Chapter 1: The Tournament Begins
Mortal Kombat. A tournament to decide the fate of all realms. A tournament where legends are born. Rivalries are settled and alliances are put to the ultimate test in the ultimate fight for survival. Sitting patiently in his throne room lays a tyrant that the world has never seen the likes of before. A conqueror of all realms. A tyrant that has conquered every challenger that has ever stood in his way. Shao Kahn a name that everyone man and woman a like throughout the realms had soon come to fear. Looking through his skull helmet down towards each of his chosen warriors for the task of winning this next tournament a smirk comes across the conqueror's face. A smirk knowing what this next tournament means. A tournament for his last conquest. The realm he has waited patiently for the last 9 tournaments to take. Earthrealm. As the grip he has on the chair tightens Shao Kahn can't help but glance down towards his most prized fighters that have been assigned the task of winning this tournament.
Shang Tsung the emperor's most trusted sorcerer. A man who has lived for thousands of years after learning the dark arts of absorbing a defeat fighter's soul. A ability he had learned hundreds of years ago by the emperor himself. His prize for pledging his allegiance with the emperor and betraying his realm. A sorcerer with immense fighting abilities and considered to be one of Shao Kahn's most gifted fighters.
Princess Kitana. The daughter of the late Edenian Queen Sindel. Princess of the once beautiful realm Edenia. Shao Kahn's prize for the capture of the realm Edenia hundreds of years ago. Not only beautiful but one of the most deadliest assassins throughout the realms. Through the blue mask on her face with her eyes full of hatred Kitana waits for the day she can get her revenge on her stepfather. Revenge for learning the truth about what he had done so many years ago to her mother. How he had driven her to the point where she had killed herself in order to keep her alive and the darkness Shao Kahn had spread around the realms from filling her heart. Waiting for the day that her once beautiful home can be restored. Waiting for the day for a champion to step up that was a worthy adversary for the emperor of Outworld. A man to conquer the conqueror of realms.
Jade. Kitana's most trusted protector. Not only just as beautiful as Kitana but just as deadly. Forced from a young childhood to be trained to be a deadly killer by the emperor himself. Known to have a deep bond and friendship with Princess Kitana shortly after her training was completed and she had been assigned to protect over the Princess. Hidden behind her green mask Jade looks up towards Shao Kahn with the same hatred as the Princess hoping one day she will see this man fall. See someone rise up and make the conquer of realms bow to his knees.
Rain. Once known as the most gifted fighter among Edenian royalty. A man who had once been counted on by the Edenian resistance to put a stop to Shao Kahn's terror only for him to betray the group and side with Kahn. Someone that was considered the most gifted fighter from Edenia up until the day he had betrayed Edenia and pledged his loyalty to Shao Kahn.
Ermac. Shao Kahn's greatest creation. A warrior solely built on all the souls of so many defeated dead warriors that had fallen at the hands of Shao Kahn. A fighter with no allegiance except towards his master and ruler. Under Shao Kahn's control Ermac looks up towards the emperor awaiting for his next order. His next order to kill.
Baraka. One of the most feared fighters throughout the realms. Belonging to a race called the Tarkata a cross brand of demons from a realm called the Netherrealm and denizens of the realm Outworld. Looking over with his long blades shining off of his forearms into the light with a bloodlust starting to form in his mind for his next victim Baraka awaits the order from his master.
Goro. The prince of a 4 armed raced known as the Shokan. Known for the last hundreds of years as the Grand Champion of Mortal Kombat. The warrior who had defeated Earthrealm once most greatest warrior Kung Lao. A feat which has earned the Shokan race in favor of the emperor. Looking on with each of his arms crossed and a grin on his face Goro locks eyes with emperor waiting for his next challenger.
Getting up from his chair Shao Kahn watches a large portal open up behind his fighters as he glances down towards each of their faces until he finally lays his eyes down upon Shang Tsung.
" Failure is not an option. If you fail me now Shang Tsung there will be no realm that you will allow you to escape my wrath. Now go!"
Looking on seeing each of his fighter's entering through the portal Shao Kahn sits back down into his throne chair as he waits for the impending victory.
The lost sea. A location known to very few throughout the realms. An island that was located just between Outworld and Earthrealm. The location of where the next Mortal Kombat tournament is about to begin. A tournament that would decide the fate of a prized realm that was filled with gifted fighters. Earthrealm the home of Mortal Kombat's former champion Kung Lao. The home of an ancient clan that called themselves the Lin Kuei. A clan that was gifted in the secret arts of combat. A name that was feared throughout each of the realms. A clan known for having some of the deadliest fighters in the world.
As everyone slowly gathers to a courtyard that is located at the center of the island a known group of warriors are seen walking through the crowds of fighters towards the front of the courtyard where a group of recognizable figures are seen looking down towards the crowds as they stand by Shang Tsung. A group of fighters representing the Lin Kuei clan. The forms of Cyrax,Smoke,Sub Zero and his younger brother. A fighter that was slowly improved daily and was pushing to become the Lin Kuei's next champion. To be their champion in the coming years. But not yet. Instead for this tournament with strict orders the younger Sub Zero stands by his older brother's side as just a spectator for this fight. To watch the tournament this time around instead of participating to his dismay.
