#mortal kombat mythologies | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bi-hanslefttittie · 2 months

Text

"It's Cold Outside, Bi-Han."

Summary: Eleven-year-old Bi-Han stands alone in the snow and faces a frost bite trying to prove a point.

Characters: Bi-Han, Kuai Liang, Tomas Vrbada. Kinda their mom.

Word Count: 3.1k

CW: Angst. Light mention of recession, hunger. Depressed Bi-Han.

A/N: Yes, I wrote a fanfic based on the name of an in-game gear. Because I'm still getting familiarized with Bi-Han as a character, it might be a bit OOC. I wrote this because I couldn't capture this in a drawing. Mostly a character study.

A/N 2: I speak mostly spanish, so if anything is weirdly redacted it's because of that, lmao.

-.Articka welcomed a violent snowfall that winter night. The savage wind left even the bravest soldiers on the Lin Kuei retreating to the safety of their homes, the warmth of their families welcoming them. Whoever would dare go outside unprepared would receive the cold, unstuttering embrace of certain death. The white coat of snow blinded and hid every hint of flora or fauna on the place as if a demonstration of its awing power.

He stood alone in the gardens, though calling it that would be oxymoronic considering its frozen state.

Bi-Han stared out into the void as he attempted to regain some control. Yet, his breathing had betrayed him, his ribcage seemingly torturing him with pressure. However, there was no time for useless whining and childlike behavior. At least, not for him.

Being the first son meant something only the previous grandmasters could understand. It was the Sisyphus curse, a never-ending tale. The future of the Lin Kuei rested heavily on his shoulders; he was a man now, an older brother, and a future leader, so much was expected of him.

He never doubted his abilities, confident about his future success; he just needed to reach a certain point of perfection, and once Bi-Han achieved that, he would ensure his clan would thrive.

In this recession, a victory would bring back their lost morale in years of idle await.

If no one took the initiative, the Lin Kuei would self-destruct like a snake eating itself.

Bi-Han had to be the one to take the lead. Only he could free them from shackles, end their suffering, and protect Earthrealm.

But for now, Bi Han could only prepare himself physically and psychologically and pray the chance to prove himself worthy, liberate, and bring glory to his nation would come soon. Bringing his clan out of the shadows.

The wind blew relentlessly as the temperature dropped considerably turning this into the coldest night of the year. Bi Han knew that if he survived, he would be apt for the task.

This self-imposed challenge strained his body as his limbs reddened, his lower lip quivered, and he felt his breath hitch. Despite his mind-numbing, he would test his willpower, overcoming and purging whatever weakness was in his body. No matter what would take him. His very own Baptism in blood. The prime example of what a Lin Kuei should be.

As a sudden surge of heat rushed through his body, he realized he had lost his sense of touch. Hyperthermia had always made him fail despite years of training. It was the one thing that had made him crumble and fall to his knees under his father's disappointed gaze. However, tonight would be different. He was determined to overcome it and finish his training flawlessly.

While being heir by birthright, it seemed as if it wasn't enough to gain the respect he deserved and earned by blood, sweat, and tears.

Despite being the firstborn, Others were pampered despite their idleness, while he received the short end of the stick.

His younger brother Kuai Liang and the other child, Tomas, could afford to take a break in their chambers. He didn't have that privilege, oh no.

Even though he was trembling, the eleven-year-old fought against his demons, trying to maintain his balance despite the horrific pain, drowning his whimpers as he urged himself to suck it up.

Pathetic.

Childish.

Quivering, the child was slowly and cruelly falling victim to frostbite.

Still, his majestic resolve strengthened him enough to stand. Pride was the one thing fueling his resilience.

The cryomancer would not fall.

Bi-Han would not allow himself to once again lose against his body.

That's when the manor's door opened with a loud creak that caught Bi Han's attention, though he didn't bother to turn around.

Whether his inaction was due to sheer disinterest in the person or simply being too pained to move is something that only he would know.

"Do you know what time it is?" The slim figure asked as she covered herself with her fur coat, shielding herself from the breeze.

