Hong Kong, Earthrealm

This could not possibly be the boat she was supposed to board. Ashlynn heard a murmur from the crowd around her as the vessel came to a halt. It was built of wood, old and dull, and looked as though it would barely hold a crew, let alone the fifty or so people who were supposed to be boarding it.

"Are you okay?" Ashlynn snapped out of her reverie and realized that the crowd had begun to pass her by, headed for the boat.

The man who had spoken was classically handsome, and seemed somehow familiar, as though she had seen him somewhere before. Although it was the middle of the night, a pair of sunglasses rested on top of his head.

"I'm fine, sorry," Ashlynn said. "It's just…is that really the right boat?"

The man smiled and started walking, so she followed him. "Apparently," he said. "Looks like something from a bad horror movie."

As Ashlynn trailed behind the rest of the group, a chill crept into her bones. Strange, since it was the middle of June, and it had not been cold earlier. "I'm Ashlynn, by the way," she said.

"Johnny Cage," the man replied nonchalantly. He paused for a moment, as if he were expecting some sort of reaction. Not knowing what else to do, Ashlynn simply smiled. "You don't know who I am?" he asked, obviously surprised.

"Were you, er…on TV, or something?" Ashlynn asked.

His mouth fell open, but just as he was about to speak, a figure darted past, nearly knocking him over the railing of the ship. "What the hell's your problem?" he shouted.

Ashlynn, who was busy picking up the suitcase Johnny had dropped, did not have time to react before the other man had her new acquaintance by the shirt collar.

"Say that again. I don't think I heard you right the first time, mate."

From what Ashlynn could see in the dim light, this man was no joke. He wore a sleeveless vest, no shirt, and his face was unshaven. Covering the right side of his face was a metal plate, with an eyehole that seemed to glow red in the darkness.

"Do you know who I am?" Johnny demanded, pushing the man backward.

"I know you're about to leave this boat in a body bag," the man replied. He was holding something in his right hand, and Ashlynn was almost sure it was a knife.

"Johnny, I don't think-

Johnny held up a hand, "I can handle this. Listen, all I'm saying is that you need to watch where you're going."

"You know what I think…?"

Before he could finish telling Johnny what he thought, another man approached them. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

"Nothin' that concerns you," the man with the red eye replied.

"This isn't even worth fighting over," Ashlynn said. "Just let it go."

Johnny held up his hands in surrender, "Fine."

The red eyed man looked each of them over before hurrying off into the darkness.

"You almost started the tournament early," said the new man. "I'm Liu Kang."

A few hours had passed, but Ashlynn could not make herself sleep. Instead, she roamed the deck of the ship, watching the handful of others who were still awake as they did the same. She stopped near the railing, staring out over the dark water.

"I've never liked traveling by boat."

Ashlynn jumped, startled, and looked to her left. Standing there was a man in shabby white robes, with silver hair that fell over his shoulders. She had not even heard him approach.

"Sea sickness?" Ashlynn asked.

He smiled. "No, boats are just too slow," he said. "There are faster ways to travel."

"I guess," Ashlynn said, turning back toward the water. "I think it's relaxing, though."

"Enjoy it while you can."

"What?" She turned back, but he was gone.

Ashlynn returned to her cabin to find Liu and Johnny still awake. Apparently they could not sleep either. There was also another man asleep in the corner of the cabin.

"You don't understand," Liu said. "It's not just a competition. The outcome of this tournament will decide the fate of Earth."

Ashlynn sat down next to Johnny, who was laughing hysterically. "Could you be any more dramatic?" he said. "I don't care what your myths and legends say, it's a martial arts competition, that's all. And when I win, I'm going back to the states to rub it in the critic's faces."

"What legends?" Ashlynn asked, ignoring Johnny's impatient sigh.

"The Mortal Kombat tournament was created by an order of Shaolin monks, ages ago," Liu began. "Its purpose was to protect Earth from being invaded by tyrants from other realms. Once a generation, warriors from around the world are invited to compete."

It was an interesting story, and Ashlynn had always been intrigued by old legends. "Wait, who exactly are they defending it from?" she asked.

Johnny rolled his eyes, but Liu continued anyway. "Centuries ago, the tournament was won by a sorcerer named Shang Tsung." A disgusted look came over his face as he said the name. "He was in service to the Emperor of Outworld, Shao Kahn. In order to enter the realm of Earth, Kahn's forces have to win ten tournaments in a row. Shang Tsung had won many tournaments, but before he could claim his tenth victory, he was defeated by a warrior representing the Shaolin."

"If they lost, then why would we be here?" Johnny asked. Despite his best efforts, he too was listening to the story now.

"Shang Tsung returned to Earth, after being punished by Kahn, and brought with him a Shokan warrior named Goro." Before Ashlynn could ask what a Shokan was, he continued the story. "Goro defeated Kung Lao, who was the Mortal Kombat champion, and claimed the title for himself. Afterward, Shang Tsung took control of the tournament, alienating the Shaolin. Up to now, Goro has won nine Mortal Kombat victories. This will be the tenth, and if he wins, Earth will be forfeit."

He finished, and Ashlynn felt as though she should give him a round of applause or something. It was a fascinating legend, and one that she had never heard before.

"Yeah, great story," Johnny said. "But that's the thing, it's just a story. There's nothing special about this tournament, there's no emperor trying to take over the earth, and there's no sorcerer."

"Fine," Liu said. "Don't believe me. You'll see for yourself soon enough."

Ashlynn listened to them argue for a while before finally drifting to sleep.

It was just past dawn when Ashlynn followed her two companions as they left the ship. The cold that had been clinging to her bones since the night before vanished, replaced by a warm breeze. The ship had stopped near the beach, and they had to travel by little skiffs to the shore.

"Where are we?" Ashlynn asked, mostly to herself. Her invitation had revealed the date of the tournament, but not the location. The island they had arrived at was enormous, with towering trees that stretched far off into the distance.

"Shang Tsung's island," Liu said.

"God, here we go again," Johnny sighed, lugging a large suitcase over the side of the skiff.

Straight ahead was a stone structure that stood even taller than the trees. It was flawlessly built, with an angled roof and a number of adjacent buildings that branched off in all directions. They followed a wide path through the trees, until they reached the ornately carved front doors where a man stood, apparently waiting for them.

His exquisite clothing was odd, but gave him the appearance of a wealthy aristocrat, as did his perfectly kempt beard and hair, which he had pulled back into a long tail.

"Who's-

"It's Shang Tsung," Liu said, before Ashlynn could finish her question. Johnny simply rolled his eyes again.

The man waited for the group to be silent before he addressed them. "Welcome," he said, extending his arms in greeting. "You are here to compete in Mortal Kombat, the great tournament that has been held on this island for generations. I am Shang Tsung, and during the tournament, my island will be your battleground."

Ashlynn glanced at Johnny, whose mouth had fallen open slightly. "Okay, so there's a guy named Shang Tsung," he whispered. "That doesn't mean he's a wizard."

"Sorcerer," Liu corrected.

"Some of you may even have the distinct honor of facing Prince Goro, our reigning champion," Tsung continued. "Until then, my home is your home." He gestured with one hand, and the doors behind him began to creak open. "The tournament begins tomorrow. In the meantime, I would suggest that you all get some rest. You'll need it."