Mortal Kombat: Reborn

by Froster 23

This is my retelling of Mortal Kombat which is an entire hard reboot covering MK1-A where I will include a vast amount of characters from various pieces of MK related media along with some of my own creations and I will treat each with care. Thanks for reading, feedback is always welcome and appreciated. The fanfic also has a discord server: https:/discord.gg/mhv4VCZ

69. Hopeless

Ashrah and Sareena watched as they found the hulking Moloch carrying Scorpion to his new prison cell in the dungeons of Shinnok's Spire. They had been in a risky situation of scaling the outside walls of the structure to the threat of countless guards. They soon found the window to Scorpion's cell after scaling around the circular structure.

"Scorpion!" Sareena called out for. "We're getting you out!"

"It's good to see you both," Scorpion informed them. "But how exactly are you planning to-"

As Scorpion spoke, Ashrah recklessly jumped off the building which caused her new lover to scream out of fright.

"Ashrah!" she cried as it seemed like she was inevitably going to pummel into the lava below.

Suddenly, Ashrah became surrounded by her light energy. She soon spun upwards as the energy moved down to her fists. Like a torpedo, Ashrah came crashing into the wall after punching it hard. The magic only amplified her strike and protected her fists in the process. Now there was a hole in Scorpion's cell and two shocked faces of Sareena and Scorpion.

"C'mon!" Ashrah instructed. "Let's get out of here!"

"Don't do that, love!" Sareena said as she felt like she had almost suffered a heart attack. "You scared me!"

"I'm sorry," Ashrah apologised and quickly kissed Sareena on the cheek.

"Aw," Scorpion noised quietly. "I hadn't realised you two were a couple."

"We weren't," Sareena clarified, "until now."

"Then congratulations," Scorpion told them.

"Thank you," Sareena said gratefully. She then turned to Ashrah and asked, "what do you have in mind now?"

"Do you still have your spear, Scorpion?" Ashrah questioned.

"That Oni took my swords," Scorpion said as he revealed his signature spear. "However, that foolish Oni didn't find this."

"You mentioned you can use it as a grapple hook of sorts," Ashrah recalled one of their conversations. "Use it to cling onto the cliff over there."

"Can do," Scorpion confirmed.

"What about me?" Sareena asked.

Ashrah smiled as she suddenly grabbed Sareena and said, "just hold on to me, love."

"Okay," Sareena complied as she gladfully clung onto Ashrah. "I have no complaints with this."

"Good," Ashrah commented as she used her light energy to create temporary wings on her back before taking off, carrying Sareena in her arms as she did so.

"Woah!" Sareena was taken aback by Ashrah's energy wings and her ability of flight. "Once this is over… Can we do this again?"

"Of course," Ashrah said as she landed safely on the cliff with Scorpion not far behind as he had stabbed his spear deep into the cliffside and was now climbing up. "You alright, Scorpion?"

"Fine thanks to you," Scorpion replied while expressing his gratitude for Ashrah saving him.

"That was nice and all…" Sareena commented with her eyes fixated on the distance, "but what is that?!"

The other two turned to face what Sareena was looking at and their jaws dropped at the sight. Countless portals were scattered around outside Shinnok's Spire, and Quan Chi's Fortress too as they could tell over the sea of lava that split the two structures. Ahead of each portal was a seemingly endless line of various beings from the Netherrealm.

"Raiden wanted us to help stop this?!" Scorpion questioned as the trio felt overwhelmed in comparison to the hordes.

"Let's just take out a line and head through one of the portals," Ashrah thought quickly.

"Ar-are you sure, love?" Sareena asked with a concerned expression on her face.

"Just follow my lead," she instructed confidently.

Seeing no other option, Scorpion and Sareena trusted the powerful Demon as she ran towards the nearest queue with them following close behind. She suddenly leapt into her torpedo ability once more, this time while wielding the Kriss as she flew straight towards a Demon in the middle of the line. Her Kriss tore through the Demon, giving it a swift death. The nearby members of Shinnok's army gazed at Ashrah in shock at both her presence and what she had just performed.