He gritted his teeth, refusing to respond to his mother, maintaining a stern and dignified expression, staring at the void as a man on a mission. He clenched his fists with such strength that they were left bruised, forcing himself to remain silent.

The woman watched as her prideful child insisted on staying in the middle of the snowstorm, ice crystals forming on his uniform. She wondered how long he'd been standing there alone.

"It's cold outside, Bi Han." She approached him, kneeling as he refused to stare at her, his stubbornness on display.

Her hands ran towards his shoulders and arms as the child was sweating profusely, a symptom of frostbite.

She quickly removed her coat and placed it on his shoulders, but Bi Han immediately discarded it.

He might take himself too seriously and hold himself to unreachable standards.

But she saw right through him, a pale, shivering kid trying to act tough.

She took a few moments to collect herself, trying to read his expression, and attempted not to yell at her son.

"What are you trying to prove?" Bi-Han bit his lip, his cheeks puffy, not wanting to respond to his mother, yet knowing he could not lie, he avoided her gaze.

"Bi-Han." Sternly, his mother cupped his face.

"Look at me." The kid let out a pained sigh, an almost tortured one being haunted enough by his mind.

"Come, we will discuss this inside." She kept her stoic expression, and Bi-Han followed her, defeated, unable to refuse his mother anything.

The woman handled herself in a way he could only sit back and admire. Carrying herself with strength, dignity, and a no-nonsense attitude.

The sound of the whistling kettle indicated that the tea was ready.

The small child had just gotten out of his bath and was now warm, dry, and sheltered from the outside cold.

Bi-Han sneezed, worried he might have caught a cold.

He watched as his mother poured the tea and sat down.

Neither was exactly a great talker.

Most of the time, they communicated without words since it wasn't necessary as she understood him.

But this time, they had to speak.

He drank from the brew, silently searching for the words to say, the best way to get his point across. There was no point in lying to someone who knew him so well, yet admitting his troubled headspace was not an easy task. He scrunched his nose and grunted, then placed his cup down as if waiting for a lecture. Instead, his mother's hand caressed his cheek, sensing his unease.

She pondered on the possibility of simply sending him back to sleep. Still, it was better to address the elephant in the room. Firmly, she addressed his son. "What is on your mind?" She questioned. Making him avoid her gaze, not wanting to be perceived as weak in front of the person he admired the most.

He knew he couldn't keep avoiding the question. So he decided to speak up. He cleared his throat, and back to his dignified manner he articulated his answer.

"There is nothing in particular on my mind, mother. I was merely perfecting my training." Moderate and clear, he would have convinced anyone that there was nothing of the matter.

However, his mother could tell by his stiffness and aloofness there was something wrong.

There was something more to it since he was too formal and diligent while addressing her.

"At 3 in the morning in the middle of a snowstorm?" She raised an eyebrow.

Bi Han nodded, convinced of his answer.

"A risk worth taking for my improvement." He declared standing his ground with unmovable conviction.

A trait that set him apart from other children, even from other adults.

Adults like his father.

"Bi Han, you are putting your safety at stake for improvement." The woman lectured him sternly.

The kid furrowed his eyebrows, expressing great distaste at her tone.

"It is for the sake of the clan." The boy stubbornly refuted, shaking his head as if it was the most logical and obvious answer ever.

Yet, he was unable to keep his explanation going as his mother cut him off.

"And I suppose putting yourself in harm's way is doing something for the clan?" She retorted, trying to make her child realize what he was doing and the senseless nature of the act.

"I was not putting myself in danger. Everything was under control, I've-"

"Do you realize that one day you may become a Grandmaster? As the heir, is it responsible for you to engage in such risky behavior? Think about it. If I had not come to fetch you, you could have died. The title would have passed to your brother, wouldn't it?"

Bi-Han hung his head low, clenching his jaw in frustration. He knew she was right, but he couldn't bring himself to admit it. His cheeks rose, fidgeting with his fingers as he tried to deal with the embarrassment.

