The crowd roared, a beast of colossal proportions ripped away at helpless farmers turned warriors. This spectacle was to feed the blood lust of the crowd. Shao Kahn had let it be known that he would face Scorpion in Mortal Kombat. Word had spread quickly throughout Lei Chen and nearby communities. A vast majority swarmed to support their emperor. Yet dispersed throughout the crowd were the ones who had witnessed Scorpion's open defiance to Shao Kahn. They came to support the one who had given them courage to stand up against the tyrant and his followers. Kahn sat on his throne as he watched the three surviving farmers continue to fight the monster. After what seemed like hours to Kahn they took the monster down. The crowd sprinkled a mix of praises and jeers, some got the blood they wanted to see. Others wanted more. Kahn stood from his throne and placed his left fist against his hip and raised his right hand to silence the crowd. A hush fell over as the emperor summoned the three battered warriors over to him. They kneeled before him.
"You all fought valiantly for your lives, slayed the beast. Sadly, this isn't what I wanted to see!." Kahn raised his hand and summoned his war hammer. The crowd applauded for the slaughter of the helpless farmers. Others were disturbed at the show of brutality. Kahn put the hammer over his shoulder and held his other hand up. The crowd cheered on their beloved emperor. The one's who had watched Scorpion's victory over the guards began to lose hope their hero would arrive. Kahn continued to wave at the crowd as they began to chant his name. During this ordeal, none had looked to the sky. Clouds had darkened out the sun. Shadow began to fall across the coliseum. Kahn noticed the change in light, he put his hand and hammer down and looked up. A hush quickly fell throughout the crowd. Minutes passed by when finally a roar of thunder was heard.
"Raiden?" Shao Kahn looked to the sky. The crowd quickly began to mumble. Would the God of Thunder be joining them for the fight was the topic most prevalent throughout the conversations. More time elapsed and nothing occurred. Shao Kahn finally decided to return to his throne. As the emperor sat down, lightning struck right in front of him. Rapidly more strikes hit the same spot, fire began to form from the bolts. The crowd looked on in awe, Kahn looked on intensely. One last strike drove the flames to an enormous height. From the flames ghosts began to run and scream, the ghosts were none other than Shirai Ryu. Kahn looked on into the flame and saw two eyes staring back at him. Finally, Scorpion stepped out from the flame. He held his arms out straight to his side. He closed his eyes and began to concentrate. The fire came into him and was absorbed, the ghosts that had been released began to head towards him. They became one with Scorpion as well. Kahn stood up and chuckled to himself and began to clap.
"Very impressive Scorpion, you had a little fire and light show. A shame you have such showmanship for the fight where you will finally die. You can finally join the rotting spirits of your clan and your precious family." Kahn mocked as he stood up and walked towards Scorpion.
"Through flames they were killed…through flames they are reborn." Scorpion said sternly. Kahn looked on at him. Scorpion was unlike the previous spectre he saw. He had a calm rage about him, unlike in previous encounters where his emotion's poured through him.
"Enough talking Scorpion. Time to die!" Kahn swung at Scorpion. The emperor connected and sent Scorpion flying a few feet from him. The crowd came to life, cheering as Shao Kahn had struck first. Scorpion jumped to his feet and ran at Shao Kahn. The emperor took a defensive stance and waited. As Scorpion drew near, he was sucked into the ground. A crackle of fire came from behind Kahn, he whipped around to clothesline Scorpion, but caught nothing but air.
"What the hell?" Kahn felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned, Scorpion threw a punch into his abdomen. He doubled over in pain, Scorpion reared back and threw a punch into his head, fracturing some of the emperors skull. Scorpion brought his hands together and raised them over Kahn's back. He brought his knee into Kahn's ribcage and brought his fists down onto his back. Kahn felt his bones cracking. The crowd looked on stunned. The fan's of Scorpion looked on in glee, their hero was doing it. Kahn fell to the ground, spitting up blood he began to crawl away. Scorpion pointed at him, a wall of hellfire appeared in front of him.
"There is no escape this time. No one can save you." Scorpion muttered as he walked over to Kahn. He stood behind him and put his hands to a knee level. He brought them up, fire began to consume Shao Kahn. The emperor screamed in agony. Scorpion began to cackle at the pain, finally he was taking revenge. He finally relented and backed away from him.
"Get up you piece of shit." Scorpion barked at him. Kahn came to his feet groggily.
"Face me!" Scorpion yelled at him. Kahn staggered awhile longer, Scorpion grew impatient and made his way over to him. When he was within reach, Kahn spun around and smashed Scorpion in the skull with his war hammer.
"How fucking stupid are you ninja? You think that little barrage was really enough to kill me?" Kahn began to laugh as the crowd began to chant his name once more. Scorpion had fallen to the ground grasping his head. Kahn reached down and picked up the ninja by his neck, he brought his head back and then rammed it into Scorpion's. Little by little Scorpion could feel his bone shattering as Kahn continued to ram his head into his. Finally the emperor threw him face first into the dirt. Scorpion lay in a mix of his own blood and dirt as he heard the laughter of the crowd and Shao Kahn. He rolled himself over, he stared off into the sky. The laughter was drowned out with the voices of his clan. He looked to his side, his vision was going blurry, but one thing was clear to him. His wife and his child. He heard their words of encouragement.
