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Kitana and Liu Kang rushed down a corridor together; the former kicked open a door and set off down the small ramp, entering the torture room. Hundreds of vicious tools lined the walls, while piles of organs and various body parts sat in the corner, the foul stench of their decay filling the room. The two warriors gagged and held their breath as they crossed the room to a door that led to a smaller room. Inside, there was one wall that was covered in nasty-looking spikes, while a dais resided in the centre and sitting on top was a Kamidogu.
Kitana smiled as she reached for it.
"Hands off!"
The pair whirled around to see Tanya; she smirked, twirling her Kobu Jutsu and Kitana flicked open her fans. The dark-skinned Edenian didn't appear worse for wear after her fatal fight with Scorpion, a testament for why the Dragon King needed to be destroyed.
"As unfortunate it is to see you again, Tanya, I'd suggest surrendering," Kitana said. "You can't fight both of us, especially Liu Kang."
"No, but I can delay you," Tanya smirked.
Liu Kang spun, a kick aimed for the Kamidogu – and his leg passed right through the relic like it was made of smoke.
"I thought we could destroy them easily," he cried in shock.
Tanya laughed. "For a Champion of Mortal Kombat, you sure are an idiot…that's a fake."
"What?"
"Isn't it obvious what the Dragon King has done? He's duped you so his plan can continue unhindered…honestly, how have you managed to defeat the likes Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn with tiny brains like yours."
"We need to find Scorpion," Liu Kang announced and he made to leave, but Tanya stood in his way; he struck her with a fiery uppercut and dropped her.
Kitana went to follow him, but Tanya struck, slicing the princess' leg. She cried out in pain and Liu Kang turned back, but she waved him off, as Tanya got up.
"I can handle her; you need to find Scorpion," Kitana said, never taking her eyes off the traitor.
Liu Kang looked reluctant to leave, but he understood the gravity of the situation and knew that his betrothed could handle herself; he ran off in search of the spectre, as Kitana and Tanya circled each other, waiting for the other to make the first move.
Finally, Tanya lunged with a war cry and Kitana blocked with her fans, her leg wound hindering her, but she ignored the pain, focusing on her opponent instead. Tanya grinned sadistically, like a predator sensing the weakness of her prey, and she aimed a corkscrew drill at Kitana's leg; the princess flew over the manoeuvre with the aid of her Edenian magic, but the landing blasted pain through her leg.
"Surrender, princess. Surrender and the Dragon King may be merciful," Tanya smirked and she lunged again, pressuring the princess, trying to seize any advantage she could.
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Sindel tore her Kwan Do away and Hotaru's body collapsed to join the rest of his slaughtered army. However, just like before, there was a flash of green light, and Hotaru rose up, alive once more, along with any of his fallen men and Tarkatans. Sindel sighed in frustration; that'd been the second time she killed him. Onaga's resurrection powers were proving too costly: Hotaru's forces would rise from the dead, while the Edenians remained slain. Already, the Royal Guard were starting to get outnumbered by the continuous resurrections.
"You cannot stop us; order will prevail!" Hotaru cried as he lunged with his Naginata.
Sindel deflected his blade with her own. "Order will continue, but not under the Dragon King." Hotaru advanced with thrust attacks and Sindel stepped back to avoid the blade, waiting for an opening. "Besides, you've broken the order of life by coming back from the dead." Hotaru paused for a split-second at the realisation, but it was enough – Sindel decapitated him in one mighty swing of her Kwan Do and used her Banshee Scream to blast his head far away from his body. "Resurrect from that."
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Scorpion grunted in frustration as he hid behind a pillar in the war room, plotting out his next move. He'd been ambushed in the war room, not to his surprise, by Reiko…except that Reiko wasn't alone. Pressurised water blasted through the pillar with the force of a cannonball, obliterating the structure and robbing Scorpion of his hiding place.
"Come on out and face us, Scorpion," Rain taunted. "You're not getting past us, so you might as well give up."
A swell of hellfire and Scorpion cracked the Edenian half-god in the jaw. Reiko immediately hurled shurikens into the spectre's back; he avoided Scorpion's retaliation, allowing Rain to pummel the spectre with jets of water. Scorpion slammed against the wall, Rain's water overwhelming him and holding him at bay.
"You will not touch the Dragon King," Rain said as he drowned Scorpion within the water bubble. "When he awakens the One Being, I will personally slaughter Sindel and Kitana and take my rightful place on the throne of Edenia."
Scorpion's white eyes glowed with hellfire at the mention of Kitana's possible murder. Enraged, he teleported out of Rain's trap and slammed a brutal punch into the demigod's gut – Rain gagged, the air knocked out of him, and a second punch floored him. Reiko attempted to intervene, but Scorpion teleported again – Reiko whirled around and threw shurikens as soon as the spectre appeared. Scorpion growled and hurled his kunai in response – caught; Reiko was reeled in, as Scorpion removed his mask to reveal his flaming skull. The general screamed in agony as he was drenched in hellfire, flesh melting off his skeleton and he collapsed into a pile of bones.