"It's the Demon Slayer!" cried out the tallest Netherrealmer amongst the row. "Get her!"

A mesh of Demons and various looking Oni came at Ashrah's way with Sareena and Scorpion quickly rushing to her aid. They fought through several of the beings but none stopped pressing forward with their attack. This row was full of the lesser soldiers in Shinnok's alliance, explaining the sheer lack of organisation in this particular row. Other rows were full of armoured Demons who were led by General Belokk to Earthrealm and Outworld with Drahmin and the Oni doing the same a distance away. No others were yet to spot or interfere in the carnage occuring at the line of soldiers by the cliffside to the lava sea.

"Enough!" Yelled out the massive Netherrealmer as he stepped forward while pushing his allies back using only his enormous feet. "These are my soldiers to protect! You will not harm another!"

"And who are you?" Scorpion asked before having to punch another Demon out cold as they dared to try and strike him from behind.

"I am Gagroth!" he introduced himself pridely as he raised a massive steel mace-like club in the air. "I am your doom!"

"I more so meant what are you?" Scorpion corrected himself as he looked up to see the giant's face.

"He's an Oni Warlord," Sareena explained. "They're the tallest kind of Oni mutation."

"I sure hope there's nobody taller than that!" Scorpion commented.

"Just bring it, Gagroth!" Ashrah challenged.

"Gladly," he said before laughing as he thrashed his mace down to the ground, cracking what was the seemingly unbreakable ground.

"My love, I don't think challenging him was a good idea!" Sareena stated as Gagroth raised his mace up again.

"Don't fret," Ashrah instructed as she tried to reassure her, "we've got this."

Ashrah leapt up as high as she could and managed to get high enough to stab her Kriss into Gagroth's left knee, causing him to roar out in pain. Gagroth swung his leg back and then forward again, essentially kneeing Ashrah despite his fresh wound.

Ashrah went flying across the air, soon crashing into a horde of Demon spectators who were only watching due to Gagroth's demands to back away as the trio was too strong for them to handle.

"Ashrah!" Sareena cried out as she rushed over to check on her, hacking away with her Demon Fang at any enemies who got in her way to her love. "Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine," Ashrah informed Sareena as she helped her stand up. "Watch out!"

Ashrah tackled Sareena so that the two could evade an incoming attack from Gagroth. Like holding a dart, Gagroth launched the Kriss that was about the size of just one his fingers at the Demon couple. They evaded as the Kriss impaled the ground from the incredible might of Gagroth.

"What do we do now?!" Scorpion asked as he began running away from Gagroth, fortunately being much faster than the giant.

"We leave!" Ashrah decided as she picked up her Kriss and pointed to the nearest portal.

"Get back here!" Gagroth demanded as he began realising his enemies who were escaping. "Stop them!"

The nearby Demons and Oni complied with the Oni Warlords order and once again tried to relentlessly assault the trio. They failed miserably. Oni would try leaping at the trio but Ashrah would just slice them aside using her Kriss as would Sareena with her Demon Fang. Their Netherrealm enemies soon ceased attacking and instead decided to form a wall before the portal. Once the trio made it near there they leapt forth all at once in a surprising display of coordination. Their plan once again failed, however, as Scorpion sent a burst of flaming embers in their direction in an explosive use of his hellfire powers.

Once all the lackeys had been dealt with, only now stood a big Oni in their way. The Oni was of the green or blue skinned animal-like subspecies of Oni which were known simply as Oni Beasts due to the simplifications being easy for the Oni themselves. Still gorging on some mortal flesh, the Oni quickly realised that only he stood in the trio's way. Putting his meal down, the Oni slammed his massive fists against the ground repeatedly to psyche himself up as he soon came charging as fast as his large body allowed him to. Sareena and Ashrah had the same idea of how to counter this, they put their swords together and impaled the charging Oni in his large stomach.

