Chapter 2. - The Tournament begins.

(Evil warns: This chapter contains vulgar and offensive language, graphic violence and death. I strictly warn that if you read below is at your own risk)

Few minutes after Evil, Raul and Laura boarded the ship, it left the harbor and began to sail to the island where the Mortal Kombat would take place.
- Do you think we have any a chance to win the tenth tournament for the Earth? - Evil asked as he leaned on the railing.
- I do not know, maybe if we're lucky we can win. - Laura said.
- Think positively, do not think it's that difficult. - Said Raul.
- Easy for you to say, you're not seventeen nor not you've spent your whole life taking insults and humiliation from others. - Evil reluctantly let out.
- You're seventeen?! - Raul asked in shock.
- Why are you surprised? - Laura asked curiously. - I'm sixteen.
- Is there anything else you forgot to tell me? - Raul asked.
- Yes, your fly's down. - Evil said.
Raul looked at his fly, blushed and lifted it again.
- Not what I meant, but thanks for the tip.
- Good night, new fighters of the Earth. - Said a calm but terrifying voice.
The three fighters turned and faced a man with black hair, wearing a black and red robe. The man had a quizzical look and seemed to look with disgust at our fighters.
- You are Shang Tsung, aren't you? - Evil asked.
- I see you know me, I guess it was Liu Kang who told you about me. - Shang Tsung said as he glanced at Evil.
- Not exactly, Liu Kang told me your name, but you have the face of a miserable coward, so I assumed you were either Shang Tsung or Shao Kahn himself. - Evil said casually, making Shang Tsung blush with anger.
- How dare you, insolent boy?!
- Don't you old guys have another phrase? - Let out Evil, smiling slyly.
- Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Reptile! Time to act! - Shouted Shang Tsung.
Two guys dressed similarly and an anthropomorphic lizard made themselves present before the evil wizard. The Defenders got in a fighting stance and prepared to defend against the Outworld Warriors. Reptile lunged at Laura, who received him with a piece of rock that was conveniently out there; Scorpion tried to use his snake against the seer, who repelled the object with his staff, and Sub-Zero tried to throw an iceball at Evil, who quickly melted it with a fireball. Shang-Tsung growled through his teeth as the Defenders got ready in case of another attack.
- Shang-Tsung, stop it! - Shouted a man.
The Defenders turned and faced a man with white hair, wearing a gray tunic and an Asian hat.
- You must be Lord Raiden. - Evil said.
- Who? - Laura and Raul asked.
- Oh right, you weren't there when Mr Kang told me about him. - Evil let out. - Lord Raiden is the protector of humanity, he is the god of lightning and our guide about what happens in the Mortal Kombat.
- Indeed I am, I came to verify that Shang Tsung is keeping his useless henchmen away from you until we get to the island where they held the tournament. - Raiden added.
- Ah, Lord Raiden, what a pleasant surprise to find you in my boat. - Shang-Tsung let out with a fake smile.
- Spare me the talk Shang Tsung, you and I know you were coming to try to harm the new defenders. - Raiden said. - Do you really fear them so much that you stood down enough to betray the old agreement and try to weaken them to ensure your victory?
- That never, Lord Raiden, just came to check that my "guests" were comfortable. - Lied Shang Tsung.
- You're lying. - Evil said. - Reptile, Scorpion and Sub-Zero just attacked us and you sent them to do so.
- You better keep your minions away of my fighters, or I'll kill you myself, am I clear? - Raiden threatened.
- As you wish, my lord. - Shang Tsung said through clenched teeth.
Shang Tsung went back inside the boat and Raiden turned to see the teenagers.
- I am truly that you have seen such a display of bad manners from my part. - Raiden apologized.
- It doesn't matter, I'm used to anyway. - Evil said casually. - It's an honor to meet you, Lord Raiden.
- Likewise, it is impressive that some youngsters have been able to stop by themselves three of the most powerful warriors of the Outworld. - Raiden said.
- Are you calling us weak? - Laura asked as she cracked her knuckles.
- Not in the least. - Raiden said calmly. - I'm just surprised, but that's why I could influence the decision of Shang Tsung to you three.
- Does that mean that it was you who chose us? - Raul asked.
- Yes, Shao Kahn feared losing this last chance so he and several sorcerers (including Quan Chi and Shang Tsung), managed to make Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage and my other fighters unable to participate in this Mortal Kombat . That's why I had to find new fighters that could represent Earthrealm, or as you call it, the Earth. - Raiden explained.
- Um, you knew beforehand that we were no ordinary humans, isn't it? - Asked Evil with one hand on his chin.
- That's right, that's why I assumed that Shao Kahn would show his great cowardice by choosing you, believing that only a few simple teenagers would not give much of a fight.
- Well, he was so goddamn wrong, we're here to win the Mortal Kombat. - Raul said firmly.
- That's what I see, I'm glad to see you have the confidence to believe on yourselves. - Raiden said before frowning slightly. - Nevertheless, I fear that self-confidence will not be enough to defeat Shao Kahn.
- That's what I was thinking. - Evil said with the same expression of Raiden. - But I think Raul and Laura were right when they told me to think positive, the tournament will be very difficult but we will achieve victory no matter what.
- Very well, because the island is in sight, we will soon disembark. - Raiden said.
The fighters rushed to look for the ship's starboard side, realizing that what Raiden had said was true. The three teenagers felt a sudden anxiety, both for the chances they had to die as well the desire to demonstrate their skills to the fullest.