Scorpion pulled his mask back on – and was blasted by water. Rain let up on the attack and raised his hand, summoning a lightning bolt. Scorpion narrowly dodged the dangerous technique – Rain appeared beside him from a watery portal and punched him. Scorpion caught Rain's wrist on the next punch – and shattered his elbow with a powerful chop. Rain howled, as Scorpion then stomped on his knee, snapping the bone. Finally, Scorpion gripped Rain in a headlock and heaved upwards as the demigod thrashed in his grip.
"You think you're going to kill Kitana, hmm?" Scorpion mused and with a savage yank on Rain's neck, he tore the half-god's spine out of his back. "Over my dead body."
He dropped the corpse and heard footsteps pounding nearby. The spectre drew his sword, prepared to slay anyone else who dared get in his way – he lowered the blade when he saw it was Liu Kang.
"Found you," the Shaolin monk exclaimed.
"Where's Kitana?" Scorpion questioned as he sheathed his sword.
"We went looking for the Kamidogus, but Onaga has set up fakes. I came to help you, but she stayed behind to deal with Tanya."
"Tanya? But I – curse you, Onaga…he revived her and will no doubt do it again if Kitana kills her…and you left her on her own."
"Kitana can handle herself," Liu Kang defended. "We need to stop Onaga. Let's go."
"Fine," Scorpion growled. "This way."
Liu Kang followed the spectre from the war room to the throne room, a path left unimpeded, and that did make him somewhat concerned. He thought of Kitana, hoping she was faring well in her fight against Tanya, as Scorpion shoved the doors of the throne room open – and punched a leaping Havik in the jaw. Onaga's attention was drawn by the two arrivals, the six Kamidogus whirling around his body like a circular shield. Scorpion stomped on Havik's neck, breaking it, as the Dragon King simply sighed.
"He was most annoying, despite his mild uses," Onaga stated. "Welcome back, Scorpion. I'm glad to see you return for another beating and you've even brought a friend with you…the infamous Liu Kang, back from the realm of the dead."
"We're here to put an end to your evil, Onaga," Liu Kang said. "We know your weakness…you've even provided them for us, so stand down or prepare to fight."
"I can make that same offering to you," the Dragon King said. "A thunder god and two sorcerers couldn't defeat me. A self-proclaimed Champion of the Elder Gods couldn't defeat me. A Champion of Mortal Kombat will fare no better. You surrender and willingly serve me or die and join my army unwillingly. The choice is yours."
"I choose to destroy you in Mortal Kombat!" Scorpion bellowed.
Hellfire gathered in his palm and he hurled it at the Dragon King – to no affect. Amused nonetheless, Onaga stepped down from his throne, the Kamidogu still revolving above the chair. Liu Kang launched a fireball at the relics, but the attack was repelled by the magical shield protecting the relics.
"Oh, this is not going to work in our favour," the Shaolin monk muttered.
Scorpion vanished in a flash of flames – he scored Onaga on the jaw with a punch and teleported again – Onaga caught his foot and hurled him across the room. Liu Kang lunged forth into his signature Bicycle Kicks – Onaga staggered from the multitude of rapid kicks, snarled and backhanded Liu Kang aside like he was nothing. Liu Kang winced, a bruise forming on his face and he was surprised he was still alive after such a powerful blow.
Scorpion drew the Mugai Ryu and attempted to attack – Onaga deflected every strike and finally booted the spectre in the chest with such force, Scorpion slammed against a pillar. Onaga immediately followed up with a stream of flames; Scorpion teleported out of the way, conjuring hellfire beneath the Dragon King.
A powerful sweep of his wings and Onaga dispelled the hellfire and blasted Scorpion clear across the throne room, as Liu Kang forced himself to stand, to continue fighting; his future with Kitana depended on his will and ability. He rushed the Dragon King, unloading with a series of rapid-fire attacks upon Onaga's body; flames coated his fists as he continued his assault and finally, Liu Kang lunged with a flaming flying kick – Onaga caught his leg and grinned sinisterly.
"Let's do something about this, shall we?"
There was a sickening crack, followed a split second later by Liu Kang's scream of agony and Onaga casually tossed him to the ground, viewing him as nothing more than trash. Liu Kang whimpered, trying to control his breathing as he clutched at his broken leg.
There was a flash of lightning and Raiden appeared, Sub Zero by his side. The cryomancer unleashed a beam of ice that barrelled into the Dragon King and with Onaga temporarily distracted, Raiden waved and encircled his hands, utilising his magic to unleash a powerful blast of lightning; it shattered the shield protecting the Kamidogus and eventually destroyed the ancient relics themselves.
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Hissing in pain and exertion, Kitana watched the body of Tanya, impaled on the wall, to see if she would revive again. When nothing happened, the Edenian princess limped from the room, heading for the throne room as quick as possible to help stop the Dragon King.
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