Interest tickled the back of your head. Even though the fight wasn't evenly matched that evening, it was surprising to see Smoke lying dazed on the floor.

Maybe he was just really good at pretending, maybe he really had lost consciousness. In any case, the man in the straw hat had won and the certainty was reflected on his face. He tilted his head in satisfaction, a mischievous smile on his lips.

"Now who's in over his head?", he asked in a passive aggressive tone.

A snort escaped you as his words reached your ears. A really self-confident young man. That would become his greatest weakness. And it would be hard to break him of that habit.

He looked at the Lin Kuei ninja for a moment before realising that his friend was still dealing with the other intruders.

The man in blue struck down a ninja in black with surprising precision. The movements were so perfect that they seemed almost stiff. He would need a better flow to his movements, with less stiff arms and a more flexible stance.

At first glance, you rated him as the weaker of the two. He was more ambitious than his partner, but not as talented. Perhaps he would be his equal with a little more training. But perhaps the arrogance of the other would jeopardise his chances as champion.

It was hard to say.

Ultimately, only time would tell. Both had their talents and weaknesses. The possibility that there might be deeper-seated problems didn't seem impossible to you either.

The two seemed to be a good team, which raised the question of how well they would co-operate with strangers. Even if only one of Liu Kang's chosen ones could become the champion of Earthrealm, they would all still have to work together.

A team was only as strong as its weakest member. You knew that only too well. And once again you found your eyes wandering to Bi Han.

There was no room for weakness in his world. If he considered someone average, then that someone was better than the normal mortals.

The two of you were evenly matched, if not in physical strength. What he had more muscle than you, you made up for with your skills and tactical flair.

And yet neither of you was one of Liu Kang's potential champions. You wondered how he would react as soon as the candidates had time to introduce themselves.

"This was you?", the man with the straw hat raised his arms in surprise.

His voice snapped you out of your thoughts, immediately transporting you back to the roof of the restaurant, surrounded by unconscious ninja.

A wind blew through the folds of your uniform. Shivering, you tense up.

Taking a deep breath, the man in blue relaxed.

"I'm surprised too.", he smiled proudly.

The sight made you smile.

Humble, you thought to yourself.

And a little endearing too. Almost like Tomas. Perhaps with a little less self-confidence. So one of them had too much and the other too little.

They could possibly balance each other out. However, they would always have to be together and that would not be a good thing. A champion had to be independent. In some situations, there would be no chance of allies. His friend proudly patted him on the shoulder.

"Come on.", he bowed his head. "Let's help Madam Bo."

They nodded in unison and began to move towards the stairs. Something stirred in the corner of your eye. Bi Han had stepped to the very edge of the roof.

Proud as only the Lin Kuei Grandmaster could be, he straightened his shoulders and stared down at the two men.

They both stopped immediately, a hoarse gasp in the air. Blue shimmer danced around Bi Han's fingers. Goosebumps crawled down your spine.

Without a single word, he grew a fist-sized crystal of ice in the palm of his hand and hurled it into the depths. With a clang, the magic struck the wood of the floor. Steaming blue crystals grew and drove the two men apart.

Satisfied, you nodded. The Grandmaster had aimed well, so close that it had fallen at their feet but not far enough to hurt anyone. It was just for show.

And as a man with his powers, Bi Han had every right to show them off impressively. Surprised, the two chosen ones moved apart, exchanging a confused look. They had never seen anything like it before.

Your attention jumped back to the roof, where Bi Han was now impressively positioned in the moonlight. You remained hidden in the shadows. Your presence was a trump card.

Only when they had reached their limit would you reveal yourself to test how far you could push them until the breaking point was reached.

Humming filled the silence. Then there were footsteps and the sound of something heavy cutting through the air.

While Bi Han fought with his bare hands or created weapons out of ice, Kuai Liang had chosen a grappling hook as his weapon of choice. Attached to a long rope, the blade could not get lost.

Now he used it to frighten the chosen ones. And it worked because they took a step back. The sound of growing ice rang out again. Bi Han hurled another of his frosty crystals.

"Freeze where you stand!", he growled, his voice so low that it shook like a mountain in a blizzard.

White vapour fell like silk from the ice wrapped around the railing of the balcony.

"How does he do that?", asked the man in blue.

"I have no idea.", the other man narrowed his eyes worriedly.

Bi Han pointed at the two of them.

"You interfere with Lin Kuei business. Leave, or face our wrath!", had that night not happened in the presence of Liu Kang, there might have been some truth in the threat.

But the Necromancer was not foolish enough to try to anger the God of Fire.

"Abandon Madam Bo?", asked the man with the straw hat, a cocky grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "Not happening."

With a fired look in his eyes, the man dressed in blue withstood the gaze of the grandmaster. A fatal mistake because he jumped at the challenge and tore him to the ground with full force.