(A couple of hours later)

The Defenders of the Earthrealm were with a group of fighters, (which they assumed were the Outworld Warriors), near a palace-style building, waiting for the start of the tournament.
- We've been waiting for the stupid host over an hour! - Complained Laura and Raul.
- Will you shut up? - Evil said as he leaned on a wall with eyes closed and arms folded. - At least admit that they had us enough mercy to follow the rules of a normal combat.
- I still think this is bullshit. - Laura said.
- I agree, making us wait isn't what I thought a dark lord who has lost over the last twenty years, and has waited more than five hundred years to dominate Earth, would do. - Said Raul.
- You just said it, Raul, they've waited more than five hundred years for the domination of the Earth, I think they can wait a few more hours. - Evil said with a small smile.
Raul and Laura glared at the young Mexican, unaware that the three were watched from a window of the palace by a young woman. However, Evil felt the presence of that spy, he startled a bit and glanced towards the window, causing the woman to hide quickly.
- What is it? - Asked Laura.
- Nothing. - Evil lied as he leaned on the wall again.
Suddenly, the three felt a shiver, they looked straight ahead and saw Shang Tsung, a white-skinned guy who they assumed it was Quan Chi, and a guy with red armor, a helmet that had a skull covering his face, a skull and two straps that went through his chest, and piercing red eyes. "That must be Shao Kahn," thought the youngsters as they watched.
- Good night fighters, today we will start a new Mortal Kombat, which will decide whether the Earthrealm gains its freedom from the Old Agreement, or if we get another chance to conquer this kingdom. - Shao Kahn said.
- To ensure that the defenders could observe firsthand the power of our fighters, Sub-Zero, come forward. - Ordered Shang Tsung.
Sub-Zero looked at Evil with derision, and then went to the front, where he was waited by an unknown fighter.
Sub-Zero was in combat position as the unknown fighter tried to attack him, Sub-Zero threw him an iceball, thereby freezing his opponent. The frozen fighter fell to the ground and broke into pieces, making Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung smirk widely.
- A Flawless Victory! - Shang Tsung said.
- And now that we have seen the power of the Outworld, let's see the power that the Earthrealm has. - Shao Kahn said. - How about if the little girl shows us her skills?
Laura glared at Shao Kahn, ready to accept the challenge, until Evil stopped her.
- No, I will show you my skills. - Evil said while glaring at Shao Kahn.
Laura was about to yell something to Evil, but surprisingly the Mexican fighter was already in the arena.
Another anonymous fighter was in the arena, ready to attack. Evil on the other hand, had his arms crossed and eyes closed, with a slight frown. The fighter lunged at Mexican defender but could not even touch him because Evil caught his ankle within his own and dropped him, then circled his neck with his arms still holding the fighter's right leg and began pulling both his leg and his head while lying over the fighter's back. A few seconds after that, the fighter gave several taps on the ground, signaling his surrender.
- Finish him! - Shouted Shang Tsung and Quan Chi.
Evil turned to look at his companions, who had a face of doubt about that. Then he sighed, frowned with determination and increased the strength with which he was pulling his opponent's head until he heard a sickening crack, signaling that he had broken his neck. Evil released the motionless body of his opponent and glared at Shao Kahn as if he said "You're next".
- Now that we have seen something of what the Outworld and the Earthrealm has to offer, Mortal Kombat begins! - Shao Kahn said to the applause of his fighters.
Evil met Laura and Raul, only to receive a punch on the shoulder by the girl.
- And now why the hell did you punch me?! - Evil shouted while rubbing his arm.
- For interfering, we were selected to fight as a team, not so you could show-off whenever you get the chance. - Laura replied with his hands on his hips.
- Ok, ok, I'm sorry. - Evil said.
- Anyway, what the hell are we supposed to do now? - Raul asked.
- How about if we go to find where we can get some rest? - Evil suggested. - Using the STF with all my strength left me exhausted.
Evil with Laura looked confused because he did not know what it meant that the Mexican had said.
- The movement that Evil did is called "STF", normally is a submission move used by John Cena, but I think Evil here today demonstrated its full potential. - Raul explained.
- Thanks for the compliment. - Evil said before his stomach growled. - I think it was completely out of sheer stupidity not bringing food to the island.
- We must find to eat or we will die without even fight. - Laura said.
The Defenders of the Earthrealm ran to find something they could eat, without realizing that the same woman who had spied on them earlier had heard their entire conversation.
- They may not be very close, but they can stop this tournament once and for all. - Said the mysterious woman to herself.