Disclaimers:   Characters and concept of  Mortal Kombat belong to their rightful owners (a.k.a., not me ;-)). Original characters and story  are mine, however, and cannot be used/printed/posted without permission.  Thanks.
Author's Notes:   Rayden still seemed a bit too down on himself after "Justice," and then Sere started speaking up and ... well, you'll see.  "En vino veritas," by the way, is a Latin proverb which means: "In wine there is truth."
Spoilers:   Stolen Lies, Vengeance (2-part series finale).
Category:  Follow-up/sequel.

En Vino Veritas

© 1999, Grace Macy

Earth Realm
The Wandering Star Tavern
Zhou Zhin
c. 950 CE

Serenity hit Rayden almost as soon as he stepped through the tavern door.

That was not meant metaphorically.  Serenity Havai was the 5'6", russet-haired, curvaceous owner of Zhi Zhoun's favorite tavern.  Rayden had known her for a full year before Kung Lao and his friends went to live in the Reyland Trading Post; they'd met when he'd been keeping an eye on Kung Lao at the Temple of Light before Mortal Kombat.  Rayden had taken a liking to the tavern as a place to grab a mug of good wine and a look at the pretty ladies.  He had taken an equal liking to Serenity, who had a good sense of humor, as well as being cool-headed, competent, and a good listener.

After a few months, they considered themselves good friends and he'd told her the truth.   About everything.  A year and a half later they were still friends and she was one of the few mortals besides Kung Lao, Siro and Taja who knew the truth about Mortal Kombat and OutWorld; she was one of the far fewer mortals, not including the three heroes, who knew nearly everything there was to know about Rayden.  Even gods needed confidantes, and Serenity was a favorite.

Right now, she was also in a foul mood, and all of the ire in her chocolate-brown eyes seemed to be directed at the thunder god.

Rayden rubbed his arm, wincing more at the anger than at the impact.  "Nice to see you too."

As he stared down at her, aghast and mildly comforted, she growled, "Where the  hell have you been?!"

"You noticed," Rayden observed, trying to hide a smile.

Serenity, Sere to her friends (which at the moment, might or might not have included the silver- haired god), glared at him fiercely.  "Yes, I noticed," she gritted out.  "I also noticed the purple clouds in the sky at noon, the earthquakes, and the curdling of every container of milk.  Not to mention the knot in my gut telling me that aside from all that, you were in trouble -- which was  not helped by Kung Lao showing up looking for you and looking none too confident himself."  The beauty took a breath and glared at him again, but this time the genuine concern was much clearer.  "What in the Nine Hells this side of OutWorld has been going on, Rayden?  Where were you?  Are you all right?  And what in Arisa's Name did you do to Breena?  One minute she's walking around with a stupid grin on her face all day, then the next she didn't even remember your name!"

Rayden frowned.  "You . . . remember me and . . .?"  The frown was from surprise, but the pause, to his chagrin, was because he didn't think he'd ever actually asked his buxom companion's name that seemingly long-ago night.

"Breena," Sere supplied, raising an eyebrow at him.  Rayden had the good grace to look ashamed; a small smile tugged at the corners of the tavern-keeper's lips.  "Yes, I remember.  Should I assume  you do, or do I have to fill in other details?"

Rayden shook his head.  "No, I remember."  He remembered everything, but that one night (technically day) stand was far less important now than it had seemed at the time.   I suppose getting captured by Shao Kahn, and watching your friends die and then be resurrected by your grandmother does that.

He sighed and Sere touched his arm, her eyebrows knitted in a deep frown.  "Rayden.   Talk to me."

Rayden looked down at her consideringly.  When Eiyasat set everything right again, and rescued him from OutWorld, she had told him that no one with the exception of Shao Kahn would remember anything that had happened.  Eiyasat was Goddess of Balance and Justice, older than any of the Elder Gods and far more powerful; she was also the lesser-known supporter of Mortal Kombat and Earth Realm.  She had created all the Realms and had the power to either destroy or change them -- she had chosen to do the latter, and in so doing had erased the horrible consequences of the mistake Rayden had made.

The Lord of Thunder had fought Shao Kahn between Realms, allowing himself and consequently his protegees to be drawn into a trap; Kung Lao, Siro, and Taja, as well as their greatest allies and enemies, had been murdered by Shao Kahn's Shadow Priests.  Eiyasat returned them all to life, took away the Shadow Priests' powers, and left Shao Kahn howling in fury.  Now, it seemed, she had also chosen to leave only one mortal in the Earth Realm with the memory of what had happened; a mortal who was apparently known to Eiyasat as Rayden's confidante.  Someone for him to talk to.  Rayden smiled slightly.  Far be it for him to argue with his grandmother.

They went to Serenity's office, a small quiet space where no one would overhear or interrupt.   She poured him a generous cup of wine and listened as he told her everything that had happened, everything that had almost happened, all that had been lost and regained.

"But if Eiyasat hadn't intervened . . .," he finished, his throat strangely tight.

