Approach the noise.

As carefully as your party can be, you wind through the valley farther, though only two more turns bring you to a hill far taller than the rest. A wide, gaping cave radiates with a strange energy, as well as noises of combat--punches, kicks, grunts of pain, blades slicing, and sounds that would suggest the highest of ****. All around you become either ready for flight or for fight, though you may be the only one present who knows the shocking truth.

You place your hand upon Niki's shoulder and move ahead past her.

"Kyle, wait--" she says.

"Mortal Kombat," you reply.

"Ooh, I'm so ready," Bek says, nearly vibrating behind you. "Just say the word, and this mortal combat will begin. That sounds hardcore."

"No. It's a video game."

"A what-game?"

The cavern itself gradually becomes far cooler than you expect as you make your way deeper inside. It isn't cold per se, though compares to the exterior, it's paradise. Many of those around you breath a sigh of relief as the sweat on their bodies are given the chance to cool, but you're focused on something else. You're certain now. What you hear is gameplay from Mortal Kombat, the video game, from Earth. You can't believe it. Ealdorman did give you that GameBoy, and you've seen manga, though for such a thing to exist here of all places certainly is a surprise. You can hardly believe it.

"He mentioned such a thing before. Something from Earth," Amara says. "Are you saying there is something here from your home world?"

Captain Silver looks to you strangely. "Home world?" she asks.

"Long story. Will explain later," you say. Then you proceed farther, until around the next corner, you see it at last.

The sofa itself seems to be carved from stone, though it's covered in blankets and pillows to cushion one's rump. Roaring braziers of blue flames illuminate the room, though it feels as if they aren't emitting actual heat. Though strangest of all, upon a flat-cut stone, there sits an old CRT television, a SNES, and two controllers. Cables snake out from the setup to a floating crystal, about the size of Bekram, sparking and surging with electrical energy.

In the far corner of the room, there's something similar. It looks the same in shape and size, though it's pale blue, and a gentle mist of glistening, cold air radiates forth. Presumably that's what cools the room down a bit.

But there's a figure present upon the couch, and she's playing exactly what you thought you heard--Mortal Kombat II.

Her skin is the colour of a mango's flesh, and seems to be illuminating the are around her faintly by a light within. She has short red locks, styled up, though perhaps the more accurate observation is that her head is aflame. It flows and flickers like fire, yet also moves like hair. She lays back quite lazily--undignified, spread out over the sofa--as she squeezes the controller within her hands, suddenly shouting, "Got you, bitch! Aha, take that!"

"Ooh. It's just like that thing Ealdorman gave us," Eva comments quietly from behind. "Right?"

"Basically," you answer.

"The creature on the screen just shredded a man with swords from his arms," Bek mutters with excitement in his eyes.

"That's awesome!" Niki shouts. Then she quickly covers her mouth.

"Toasty!" comes a voice from the game.

But then the mysterious woman drops the controller onto the couch beside her. She turns her head, and she stands up in shock at the untimely arrival of guests she definitely didn't invite. She's dressed in a diagonally cut skirt. High up her thigh, you can just barely make out a glimpse of her panties, though they shimmer with a strange material unlike usual fabric. You can't quite make it out. The skirt itself is red, which also matches her top--a tight-fitting crop top made from four wide straps--which she wears over a modest bust. She opens her mouth to the reveal of sharp canines, and with literal fire burning within her eyes, she points a finger forwards at your group.

Each of her nails seem to also be made of flames, or at least they're entirely engulfed. How she isn't burning any of her possessions is unknown. But she stomps a foot down upon the sofa and shouts, "How dare you enter my abode without knocking!" Her voice echoes out, even moreso than it should within a cave.

"... K'iina the Empress of Fire," mutters Xue.

"That's K'iina?!" Eva blurts out.

The woman of flames lowers her bare foot down to the ground and marches forth. She places her hands firmly on her hips, and leans in close to glare disapprovingly at her home invaders. "At least let me get ready if you're going to come before me with a request. Like, how disrespectful can you be? Seriously. Don't be asses."

Nobody is really sure what to say.

"Sorry," you reply. "We didn't know. Go ahead and prepare. We'll wait."

"Good."

K'iina bends over and searches for something on the other end of the sofa. Meanwhile, in the background, the sound of the Mortal Kombat menu theme continues to play. From this angle, you can make out something strange. You swear her underwear is made of metal. Though at this point, perhaps that shouldn't be much of a surprise. After standing back up straight, she now has bright red heels on her feet, a tall, sharp, golden crown, and she wears a queenly mantle. Said cape begins as vibrant red silk, though gradually fades into a hem of flickering flames. At least, that's how it appears.

"I kinda wanna play the game," Bek mutters.

"Me too, but not now," you respond.