She looked at him intently, tilting her head as she tried to gauge his reaction while acknowledging his struggle to admit his fault.

She tried not to smile as she recognized the similarities shared between them.

Finally, after a heavy sigh, he spoke up.

"I suppose you're right," he mumbled quietly, the kid's voice barely audible.

The woman chuckled and shook her head as she cupped his face so he could face her.

"It's not wrong to have ambition." His eyes widened for a second, feeling understood.

"You just have to be more mindful about your choices. If the chance ever comes, by all means, seize it, but do not act prematurely."

"I am not acting prematurely," Bi-Han responded, almost pleading.

"I'm placing my efforts in getting better."

"And I understand that. But you are destroying yourself. It will only be a disservice to you. If you truly want to improve…" She mirrored her son's hand movements, speaking with trained confidence and reassurance.

"I can assist with your training in your free time."

There was a moment of silence, followed by a surprised smile from Bi-Han, something he did not do often.

"Really?" The boy asked in some disbelief, knowing his mother was busy most of the time with her duties and with his brothers. It was something he had not expected but a pleasant surprise nonetheless.

"Yes, really," she replied with a nod. "Just… cool down."

The room was silent as the joke registered in his mind, causing him to cringe. Bi-Han blinked and shook his head, attempting to suppress a laugh. "That was terrible."

"When you're my age, you'll find yourself saying things like that too."

The ambiance went lighter, and he allowed himself to relax. Bi Han trusted his mother that much. After all, she was the only one who took the time to understand him.

"No, I won't." He smirked.

His mother rolled her eyes and incorporated.

"Fine, Bi-Han, you win. You won't."

She took it upon herself to guide him back to his room, where his brother and Tomas awaited awake. His expression was immediately stern.

As their mother left, Bi-Han turned to his siblings, crossing his arms.

"Shouldn't you two be sleeping?" He lectured both as he made his way toward his futon, making Tomas smile in amusement.

"I could say the same about you." Tomas snickered, earning himself an annoyed glare from his brother.

"I asked mother to check on you." Kuai Liang explained while sitting next to his older brother. "We saw you standing alone outside from the window." His voice was full of concern as he quizzically stared at his brother.

"I told him it wasn't necessary, but he insisted on telling on you." Tomas snitched on Kuai Liang, who then elbowed him, making him flinch. "Hey-"

Bi-Han shushed Tomas, who shook his head and went to his futon. After making sure he had gone to sleep, Bi-Han addressed his brother.

"You should have listened to Tomas and let me be." The boy raised an eyebrow. Kuai Liang tensed, equally prideful.

"Father would have been upset then." The pyromancer answered, sure of himself. Not afraid of contradicting his brother.

"Father would not have found out," Bi-Han spoke severely. "So it was not within your power to tell on me."

"But, brother."

"Go back to sleep."Bi-Han interrupted his kin, turned his back, and lay down, not saying another word to him.

Kuai Liang sighed in defeat and reluctantly obeyed his older brother's orders, knowing he was too stubborn to be convinced otherwise.

He stood alone in the snow twenty-one years later. Neither his resolve nor the snowstorm gave up at all. Though, he was now the cause of the natural phenomenon. Hyperfocused, he took a deep breath and guided the movement of the wind, twisting and turning in a gelid, macabre manner. Bi-Han's eyes remained closed as cold particles hit his face, threatening to cause him damage. His gestures slowed by the struggle between the breeze and his strength.

Bi-Han's mind drifted back to Kuai Liang. His brother had chosen himself over the clan, giving up the opportunity to govern at his side. He had forced Bi-Han's hand, and because of that-

Snow hit his surroundings with violence, ice forming on the ground. Grunting, he forced himself to concentrate. There was no use in mourning traitors, not at all. So, he kept his stance and put more effort into his exercise.

Taking a turn to shift the direction of the breeze, he faced the window of his old shared chambers and furrowed his eyebrows. The image of Tomas watching him from inside the manor haunted him. The kid's eyes were full of admiration, of annoying awe.