"Hanzo, you have the ability. Lure him into a false sense of security. Show him why you are The Scorpion, my love." Kana said as she disappeared.
"Papa, I know you have the power. I love you papa." Jubei said as he disappeared. Tears formed in Scorpion's eyes. He looked to the sky once more, then a bludgeoning pain shot through his body. Shao Kahn had brought his war hammer down upon his femur, snapping it in half. Scorpion screamed in agony, the crowd roared in excitement once more as Kahn broke Scorpion's other leg. He waved to the crowd as they cheered him on. Kahn stepped on Scorpion's arm and bent down. He ripped his mask off to show the crowd his bare skull. He stood and showed off the mask as his trophy. He dropped the mask and grabbed Scorpion by the throat.
"No one can save you now Scorpion." Kahn said mockingly.
"Any last words?" Kahn said looking at the crowd then turning slowly to look on at Scorpion.
"Look into my eyes." Scorpion muttered. Shao Kahn had finished turning his head when a bright, red flash blinded him. Kahn dropped his hammer and rubbed his eyes furiously. He felt a burn in them unlike any before. He felt a dry, hot heat on his skin.
"Has the weather turned once more?" Kahn said as he rubbed his eyes one last time and opened them. His mouth dropped. He still saw his beloved crowd but with them were oni, but he also saw clouds of dark red, jagged, wretched mountains in the distance, meteors falling from the sky.
"What have you done Scorpion?" Kahn said still looking on in shock.
"I've welcomed you home." A dark voice said from behind Kahn. Kahn turned and saw Scorpion. His armor glowing from being imbued with the powers of hell, he was fully healed. Kahn looked on as Scorpion's mask burst onto his skull. The faceplate slapping across his mandible, the black hood coming up and covering his head. Scorpion had been reborn. Kahn reached for his war hammer as Scorpion crossed his arms. His hammer moved further and further away. Finally it was lifted into the air and flew as if someone had thrown it. Kahn attempted to use his black magic to stop it, but Scorpion grabbed him by the throat.
"Not here Kahn." Scorpion said as he lifted him and began to choke him. Kahn grabbed Scorpion by throat and began to choke him back as well. Slowly he was able to put his feet on the ground as Scorpion's strength weakened. As Kahn gained the upper hand, Scorpion brought his outside hand palm first into his elbow, breaking his arm. Scorpion was immediately released as Shao Kahn grabbed his arm. He tried to heal himself with his black magic, but it was to no avail. Scorpion laughed as Shao Kahn looked at his arm in horror.
"You idiot, you're in my reality now. Those silly little powers don't work in my domain." Scorpion laughed as he walked to Kahn. He spun around and landed a roundhouse kick into Kahn's broken arm. Kahn fell to his knee. The oni in the crowd began to cheer on Scorpion as did his followers. The rest of the crowd looked on in a mix of horror and shock, they were witnessing the end of Shao Kahn. Scorpion pointed at Kahn. Kahn felt an intense burn in his legs, he fell to his back hitting his legs to try and stop the burn, he pounded his legs with his healthy arm until both were broken and his knuckles were bleeding. Kahn lay in agony as he looked on at Scorpion. The two warriors stared on at one another, a fog began to creep in, the warriors became shrouded in the mist. The crowd could no longer make out either. They began to wait to see what would come of their emperor. Kahn saw Scorpion's eyes beginning to glow and the spectre began to walk towards him. Kahn was lifted into the air by unseen forces. Kahn's vision went black for a moment and then came back. To his horror stood Scorpion and every member of the Shirai Ryu.
"Feel the power of the greatest clan to have inhabited Outworld Kahn. We are the Shirai Ryu." With Scorpion's last words Kahn felt thousands of fists and kicks go into him. The barrage left Kahn's body broken and bruised. The fog lifted from them, they both looked out into the crowd. Half excited and half in horror.
"Say it." Scorpion ordered.
"No…I I won't…you can't" Kahn pleaded.
"I said say it!" Scorpion's eyes began to glow and tear Kahn's flesh apart internally. Kahn finally gave in.
"Finish him!" He coughed up. Scorpion laughed, apparently Kahn would never admit to his loss.
Scorpion grabbed both of his arms and jumped up pressing his feet on Kahn's chest. He screamed in agony as Scorpion ripped his limbs from his body and threw them to the oni. Scorpion took his mask off and let loose hellfire onto Shao Kahn's leg's. Scorpion grabbed him by the throat with one hand and unmasked the emperor with the other and held him up as he burned. The crowd began to laugh at Kahn's hideously scarred face, the fire stopped at Kahn's knees. Finally Scorpion threw the body in the air, Kahn barely breathing. He felt a spear pierce his chest, Scorpion tossed Kahn into the edge of the arena and pulled his spear back. With it came Shao Kahn's heart. The coliseum returned to normal as Kahn's body hit the ground. The fans looked on at Scorpion as he gripped Shao Kahn's heart. He squeezed and it exploded into a bloody mess in his hand.
"Fatality." Scorpion mumbled to himself. He saw the doors to the arena open and he made his way out of the coliseum. The fans were quick to make their way out of the stands and to try and find Scorpion. The group of followers Scorpion had amassed were eager to find them but he could not be found. A guard who had opened the door looked to see if Scorpion was making his way out. There was nothing left but ash.