Mortal Kombat Fan Fiction ❯ Of Butterflies and Blizzards ❯ A Voice In the Dark ( Chapter 6 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

He woke suddenly in a cold sweat, shaking as the shadows swirled around him as if trying to reach out to him. His stomach twisted with fear and he gasped for breath. He looked over at his brother and breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't woke him.

Bi-Han rolled out of bed and threw on a robe. He needed air.

It was still dark out as he walked down the little path off next to the house. He knew the perfect place to go.

The little grove was his favorite place in the entire compound and he doubted that anyone else knew where it was. He usually made his way here when his nightmares woke him. He knew Kuai worried about him, but he didn't need the pity in his brother's eyes. Since coming back and being rid of Saibot, it had left a void in him...He just wanted people to stop looking at him like he was broken. He was Bi-Han again and he would not be held down by his past.

When he neared the little expanse of trees a soft voice singing caught his ear and he slowed his approach, pressing into the shadows until he came to rest beside a large tree.

The voice was still so soft as it sung. It was a sad song that they were singing but their voice was beautiful...filled with such emotion. With such loneliness. It shot through him like lightning and he leaned his head back into the tree bark, closing his eyes and just letting her voice wash over him. 

They sung of wanting...needing to be heard...asking if anyone was listening to them.

'I am. I can hear you.'

He brought his hand up to his face and was stunned to find tears there. That voice had shaken him, speaking of what he felt inside.

He was lonely...he realized that now and he didn't want that. He wanted someone to look at him...to see him as Bi-Han...not master or grandmaster but Bi-Han.

Bi-Han had to know who they were.

He turned to step out from behind the tree and his foot landed on a branch, breaking it and giving his position away. 

When he emerged from the bushes, the person singing had already left. He shook his head...he had made such a rookie mistake and now it would take him longer to find the owner of that voice.

He smiled, looking around the grove before leaving.

'I'll just come back tomorrow night then. And the night after that...if needs be.'

/  -  /  -  /  -  /

A pair of grey eyes peered out through the leaves, watching him and shook her head...that had been too close. Her hand pressed over her heart, willing it to calm down. She had almost been caught.  And by Master Bi-Han of all people. she would have been punished for sure, being caught out late.

'I'm going to have to find a new place now.'

/  -  /  -  /  -  /

When he woke the next morning, he felt refreshed...for the first time in months. He grinned.

'No nightmares...'

Kuai looked at his brother strangely, "Brother are you feeling well?"

Bi-Han waved him off. "Yeah, just fine. I'm going to go get breakfast. You coming?"

"I will follow shortly."

"Suit yourself."

The door swiftly shut behind he and he was off through the courtyard feeling more energetic than he had in a long time.

When he entered the Food Hall his eyes scanned the throng of students that were eating, laughing and talking with each other.

He grinned when his eyes landed on Isabeau, she has improved a lot since beginning her training with Kuai. She could eat now without making a mess of herself. She was sitting with her friend Safiyah and another woman that he didn't know. She was just as small as Isabeau. She locked eyes with him and she quickly ducked, looking away.

He shook his head and continued on, trying to shake the piercing gray eyes from his mind.

He had never seen grey eyes like that...they were like storm clouds.

Bi-Han internally rolled his eyes.

'Alright, that's enough. One night of decent sleep and your suddenly eyeballing women. Enough. Food then training.'

/  -  /  -  /  -  /

Izzy turned to her right at the soft squeak her friend gave. "Oh no."

"Fay, are you okay?"

"Master Bi-Han just arrived."

Safiyah smiled, "Oh, Fay. You still pining?"

"Safi! Watch what you say in public." Izzy admonished her.

"Sorry, but its true. So did you go sing again?"

Fay nodded, "I went back to that secret place I told you about. Well apparently its not so secret. Master Bi-Han showed up. If a branch hadn't of snapped I wouldn't have had time to get hidden before he stumbled into view."

"Wait, he snapped a branch?"

She nodded.

Safi grinned, "You were singing right?"

"Yes."

Izzy smiled and touched her shoulder, "Did he seem angry when you saw him?"

"No. He...he was smiling."