With the final Netherrealmer blocking the portal now out of their way, the trio was free to utilise the portal that was a part of the Red Dragons impressive portal systems that they had gifted to their Netherrealm allies. Due to the time spent fighting, however, Gagroth had caught up with the heroes.

"I will flay you all!" Gagroth savagely threatened as he once again tried to smash his steel mace on the ground, but the trio had already managed to leap through the portal as his weapon came crashing down on the technology which ended up breaking it and preventing him from pursuing them further. "Dammit!" he swore to himself before quickly regaining focus and heading across the Netherrealm plane to locate more of his allies.

Meanwhile, in the realm that represented the direct opposite of the Netherrealm: the Heavens, Geras was receiving one last gift from Kronika, his creator. She had summoned for her son to return to her as she had quickly constructed a new artifact inspired by the Amulet of Cetrion and Shinnok, her daughter and other son.

"I present to you…" Kronika spun around and revealed her new artifact to Geras, "the Amulet of Geras!"

"My own amulet?" Geras was shocked to say the least as he accepted Kronika's generous gift. "Thank you, mother."

"I had a brief viewing of the future through my Hourglass," Kronika clarified as she gestured to the large relic that Geras was all too familiar with. "As you know, it can view fragments of future events. I am powerless to alter these future events now, but by giving you this… I think you can."

"You honour me, mother," Geras continued to express his gratitude. "I am eternally thankful."

"You have aided me in this realm for long enough already," Kronika pointed out. "You have served me well. I should be thanking you!"

"I do not see it as service," Geras believed. "I only wish to help our family. Being able to do so successfully makes me… happy."

"That is lovely," Kronika complimented as she hugged her beloved son.

"What did the Hourglass present to you?" Geras asked what he believed to be a rather relevant question.

"My sole granddaughter," Kronika revealed in a referral to Iris. "After you departed it some became clear to me through the Hourglass and I then knew she'd have managed to retrieve Cetrion's Amulet with or without your presence…"

"So you found it best to call for me to collect this artifact to compensate for the lack of Cetrion's Amulet?" Geras made a calculated conclusion.

"Smart as always," Kronika complimented while also giving him confirmation with a nod. "You're just as perfect as I had designed you to be."

"Thank you again, mother," Geras repeated his thanks. "Can the Hourglass present to us the true outcome of this invasion?"

"That future is too far away for it to depict," Kronika clarified. "At its current model, it is only capable of depicting events that are mere moments ahead."

"I understand," Geras commented.

"No worries though, my son," Kronika spoke assuringly, "I need no Hourglass to know of the outcome of this invasion. Yourself and all your family and allies will be fine. All besides Shinnok… I can't promise anything about him."

"May I give my judgement?" Geras asked for permission which Kronika granted with another nod. "I think Shinnok is past saving."

"We have to try," Kronika believed. "But you're probably right… I just wish to remain hopeful."

"Maybe checking the Hourglass now may still be of some aid?" Geras wondered.

"Of course," Kronika said as she turned to the Hourglass that stood before her couch in her luxurious living area like it was some fancy television and activated it. "It seems the invasion will properly begin in mere minutes… and… Dragons?!"

Kronika and Geras watched a Dragon reborn from the Netherrealm with ink black scales with some of said intimidating scales missing which revealed gruesome scars along with layers of flesh all around the poor creature. It suddenly came crashing through the rooftop of Raiden's Sky Temple in Earthrealm, causing Kronika to gasp in shock.

"I was not aware that the Netherrealm had Dragons," Geras commented.

"Not all were deserving of a grand afterlife after the Dragon King brought them to what I thought was extinction," Kronika elaborated which Geras processed and understood immediately and with ease. "You should take Cynder. She'll help deal with these Netherrealm Dragons. I wanted her around the home so I wouldn't feel lonely, but you'll need her aid more."

