``My lord!'' Crathus exclaimed as he burst into the throne room and fell on his knees in a heap before the Cryomancer King. ``Catch your breath, Crathus.'' The King said in his deep, powerful voice that resonated throughout the room. After a few labored breaths, the King's messenger, still facedown, spoke, ``My lord, emissaries from the Emperor are headed our way.'' After a momentary pause, the king gave his messenger leave and rose to meet these emissaries. A somber tone fell over the kingdom as his people watched him make for the outer wall. For millennia the Cryomancers had lived in isolation in Outworld's uttermost north. Ever since a wayward Water Elemental named Glacius had discovered the primitive natives living there and, becoming enamored of their culture, made his home among them and sired their race, they had lived in peace. They built a mighty kingdom there and managed to be left undisturbed whilst turmoil and war waged back and forth elsewhere on Outworld - That is, until now. Gilded in his ancestral armor and followed by a small contingent of warriors, King Saldeti now stood just outside the gates of his kingdom, his home, the only lands his people knew, awaiting the emissaries of Shao Kahn who were no doubt riding to tell him he was to either serve Kahn or perish.

At length the soldiers materialized out of the arctic fog. They stopped a short distance from the King and his guard. Their captain spoke, ``Greetings, good King. I bring you good news.'' ``That I highly doubt, soldier.'' Despite the interruption, the captain continued, ``Your overlord, The Emperor Shao Kahn, requires the unique services of your warriors in a battle against denizens of another realm.'' ``You are mistaken soldier for I have no overlord and my warriors serve no one but this kingdom and those in it.'' ``But your kingdom is on Outworld and Outworld, as well as many other realms, is ruled by Shao Kahn. He is your overlord whether you accept it or not and your forces belong to him. The Emperor makes no requests, your Highness, he commands you to send your warriors to him.'' ``I will not, soldier. We did not need your Emperor when we forged our civilization in these lands and we do not need him now. We owe him nothing, and will give him exactly that.'' ``Such a pity, for the Emperor will not tolerate this treason and in two days' time your race will be no more.'' With that the emissaries departed. The King withdrew into his walls and prepared his people for a war he knew they were certain to lose.

Two days had passed and then on the frozen horizon, the Cryomancers beheld their doom. An army of fearsome Shokan warriors, led by Crown Prince Gorbak, and followed by hordes of Tarkatan warriors, came bearing down on their walls. What came next could hardly be called a battle, but more a slaughter. The Shokans' dragon fire easily penetrated the Cryomancers' defenses and the Tarkatan hordes laid waste to everything in their path. Prince Gorbak squared off against King Saldeti in a brief but furious battle. After defeating him, Gorbak placed the kings' remains still in full armor back on his throne and departed to finish carrying out his orders - exterminate the Cryomancers. Once they were finished, Kahn's forces returned to the Emperor's palace, but little did they know a small boat with but a handful of Cryomancers had been making way toward the Portal to Earthrealm. Among the refugees was the king's young son. When they came through the portal, however, they were separated and the prince found himself alone in the mountains of northern China. It wasn't long before the Lin Kuei discovered him and, seeing his freezing ability, adopted him into their civilization at once. Five generations of Cryomancers have passed since that day, centuries ago. The king's legacy lives on today in Sub-Zero who, unbeknownst to him, had a hand in avenging his ancestor when Earth's warriors defeated Kahn.

Author : Drahmin the Oni Tormentor

Creation date: 2013-9-5-23-31

Modification date: 2013-9-5-23-32