The taller woman of the group, leaned over and tugged her braid. "Maybe he just wanted to see where that beautiful voice was coming from."

Fay blushed and turned away before stealing a glance at the man in question.

As if noticing her eyes on him he looked over locking eyes with her and he grinned.

She squeaked again, blushing deeper as she diverted her gaze.

Izzy sighed, "Oh Fay. Maybe you should go back tonight. I know Master Bi-Han has difficultly sleeping some nights. Teacher told me that sometimes his nightmares get the best of him."

That last statement made her chest ache. Nightmares were a constant in her life too so she could relate to his plight. "But its against the rules to be out that late."

"Just try it again tonight and see what happens. If anything bad does...I'll be sure to step forward and take the punishment with you. Both of us."

Safi nodded in agreement.

"R-really?"

"Hey, we've been together since the beginning of training here. We're going to be together after too. I swear it."

/  -  /  -  /  -  /

Bi-Han noticed the blush on the woman's face and his grin widened. She was shy but she sure was cute.

He also noticed the clothing that she wore and his grin faltered.

She was still a student.

Shaking his head, he began eating in earnest. It was nearly time for classes.

And today was staff training.

/  -  /  -  /  -  /

'Again!"

The students slowly worked through the set of movements he gave them and it was during one repeat that he noticed that the woman with the gray eyes was there. 

Her face was pinched in concentration as she pushed the staff out, then flipping back, catching it behind her back and rolling it around her waist back to the starting position.

He nodded. She was decent with a staff.

Bi-Han approached her and stood watching her with his arms crossed. When she noticed she faltered and the staff smacked her in the face.

"Ow."

"If I startled you, I apologize. Are you hurt?"

She looked up at him sharply, her cheeks pink and shook her head. "No. I am fine."

"Your movements are good but if you try pulling your stance in while you flip it, you can achieve the movements faster and cleaner. Here watch me."

Fay did and she was awe-struck how quickly he had returned to the starting position. 

"With your frame being smaller, you should be moving this fast from the start. Try it."

She breathed in slowly and started. Focusing on her feet and keeping them closer when she flipped the staff, she found she could catch it and spin it back around in one movement.

"Well done! The movements are the same for everyone but it is up to you to know where your limits are and how to turn the movements to best benefit those limits." 

Fay bowed to him, "Thank you Master Bi-Han. I will continue practicing."

"What is your name, student?"

"My name? Oh, its Fay Lykke."

"Thank you."

Bells chimes in the air and he turned to the class.

"Alright! Time to pack it up for the day. Tomorrow we will pair off and I will see how much you have truly learned with the staff."

Groans came from the throng of students as they filtered out. 

Bi-Han's eyes landed on the small brunette woman and he gave a curt nod. She was a quick study. 

'Fay.'

He smiled.

/  -  /  -  /  -  /

He couldn't sleep that night again but for far different reasons.

He had to hear that voice again.

Bi-Han rolled out of his bed and quickly got dressed, shutting the door softly behind him.

The possibility that they would be there again made him smile.

When he reached the tree he leaned back against it and whispered softly.

"Please be here."

He waited in the cold dark until rustling in the brush peeked his interest and he wanted to peer out and see their face but he didn't. He was frozen against the tree with bated breath.

"Er du der skygge?"

It was a language he wasn't familiar with but he would figure that out later. He grinned.

They were there...now if they would only sing.

"Lad dette berolige dine problemer væk."

And then they began to sing and it struck a chord deep within.

'Why am I a stranger

Lost in the familiar

Will I ever know?

Running with my eyes closed

Hunted by the shadows

Will they ever go?'

Whoever this was...they knew the darkness as well...had felt its touch as well. But they had not been consumed by it like he had.

They had survived.

It’s a cold and lonely road

But I’m gonna hold on

Can’t you see I’m right here

Locked inside the nightmare

Like a memory

Whispers in the silence

Madness in disguises

Like an enemy

He didn't feel alone anymore. They were there and they would not look at him with pity but rather with understanding.

When the song faded from the air, Bi-Han stepped out from around the tree and stood stock still as he came face to face with the owner of the voice.

"Fay?"

She tucked a strand of hair behind an ear and blushed.

"Master Bi-Han."