair shining with an orange tint. He was dressed in a more formal outfit, remnants of his usual battle outfit found on the clothing. The familiar yellow stayed, as did the metal shoulder pads. However, his body had been covered now, the sides exposing his ribs and toned chest no longer open. He was not quite sure if he was okay the choice.

But, still, Hanzo looked beautiful. He always did like when he let his hair loose, the length reaching to his shoulders. It just made him look so much more elegant and precious than he already was.

Kuai Liang walked closer and closer to Hanzo now, clearly seeing him smiling. The familiar warm aura began to ghost around him now, making him feel so alive.

He watched as the other man extended his hand, waiting for him to take ahold of his touch. Instinctively, he began to reach out, the warmth touching his soul.

His fingers were just about to graze Hanzo's palms, when a sudden chill struck away the warmth. He recoiled his hand, looking up at his love, but only found pitch black.

A new environment began to manifest now.

Foggy, dark, dead. Grey and withered to nothing was the sight of Shang Tsung's Island, the location in absolute ruins. He felt the chill still, its presence sending shivers though his body. He watched as many lights began to manifest, moving and transforming before him.

In only a few seconds, he could see the lights turn into beings, into people he recognized.

He saw Kombatants, and only Kombatants. He could see many old fighters, as well as the newer generation of fighters. There were fighters from different realms and different factions, all fighting amongst each other.

Only a small group stood together, fighting away any that got close to their locations. Among the group had been Raiden, Johnny, Sonya, Cassie, Jacqui, and a few others. He wasn't sure why this was happening. He didn't know why he was seeing such a thing.

He saw Cassie and Kung Jin, fighting away Frost, who looked crazed and angered. Alongside them, Jacqui and Takeda fought back some figures he couldn't clearly make out, as they were quickly turning back into blobs of light.

He was utterly confused about all of this. He didn't know what this was supposed to tell him. What was he supposed to make out of this?

Suddenly, as if a switch had been pulled, every fighter and every light being collapsed to the floor in intense pain, clutching their bodies as they began to bleed from their eyes and mouth. He could see some beginning to vomit, others becoming delusional.

Then, in an instant, everyone had just died. Nobody had moved anymore. Nobody had been seizing, vomiting, screaming with bloodied throats. It was as if they had been like machines disconnected from their power source.

There was no movement, no breathing, and no life.

Everyone was dead, killed by an unknown force.

But who was responsible? Who had done such a horrifying and terrible action? And how had they been able to kill so many in just one fell swoop?

He was given no answer, and what followed soon after did not help either.

The dead Kombatants. Everyone. They all began to become gray, as if their souls - their essences - were being taken away. Appalled, Kuai Liang tried to look for the one responsible, but the view of the massacre began to fade into nothingness. He tried to scan whatever he could, but there was nothing but black now.

Panicked, he felt himself beginning to fade as well, his mind beginning to wake back up.

All that he heard as he floated in the median of his dreams and reality was a dark, husky voice.

Kuai jerked awake, his eyes widening. He saw the ceiling of the sleeping quarters, but he quickly got up, finding everyone else asleep. Lustrous moonlight glared through the window of the room as he felt a sudden shiver run down his spine. He could still hear the terrifying voice floating about in his head, almost as if it were tormenting him.

He looked to Hanzo's section of the room, finding it occupied by the man's sleeping form. Growling in frustration, he ran his hand through his hair, needing to find a way to take his mind off the nightmare he had.

He began to think again, reminiscing on his decisions.

Had he truly done a good thing in resetting everything? Was there truly a good ending to this story he was playing out? How was he supposed to go about this situation, and future ones as well?

His nightmare had not helped him in answering his questions either. He was afraid of what this all would lead to. He was not ready to witness a possible armageddon occur amongst his friends and the enemies he had fought alongside his previously close allies.

Kuai Liang became a bit fearful of the possibilities in the future.

Yet, all he could do was hope that he could possibly prevent any sort of situation like those in his dreams.