Bi-Han muttered to himself and created a wall of ice to prevent himself from looking in that direction again.

Tomas wasn't his kin, so why did he care? Clenching his fists, he covered the place in frost.

Bi-Han only had two hours left to complete his training. He was confident he could do it as now he was The Grandmaster proving himself worthy, and his fears and weaknesses had long left him.

He just wished his brothers had seen the truth he so insistently tried to teach them, but they took a stance by defying their vows. They had decided to defy Him. And he would no longer tolerate disrespect, even if it implied bloodshed.

No regrets. Bi-Han had sacrificed enough.

His nation came first.

He lifted his hand with strength, forming an ice ball, ready to deliver a blow to the ground when

"It's cold outside, Bi-Han."

He stopped what he was doing as his breath hitched.

It was his late mother's voice.

It didn't make any sense.

Bi-Han was frozen with shock and couldn't bring himself to turn around and face her, gritting his teeth as he shook his head, convincing himself it was not real.

"What are you trying to prove?" She approached him while her hands ran through his arms, looking concerned, quickly reaching for her coat and placing it on her son's shoulders.

Bi-Han trembled terrified. Discarding the coat immediately.

His mother sighed, "Bi-Han," He turned his back on her "Look at me." His heart raced, denying himself the opportunity to see her face again. She cupped his face. They stared at each other for a solid minute, Bi-Han's jaw clenched as he struggled to keep himself composed.

He might take himself too seriously and hold himself to unreachable standards.

But she saw right through him, a pale, shivering kid trying to act tough.

"Did you seize the opportunity as soon as you saw it?"

"Yes," The cryomancer answered curtly, inflating his chest with pride but was only met with her stern gaze.

"But you once again acted prematurely."

"I did what had to be done."

His mother studied him, his coldness, his unease, and overall his inability to give up. Consternated, she clenched her fists taking her time not to lecture the man. Her wayward son, whom she loved despite everything.

"Very well. You are Grandmaster now." She matched his energy, not backing down, and gave him a long stare that sent a shiver down his spine. "I know you will do what you can for the clan."

He nodded and shaking the ice off his body, knelt, retrieved the discarded coat, and placed it on her mother.

"Let's go inside," Bi-Han urged, and they walked into the manor. But then he felt a pang in his chest.

Opening his eyes, Bi-Han groaned and sat up from where his head had been buried in the snow. The gardens were completely frozen by his hand.

He rubbed his temples as he tried to recover from the exertion. Instinctively Bi-Han searched for his mother. He realized he had just fabricated the whole thing.

Bi-Han made his way to the manor and prepared some tea, the kettle whistling soon enough. He sat down after drying himself and stared at the empty chair in front of him, sipping his tea silently. After a lot of pondering, he whispered.

"… I cooled down."

There was no response, only silence, which made the joke fall flat. Bi-Han felt embarrassed by his behavior, realizing that it was ridiculous and pathetic. He sighed and placed the cup down, going to his former chambers. It was now an empty room, used on occasion to hold meetings.

He approached the space in which their futons would be placed and smirked. Rolling his eyes when he noticed a sharp line made with a blade on the floor. One he had made once to separate his space from his brothers when he felt them too overwhelming. "What do you mean <your side of the room>?" Tomas had questioned him on that occasion. He scoffed bitterly and walked towards the window.

The window offered a perfect view of the gardens, the place where he had trained for so many years. Bi-Han couldn't help but wonder how often would his brothers spy on him from there.

On the frame, there were countless marks, marks to which he could not attribute other than Tomas. Was he counting the days? He raised an eyebrow.

The ambiance became too much to handle. Those two had lost everything for their idiotic loyalty to Lord Liu Kang, they had not been able to see. He pressed his hands against the frame and gritted his teeth. Loneliness fueling his rage. He slammed his palm on the wood, freezing it immediately.

He took a hold of himself.

There was no use in idle regret and longing. He walked away and slammed the door shut. Shutting away every emotional bond he had left.

56 notes · View notes