"Will do, mother," Geras followed her suggestion. "Thank you."

In Outworld, Mileena had successfully gathered all the allies she had desired. Outworlders, Shokan, Tarkatans, Vampires, Osh-Tekk, Kytinn, Edenians, and fellow constructs born of the Flesh Pits. Everybody was there and they were all ready. Boats to carry the masses who were all valuable parts to Mileena's Union had been gathered and they had all set sail hours ago as they headed to the Jinsei Chamber. They all soon arrived and were in genuine shock at what they witnessed.

"The Netherrealmers are already here!" Mileena declared through a megaphone that one of her loyal soldiers had located. "Prepare yourselves! We will win this!"

The crowd cheered in response to Mileena's words of encouragement though many were admittedly nervous by the odd appearance of the Netherrealm forces already. Once they got closer, they soon spotted the Red Dragon portals on the island that were being used to bring Demon and Oni alike to siege Outworld's Jinsei.

Seeing the oncoming ships, the Netherrealmers began picking up large rocks that surrounded pieces of rubble caused by the decaying outer stone walls that had been built ages ago, presumably before Shao Kahn even took Outworld's throne. Large rocks soon began being lobbed at Outworld's defenders. The Oni Warlords thrived with this strategy by using their size and strength to pull apart even larger pieces off of the old chamber and hurling them with terrifying force. Many ships began being sunk already just from the Netherrealmers hurling pieces on the island at them.

"We must protect the boats!" Mileena yelled.

"You think?!" Tanya remarked as she stood by the Empress' side on the same boat. Kitana, Jade, Li Mei and Bo' Rai Cho along with the Earthrealm visitors and elite bodyguards that also filled up the boat that the Empress was aboard.

"Call for the archers!" Li Mei recommended as she steered the boat, trying to avoid whatever was being violently thrown their way.

"Archers, attack!" Mileena commanded through her megaphone and they complied. Arrows began flying amongst the rocks with the Shokan archers being extremely effective at this as with their extra set of arms they were capable of firing two bows at once.

"Throw the Oni!" a distant voice on the island demanded loudly.

"What the Hell are they planning?" Tanya questioned.

"Are you alright, Tanya?" Mileena asked her, concerned for her wellbeing.

"Not really!" Tanya confessed. "Look out!"

Tanya pushed Mileena out the way as an Oni came hurling at them like a cannonball. The Oni Warlords were launching their smaller brethren recklessly as well as rocks now. The Oni leapt to their feet, now on the boat and ready to attack the Empress. Tanya quickly prevented this by rapidly stabbing both her Kobu Jutsu into the creature before Jade hit her signature nitro kick to send the Oni flying off the boat and into the water.

"I can't swim!" cried the Oni.

"Good!" Jade remarked. She then turned to Tanya, "you're doing a great job," she complimented.

"You are!" Mileena gave her support. "You might've just saved my life!"

"You're all lovely," Kung Lao complimented. "But maybe we should save the praise for after we deal with these things!"

"My pupil is right," Bo' Rai Cho agreed. "Let's keep at it, friends!"

"We're near the bay!" Li Mei called out. "Get ready!"

"One final unrelated thing," Jade spoke as she approached her lover. "Since when could you sail a ship?!"

"There's one back at the village," Li Mei explained. "My mother taught me. Villagers would set out on it to go fishing."

"Teach me when this is over," Jade requested.

"Of course," Li Mei promised. "Brace!"

The shipmates followed Li Mei's warning and took cover as a pillar torn off from the entrance to the Jinsei Chamber was hurled ahead of them, smashing the sails into pieces as they broke apart and fell into the sea.

"Azaco!" Mileena called for the Vampire who was commanding his fellow race and Flesh Pit constructs as they all shared the same ship. "Flank around back!"

"Aye, Empress!" Azaco complied and spun the ship wheel to the right, steering the boat around the island.