K'iina the Empress of Fire turns at last, but now, she shines a toothy, confident grin. "So you dare enter my domain?" she shouts. Her voice is quite powerful. The way it sounds reminds you somewhat of the Lady of the Lake, though she didn't have a mouth to be seen. This one not only does, but she seems mouthier as well. "If you have some sort of request, go ahead. I'll consider it. Though only if you're worthy of forming a pact."

Domain? It looks more like a bachelor pad. "Actually, we aren't here to form any sort of pact. We're just trying to find our way to the floating island in the sky. But now that we're here, I have another question. Is that... Mortal Kombat II?" Your eyes shift over to the television behind her.

"Is it what?" she asks. "Oh, are you talking about my fight training simulator?"

"It's called Mortal Kombat II. It's a video game."

Wait a minute. That's right. All writing and even voices would be in English. The language here is different. I just know both. So everything she hears must just sound like gibberish. She wouldn't even know the name.

"It's something from Kyle's homeland," Eva adds.

"Why are you nude?" K'iina asks.

"W-Well, there was a s-salamander, and--Wait. Why me? Vyzia is naked too!"

The empress turns to the taller of the unclothed women. "Her? Yeah, but she's a red dragon. They're often naked. I mean, I wasn't judging! All power to you, girl. I love the look too. You're all shiny, like brass. Makes your tits look really pretty."

"... Wait, really?" Eva asks quietly. "You think so?"

"Trust me. As the Empress of Fire, I'm an expert on beauty."

If this is your entire home, it looks like someone's unfinished basement. I don't know if I would say you have a keen eye for aesthetics... You are right though. "So is it true you have a deal with Thunderbeard, oh Empress of Fire?"

"I mean, kinda? It's more like--Wait! This is no way to approach and speak with somebody at my level. Introduce yourselves, kneel, and uh, ask more politely!"

While you don't kneel, you place a hand upon your chest and bow your head. "My name is Kyle Warren. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The Hero King," Amara says.

"And sometimes the Demon King," Stax adds.

"Receiver of Lepo's blessing," says Rabbit's Foot.

Snow bows politely. "As well as Feli's."

"Also I think the Lady of the Lake, right?" Eva asks.

"Captain of the Sky Warren!" adds Silver with a grin, as if she's enjoying this game.

Bek raises his fist into the air. "Slayer of two demon kings!"

"Sovereign of Castle Phoenix," Dixby adds as well.

"You might as well boast about what you have, Kyle," says Malakae. "Somebody should say something along the lines of, Traveller of Worlds. That sounds impressive, doesn't it?"

A long pause passes by. Then, K'iina screams, "Are you trying to out-do me?!" And as she does, all flames on her person flare up, nearly touching the ceiling. A wave of heat rolls over the party like a shockwave. "I'm the Empress of Fire, ancient elemental lord of the hottest, most deadly infernos, beyond any mortal's comprehension." She calms down surprisingly fast. "But uh, yeah I don't so much have a deal with Thunderbeard. More like his boss fucked me over a little. But I don't really want to talk about that right now. You said this was called Mortal Kombat II?"

You glance back and forth a little nervously. It seems this fiery, somewhat regal tomboy is temperamental. "Yeah. You were just playing as Baraka."

"Oh yeah! That makes sense. I heard that, and I assumed it was a name, but it's all in a weird language. I swear I've seen it a few times in the past, though I was never one to really pay much attention to that kind stuff. It's boring. Wait a minute! If you know this game, I can finally play with someone again!"

"Guess it gets kinda lonely just fighting the computer."

"The what? Oh yeah. Like, the combat trainer. The problem is Aak'aba won't play with me anymore, since I always win."

"Oh. So you're on good terms with the Empress of Ice?"

"Yeah. I mean, she's pretty solitary, but I can sometimes get her to come over. Usually I just go over there though. We haven't done it as much lately. I kinda don't want to explain it, but let's just say both of us are more tense these days than we used to be. Hold on. Why do you care about Thunderbeard?"

You glance to the party. Everyone is likely thinking the same. Do we admit to her we want to slay him? What if he's on his side? She said something to do with his boss, though it's difficult to know what they think about him specifically. My Kitty Sense is struggling. This is a being on the same level as Lepo, Feli, or others like them.

Hesitantly, you touch your fingers to the pommel of Lauo, just in case it needs to be drawn. "We want to stop him," you state.

"... Stop him, huh?" she repeats.

For just a moment, you worry combat might erupt.

But then she laughs, and loudly. "I mean, good luck with that! I'd love to see the face of his boss if that were to happen. But you'd never get through her to do it. Don't get me wrong. I'd love to see that island come crashing back down. But it's whatever. I'm happy here playing games for now. Speaking of which, I refuse to continue the discussion unless you play with me. Deal?"