The Earthrealm party was left to mingle about a chamber connected to the Great Hall of Kuatan. Goro had gone off with a group of Shokan councilors, followed by Sindel and the other Outworld rebels. Upon reaching the massive underground city, Smoke's Zaterran hostage, who had been largely silent, began to scream. He was, to everyone's relief, taken away for interrogation.
"Do I need to be the one to say this?" Johnny Cage asked to the group. "Am I the only one actually willing to verbalize the fact that we are in Goro's hometown?"
"We've all considered that, Johnny," Nightwolf said.
"Dude, you weren't there for the first tournament!" Cage exclaimed. "Goro was this terrifying figure. He was a giant, unstoppable hellbeast that was one fight away from getting our entire planet overtaken by a giant magic barbarian. When Liu Kang beat him, that was like every Lakers' championship rolled into one, plus when I lost my virginity, and maybe a little bit of-"
"Babe, stop talking," Sonya said. She grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him down onto a bench.
"I understand your concern," said Liu Kang. "I was never more scared in my life than when I realized I would have to face Goro in the tournament on Shang Tsung's island. But that was years ago. Goro's priorities have changed, as have ours. If he is an ally, then so be it."
"And hey, this way we don't have to fight him."
"That's correct, Stryker."
An elderly Shokan man entered the chamber.
"Your presence will be needed shortly," he said. "Please follow me."
"My people!" Goro shouted. The crowd roared in enthusiasm. Thousands of Shokan, the massive, four-armed people who colonized the massive series of caverns collectively known as the nation of Kuatan, filled the Great Hall. "People of Kuatan! I have spent the last several months away from this, my ancestral home. I have learned much in that time. It is true that my father, King Gorbak, was assassinated by a clan of Earthrealm dogs!"
The crowd grew even louder. Goro raised his voice in response.
"But these assassins were not old enemies of mine," he said. "No, my brothers and sisters, they were members of a group called the Black Dragon. Their leader is Kano. Kano has no loyalty to his home. He has long been a servant of Shao Kahn, Emperor of Outworld!"
And with that, the throng of shouting, angry Shokans fell collectively silent. Goro allowed the revelation to settle in.
"Why?" Somebody shouted.
"Rip his head off!"
"He's scared of us!"
"Brothers and sisters!" Goro raised his hands. "Long did my father hold that Kuatan should keep its distance from the business of the rest of Outworld. We are strong, we are prosperous, and we do not simply fall in line with the wishes of an outsider! When I joined his court, it was to show off the strength of Kuatan in Mortal Kombat. I believe I succeeded, did I not?"
There were cheers of affirmation.
"I won nine tournaments in succession!" He shouted. The pride was creeping in. "I nearly allowed Shao Kahn to conquer a realm! Yet I lost once, albeit narrowly, and I was suddenly nothing but a subordinate. The Emperor has been desperate since then. He cannot wait centuries for another chance to take Earthrealm into his empire. He has, time and again, embarrassed himself and all of Outworld in his failed attempts at this conquest, and now it seems that he believes he can only achieve his goals with the full might of Kuatan behind him."
There were more roars of approval, interspersed with insults directed at the other factions under Shao Kahn's control.
"But Shao Kahn knows that my father would not grant him our full military force, as he desires. And for this, for the act of a king daring to decide the actions of his own people, Shao Kahn sent his assassins."
Goro paused again. The noise from the crowd was deafening. He smiled.
"Brothers and sisters, the time of Emperor Shao Kahn is near its end!" he shouted. "He has used us for too long, and when he believed he could use us no longer, he killed our own King! He is no ruler! He has no honor! He is not worth our allegiance! He abuses countless others in this way, and it is time we put him in his place! A simple march on his palace is not our way, as you all know. And even we, as strong as we are, cannot enter it and rip him off of his thrown ourselves."
Goro turned, and beckoned to one of his father's old advisers, who turned and ducked out of the hall.
"Others are marshalling against Shao Kahn, who have been wronged by him just as we have."
The adviser led Sindel into the hall. Goro waved for her to join him, and then stepped aside.
"My friends," she started.
"Who's this?"
"Another damn outsider! Don't trade one for another, Goro!"
"Give her your respect!" Goro commanded. "She is not simply another would-be commander!"
"She's a gray-haired human, nothing special," said a Shokan man in the front. Sindel looked to him, and grinned. Her hair rose up and extended, then darted out and grabbed him by the arms, lifting him into the air.
"Nothing special?" she asked. The Shokan apologized quickly, and was set down gently. "My friends, I do not want for power. I was once Queen of a sovereign realm, and later of this one itself. For most of my life, I was trained by the greatest sorcerers and mightiest warriors of Edenia. No, I do not come here for my own gain. I simply come to offer you a chance to take the revenge that you, like so many others, rightfully deserve. I am, as King Goro has explained, building an army, a force of all the peoples of Outworld who desire true freedom. If you wish to be part of this, you will be welcomed."
"My people," Goro said, stepping up again, "I have offered my own services to Sindel's effort. I brought Shao Kahn's eye upon Kuatan in the first place, now I must pluck it from his skull to atone for what has been brought upon us. My question to you is: will you join me? Will you stand with your King?"
Fists were raised. Shokans shouted. And ultimately, they responded the same way.
"Yes!"