"Alright, Captain Azaco?" Nitara asked jokingly. "You make a fine pirate, matie."

"Says you!" Azaco countered. "With your ridiculous looking eye patch!"

"It's a headband and it's fashionable!" Nitara corrected him as she brushed the piece of cloth that covered one of her eyes to the side.

"I think it looks lovely," Skarlet shared her opinion as she stood behind the Vampire siblings along with Meat and Ermac.

"Sure, whatever you-" Azaco paused his response as the water began feeling much more shaky.

"Wh-what's going on?!" Nitara questioned, slightly frightened.

Nearby, on the ship holding the entire clan of the Hail. Rain and Alyssa were working their hydromancy together, and soon raised the sea ahead of them right before the bay on the island as if it was a liquid wall. They then used all their strength to topple the water wall over the island like a supernaturally gigantic wave. It crashed heavily down on the Netherrealmers on the island. Rows of Oni and Demons were taken off their feet and thrashed against the stone ground. Many had been knocked out and some even slain from the sudden whiplash.

The attack allowed the Outworld side to all dock at the bay on the side of the island before quickly dropping out the ships, reorganising themselves and soon heading up a stairway made of stone bricks matching the general greyish rocky landscape with the only change in colour being some patches of purple grass that had died from Shao Kahn's previous tampering with the Jinsei itself. Paired with the purple patches were remnants of what used to be trees full of beautiful life which were now resorted to depressing old and bare tree trunks, or remnants of trunks.

The Outworld team now stood opposite the Netherrealmers as they were picking themselves up after Rain and Alyssa's attack using the sea to their advantage. Before the conflict could continue, Belokk and Drahmin stepped forth ahead of their forces.

"Do not proceed with this fight, Outworld!" Belokk warned. "Join Lord Shinnok now… and we can spare the demise of those native to this realm."

"We'll never serve another tyrant!" Mileena declared proudly. "Never again."

"I can understand what you did," Belokk stated as he began trying to relate to Outworld's new ruler. "Lord Shinnok's spies are everywhere across the realms. We saw how you all turned on Shao Kahn. So, you betrayed your father… right?"

"I betrayed a monster who deceived me with the makeup of a caring father," Mileena corrected him.

"My father was one of those blasted Gods too," Belokk informed her. "I killed him like how you killed your father. Trust me, I understand all this."

"No you don't," Mileena said firmly.

"Removing your father to take the throne for yourself," Belokk guessed. "I respect that. I myself aren't particularly interested in ruling, so long as I am in a position of power where I may get my way. Or that the ruler meets my every desire."

"You're really misunderstanding me," Mileena told him.

"Clearly," Baraka added as he and the Tarkatans showed up by his lover's side. "Hurry up with spouting your nonsense, Demon!"

"Mileena, you can still rule this realm," Belokk told her. "In the state it is in already, you are permitted to maintain it that way. You just have to be allied with Lord Shinnok."

"I don't want to maintain Outworld in this state!" Mileena finally lashed out at Belokk, who clearly didn't understand her at all. "I rule this realm not for some selfish pleasure, but to fix the mistakes my so-called 'father' has brought to the innocents residing in this place!"

Belokk's elite soldiers instantly changed stance at Mileena's refusal but Belokk signalled for them to show some restraint… at least for the time being. The Tarkatans who were happy to join Mileena at the front of the various large armies of Outworld's Empress stuck out their arm blades and began hissing at the enemy side.

"I don't know what your father was like. But either way, I never betrayed my father just to serve another monster!"

"You're a bigger fool than even I thought," Belokk insulted the Empress as Mileena's refusal to align with Shinnok properly sunk in this time. "You can't stop Shinnok… and now you've just lost your chance to be spared. Kill them all!"

The soldiers did not hesitate in following General Belokk's orders and charged at Mileena's Union. The Tarkatans engaged in combat with them first as the best Tarkatans clashed with the elite guards trained by Belokk himself.