Sere shook her head, leaning forward in her chair to place her hand atop his own.  "But she did.  Everything's all right.  Nothing was lost."  Rayden remained silent, refusing to look at her, and she sighed.  "I was wrong," she amended quietly.  "There was something lost.  Your innocence, your faith, and your confidence."

Rayden looked at her.  "My innocence?" he repeated.  "I'm older than you by dozens of millennia.  Trust me, I'm no innocent.  Just ask Breena."

Sere's lips quirked into a small smile in acknowledgement, then she shook her head.  "That's not what I meant.  You  were innocent in a way, Rayden.  You believed in your own invincibility, the ultimate destined success of Earth Realm in every confrontation with Shao Kahn, the interference of the Elder Gods to prevent something like this before it could happen.   Just like any of us."  She stood and went to sit beside him on the divan he had chosen, slipped her hand into his and brushed the other against his cheek gently.  "And just like any of us, you've discovered that not only are  you not perfect, but neither are your parents.  That's where you lost your faith and confidence, as well."

She cupped his chin with her fingers and turned his head so that he would finally look at her, although his eyes slid away, as if reluctant to see the understanding and acceptance on her face.   It was what allowed them to be friends and confidantes, that she saw him not as a god but as a man -- right now, a man who was wounded soul-deep.  "You made a mistake, Rayden.  It was corrected, and nothing was harmed in the long run.  Unless you allow it to have been."

Rayden shook his head, loosing her fingers from their gentle touch.  "What I allowed was the deaths of the people I'm supposed to protect.  The conquering of the Realm I am sworn to protect."  He gave a low, bitter laugh.  "Shao Kahn asked if I changed the mortals here or if they changed me.  You see, when I became Protector of this Realm, I was . . . cocky, arrogant; I didn't truly care what happened to them so long as I could get away and have a good time."  His eyes reflected the self-hatred in his voice.  "Turns out I didn't change that much at all."

Sere frowned at him, regarding him for a long silent moment before she abruptly stood.   Rayden looked up at her, feeling a frisson of apprehension at the possibility that she felt the same disgust for him as he felt for himself.  "One thing's for damned sure," Sere told him, her tone harsh, "you're every bit as self-centered."

Rayden blinked.  Sere placed her hands on her hips and glared down at him, her eyes darkening to be almost as dark as his own.  "I'm telling you it's okay.  Eiyasat, who has been around longer than either of us, and is far more credible than even I am, has told you it's okay.  Kung Lao and Siro and Taja went to that city knowing they could die, because you were in trouble and they wanted to help you, so obviously  they would say it's okay.   And  you have the unmitigated  gall to sit there, ignoring the people you keep saying you respect, proclaiming yourself the only one able to judge and saying it's not."

She leaned down, her eyes glittering in the glow of candles, for an instant seeming almost godlike herself.  "Now you listen to me, Rayden, Lord of Thunder and Protector of Earth Realm.  You have a choice right now.  You can remain in this little pity-pool you've set up for yourself, with your head stuck that far up your ass, or you can do what you once told Kung Lao to do:  get over it and move on.  And so help me, if you choose the former rather than the latter, not only will I kick your ass out of this tavern so fast and so hard you will land  back in OutWorld, but I will also quite happily smack you upside the head with anything I can get my hands on!  Are we clear?"

Rayden blinked again, aware that his jaw had dropped open and trying very hard to correct it.   He stared at her in complete amazement, the shock of her words and tone enough to crack through the walls of guilt he had erected so carefully.  Sere must have seen some change in his eyes, one he wasn't aware of completely himself, for she nodded shortly.  "Good," she said decisively, and went to the door of her office.

She was through and gone before Rayden could do more than blink, and then back again before he could gather enough coherent thought to move from the divan.  This time, she held two glass bottles of liquid, large and heavy enough to make the wiry muscles in her arms stand out.   She placed the bottles on her desk, then turned back to him, her hands again on her hips.   "We're going to the lake," she informed him.

Rayden stared at her, then blinked again (he chastised himself firmly on what was becoming a habit around Serenity) and stood.  "Why?" he asked warily as he approached her.

Serenity smiled at him.  "Because," she answered mock-haughtily, "I am going to get you good and drunk enough to see that this is an occasion for celebrating, not mourning.  And I still have scorch-marks in the middle of the tavern from the last time you got as relaxed as I intend to make you tonight."

Her smile had become a full-fledged grin; slowly, Rayden matched it.  "Yes, ma'am," he acquiesced.

Serenity looked up at him and her expression softened.  "It really is okay, Rayden," she told him.

Rayden nodded at her, accepting the hug she drew him into and returning it evenly as he transported them to the spot she meant.

The lake outside the city limits shone with the moon and stars reflected on its surface; the breeze carried the scent of spring flowers and the songs of crickets and night birds.   Fireflies danced around them as they sat by the shore, drinking wine, talking, and playing half-forgotten childhood games.  Serenity reminded the thunder god how to laugh, and Rayden showed the russet-haired tavern-keeper just what Breena had been grinning about.   Despite her heartfelt insistence (quite a while later) to the contrary, Rayden didn't think it was really an even exchange.  But it would do for now.

--Finis--

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