Seeing his clan members coming to a complete stop the younger Sub Zero comes to a stop before he looks up when he suddenly his eyes do wide when he sees her. Princess Kitana staring down towards him from her place up top a large stone. Instantly as the two meet eyes the voice of Shang Tsung is heard addressing the crowd. But neither cared about what the sorcerer had to say at that moment. Instead for some reason the two fighters couldn't stop looking at each other with intrigue filling their eyes. Intrigue from Sub Zero from seeing with his own eyes that the stories about the woman standing before him were true. That she was truly one of the most beautiful women that he had ever laid his eyes upon. His thoughts are snapped when he feels a tap on the shoulder that forces the younger Sub Zero to break eye contact away from Kitana for a single second to look towards his older brother.
" Princess Kitana. The princess of Edenia. She is one of the deadliest assassins in all of the realms. Be careful around her little brother."
Turning back over towards Kitana seeing her still looking at him with an expression that he is unable to tell due to her mask covering her face the younger Sub Zero stares into her eyes for the next couple of seconds before he is once again tapped on the shoulder. As he looks over to see his older brother nodding his head to the left the younger Sub Zero takes one final glance over towards Kitana before he slowly follows after his older brother unaware of a small smile that has formed under Kitana's mask while her eyes have never leave his retreating form.
As he follows after his older brother the younger Sub Zero can't help but be intrigued with his thoughts drifting off about the Princess. Thoughts he knew he shouldn't be having. Thoughts that his elders would not approve of. A sign of weakness they would tell him before they would lock him away from the outside world for a time. These thoughts are snapped when he sees a small group gathering around a small arena as two figures stare at each other a small distance away from each other.
One figure he instantly recognized from the boat ride to the island as a man known as Johnny Cage. A known movie star from Earthrealm. A man from what he could see although he had extraordinary fighting abilities also displayed a sense of cockness not only could be seen by his body language showing his opponent absolutely no any form of respect but how his attention was averted to a blonde haired woman that was standing near him in the crowd. A woman the Lin Kuei knew as Sonya Blade. A known female soldier assigned to a special forces unit in Earthrealm with the tasks of eliminating any threats throughout the realm. A group designed to battle against the Lin Kuei along with their greatest known enemy the Black Dragon.
As he looks over to the other side of the arena to see the Outworld fighter named Rain staring at Johnny Cage just waiting for the contest to begin suddenly Sub Zero's eyes go wide again once he sees her. Princess Kitana standing front and center in another crowd with a black haired woman dressed entirely in a green attire matching Kitana's own. As he sees Kitana looking over towards his direction Sub Zero quickly averts his attention away from her and towards the battle between Rain and Johnny Cage that has taken place unaware that under her mask a smile had formed across her face from catching him staring at her.
Looking on as he watches Johnny Cage and Rain exchanging blows in the center of the arena with neither being able to best the other Sub Zero can't help but glance over towards Kitana every few seconds before after just a few minutes he looks up to see Kitana staring directly at him. For the next few seconds as he hears the roar of the crowd from the fight slowly coming to a close Sub Zero can't help but to stare Kitana deep into the eyes before he turns his attention back to the fight between Johnny Cage and Rain when he sees Kitana nodding her head towards the fight taking place.
As he looks back towards the fight Sub Zero watches with amazement as suddenly the sky above turns dark before a lightning bolt is sent flying down into the stage that Johnny Cage barely avoids at the last possible second. Within a moment as the sky turns back to normal Sub Zero suddenly watches Johnny Cage in a flash send a kick towards Rain that connects to the purple ninja's chest causing the ninja to go flying off his feet and to the ground below. As he looks down to see Rain breathing heavy from the ground Sub Zero looks over towards Kitana seeing her glancing down towards the downed ninja with an emotion in her eyes that he cannot read before suddenly a loud sound of a crunch echoes throughout the arena causing Sub Zero to look away from Kitana back towards Rain.
What he sees not only shocks himself but everyone else inside of the arena. The form of Shao Kahn standing over the dead body of Rain as a large hammer is seen crushing down upon Rain's head. As he looks towards Shao Kahn's face suddenly Sub Zero locks eyes with the conquer of the realms seeing nothing but pure evil in his eyes. For the next few seconds Sub Zero stares deep into Shao Kahn's eyes showing no fear towards the conquer as slowly his hands start to clutch into tight fists. As he feels a tap on his shoulder Sub Zero turns his head to see his older brother looking towards Shao Kahn with a look in his eyes he had seen only a few times before during combat. A look displaying he was ready for a fight before he slowly watches him look back towards him with the look disappearing. Once he sees his older brother slowly starting to walk away Sub Zero follows after him unaware in the background a pair of interested eyes have been watching him the whole time.