The elite Demon guards bore the closest resemblencento regular humans as one would find in the Netherrealm outside of disguises through sorcery or the new residents that are yet to be altered by the Netherrealm's evil. Some wore intimidating and frightening black masks that paired well with their samurai style armour which was coloured black, grey and red. The gear had more red presence than intended as most of the soldiers were covered in blood that varied in its age, which only made them more frightening.

But the Tarkatans backed down from nobody and feared nothing. Baraka charged two of his metal arm blades through a pair of soldiers. Despite their impressive and well forged armour, they couldn't protect them from the sharpened steel blades of the Tarkatans strongest warrior.

"This island is your doom, Demon!" Baraka warned as he fought through the soldiers to reach Belokk as he in turn began slaying some of the most aggressive Tarkatans who had also targeted him.

"I will just reform without a scratch," Belokk told him. "All native Netherrealmers do."

"And what about the ones who aren't?"

"Who cares?" Belokk asked rhetorically as he tore his father's Kwan Do out of a fallen Tarkatan and drew his mother's dagger as he cautiously approached Baraka. "When we acquire so many new faces in the Netherrealm, the few who fall and don't reform are merely expendable."

"Expendable?!" Baraka was fuming from Belokk's mindset alone. "Each warrior is valuable, strong and an individual. You are a disgrace of a leader!"

"If you're such a good leader… then save your people from THIS!"

Suddenly from behind Baraka, two Tarkatans defending him from both his sides were set ablaze as Belokk sent two beams of flame from each hand with both being burnt to crisps.

"DAMN YOU!" Baraka cried out in a roar of fury before lunging at Belokk, tackling him to the ground and stabbing his blades into Belokk's gut. The Demon General seemingly felt little pain from the stabbing as he quickly retaliated by taking his mother's enchanted dagger and rapidly stabbing Baraka in the chest with the Tarkatan warrior pulling back with the dagger still impaled in him.

Baraka growled as he went to tear the dagger out but Belokk activated it's fire powers, burning Baraka's already painful wound as well as his hand as he tried to remove the magic blade. Belokk then charged at his enemy and plunged his father's Kwan Do into Baraka as he charged him to the ground.

Belokk took no hesitation in seeking for the finishing blow, but his attempt to slay Baraka was interrupted. A sai was darted across the battlefield as it impaled Belokk in the shoulder meaning he had to shake off a stabbing feeling again, getting frustrated with the recurrence of such an event in just one battle.

Preventing Belokk from being able to recover and harm Baraka further, the wielder of the sai used her magic connection to the weapons to teleport over to the weapon. Mileena now stood in front of Belokk in a surprising turn of events, which certainly startled Belokk.

"This is for threatening my realm!" Mileena cried out as she spun around with her other sai in hand and went to stab the sharp weapon straight through Belokk's head but the Demon finally managed to come to his senses and react to Mileena's surprising appearance up close.

Belokk ducked the oncoming strike and then wrapped his massive strong arms around Mileena before flinging himself onto his back while throwing Mileena up in the air after performing an overhead suplex. Mileena flipped while in the air and managed to land on her two feet.

"Enough of you!" Belokk had already had enough with trying to duel Outworld's Empress one on one as he made the realistic conclusion that considering his state after fighting the Tarkatans and her surprising skill, he was in a risky situation. "Guards! Kill her!"

The threatening guards soon complied and gathered around Mileena, their various unique weapons at the ready to strike down the Empress. Before they got their chance to even lay a finger on Mileena, Vampires suddenly swooped down from the sky and began grabbing the guards and flying them into the air before dropping them to their dooms. By flanking the island on their ship, they were able to swoop in and make a sneaky ambush in the middle of the massive conflict.

Mileena smiled as she watched her loyal Vampire allies come to her rescue and probably save her life. But it wasn't time to lower her guard yet. Belokk suddenly came charging at full speed as Mileena was briefly distracted by the arrival of the Vampires, though his attempt to takedown the Empress failed as a sudden magically bright blue tornado that raised him into the air and blew him across a horde of his own troopers. The tornado had to no surprise been summoned by Kitana who used her enchanted bladed fans to call upon such an ability.

"You alright?" Kitana asked her sister as the two united.

"I'm fine," Mileena assured her. "Baraka needs help though!"

"Karbrac and Korhau have him," Kitana informed her as she pointed over to the battlefield where Baraka was being carried back by the two warriors as a horde of Tarkatans guarded them from Demons.

"Good," Mileena commented as the sight gave her some relief. "What's next?"

Once Geras had returned to Earthrealm, he was accompanied not only with the newly forged Amulet of Kronika, but also with the company of Cynder. She was a Dragon who was one of many to fall in the mysterious massacre of the Dragon species in Outworld where the race was presumed to now be extinct. But she had reformed in the Heavens after living a prosperous life of aiding those who would do good. She was soon the adopted pet of Kronika and happily lived with her in the afterlife ever since. But now she was back but in Earthrealm rather than Outworld.

Her scales were white and her wings were just as bright as they were fluffy, greatly resembling the wings that Angels in the Heavens realm would grow. Her eyes were also white and completely lacked pupils, though such was common for all Dragons. She lay down and nuzzled Geras as they stood on the green grounds at the bottom of Raiden's Sky Temple. She had signalled for Geras to mount her which he willingly complied before the majestic Dragon took to the skies in a flash.

"Look over there, Cynder!" Geras said as he pointed to a sight that was very familiar to him after seeing through his mother's Hourglass. The pair watched as Dragons suddenly dropped through the roof of the Sky Temple and landed before the heroes, ready to attack.

"Vouvire and Belindo," Cynder recognised the two Dragons. "The former Kings."

"I assume you are not on good terms with them," Geras made an educated guess judging by Cynder's reaction to seeing the two Dragons.

"There's a reason they reformed in the Netherrealm and not the Heavens in the afterlife," Cynder informed him. "I shall tell you more another time. But for now…"

Cynder suddenly swooped in and targeted Vouvire and Belindo, stretching her wings out as she charged the two enemies and sent them flying through a brick wall behind them all, leaving the Earthrealmers below in shock at what they just witnessed.

"Apologies for my absence," Geras spoke after landing feet first on the ground after leaping off of Cynder. "Mother urgently summoned me."

"How come?" Cetrion queried as she embraced Geras in reaction to his return.

"For this," Geras unveiled Kronika's Amulet. "Compensation for the thievery of your Amulet."

"You know of that?" Cetrion was both surprised and confused.

"Mother informed me of all," Geras clarified. "Now let us aid in protecting Earthrealm."

"Of course, brother," Cetrion replied.

"Sorry to interrupt," Mokap suddenly spoke up. "But… what the fu-fuck was that?! Dragons?!"

"I didn't even know about them," Johnny admitted as Mokap had turned to him for some explanation. "Raidude? Any explanation?!"

"Later," Raiden promised. "I sense more threats have arrived."

"Shit," Jarek swore. "Actual Dragons were just starters?!"

"First time for you too?" Cage questioned.

"For everybody I presume," Smoke added. "You alright, Kuai?"

"I am fine, Tomas," Sub-Zero assured his lover.

"Not the first for us," Jarek clarified. "One saved our lives from that fucking psychopath called Daegon."

"If he shows up here I call dibs on slicing his throat," Tasia remarked.

"I call dibs on crushing this entire tower on his old body," Tremor added.

"There will be no vandalism of my Sky Temple," Raiden clarified again to Tremor. "Not from you at least."

"Do you want Officer Stryker here to write those Dragons a ticket then?" Tasia questioned as her gaze shifted to the Dragons who could be seen fighting past the massive hole in the wall they had made.

Cynder was doing her best against the duo of Vouvire and Belindo, having a size advantage over the smaller pair. They fought in the air beside the massive Sky Temple with Cynder tossing Vouvire into the side of the structure before wrapping her massive majestic wings around Belindo to try and crush him. Vouvire quickly recovered after being smashed hard against the stone wall and charged at Cynder, wrapping his scaly body around her as he tried dragging his foe to the ground.

"What are you doing, fellow Dragon?!" Vouvire questioned, not recognising Cynder just yet. "Lord Shinnok promises that our kind will thrive once more!"

"And under our great rule no less," Belindo added as he recovered and spun to face the two other Dragons. "Stop resisting and join us!"

"Joining you two was the worst mistake I ever made!" Cynder remarked as she aggressively struggled against Vouvire's grasp.

"Cynder?!" Belindo finally realised.

"Your former 'champion'," she reminded the pair. "The Dragon who you used to aid in your corruption."

"Our rule was the reason the Dragons thrived!" Vouvire argued as he tightened his body around Cynder. "It is not our fault you were incapable of serving as our peoples protector!"

"There is a reason I reformed in the Heavens and you reformed in the Netherrealm!" Cynder continued to throw reminders of the past. "And if anybody is to blame for what happened it is you two pathetic excuses for leaders."

"That is no way to address the Dragon Kings!" Belindo stated as he clawed at Cynder while Vouvire held her in place.

"You lost that title long ago to HIM!" Cynder believed as she recalled painful events. "Had you been true honourable rulers of our people then such a slaughter would have never occurred!"

"How dare you?!" Vouvire was offended tremendously by the other Dragons words. "This time you shall be slain for good!"

"Had you not been such cowards none of us would've been slain in the first pl-" Cynder's attempt of a verbal comeback was suddenly interrupted by Vouvire uncoiling himself from around Cynder and instead pressing all his weight down on Cynder in order to push her down into the earth.

"Crush him, my beloved!" Vouvire instructed Belindo who was soaring above the two.

"Gladly!" Belindo complied before zooming down with hopes of crashing Cynder further into the ground beneath her feet.

Cynder reacted by throwing Vouvire off of her as he had been attempting to hold her down once again. She looked up to face the diving Belindo before clenching her claws into fists and pummeling away at Belindo before grabbing her massive hands around his neck and tossing him through some more of the Sky Temple, this time at the bottom floors. However, breaking through the wall revealed a horrifying sight: the Netherrealm had arrived.

On the side of the island opposite Mileena's Union, Moloch and Drahmin had emerged from one of the portals beside the Jinsei Chamber itself, as the main battle itself was occuring in front of the structure.

"I knew I couldn't trust that Belokk with our fellow Oni," Drahmin remarked as he crouched down to observe a corpse of an Oni of similar mutation to himself. Being deemed part of the subspecies named the Oni Fleshies, which was a term invented by the other Oni to name those without skin and with rotting flesh.

"We will avenge them," Moloch promised as he sniffed the air. "Our enemies are already here."

"I can hear the violence," Drahmin commented.

"I can smell it," Moloch replied.

Approaching the arriving duo was another infamous Oni.

"You're here!" cheered an Oni who went by the name Amon. She was of the Oni Goblins subspecies and she eagerly approached Moloch and Drahmin.

She was a slim but relatively tall figure who stood straight, of course nowhere near the height of the Oni Beasts or the Oni Tormentors. Standing at around two hundred centimeters, she contrasted the name her subspecies had been bestowed. She was also rather muscular, at least for her size, defying the limits of being the type of Oni she was, which reminded Drahmin of himself. Her head was where her flesh was absent, with only a skull with pointy horns instead. She wore some lightweight armour that bore dull colours with a hint of crimson red, a similar colour scheme to her iconic Bone Shield and Bone Sword.

The Bone Shield and Bone Sword were very highly prized objects amongst the Oni. Years ago, various Oni fought for the valuable Sword and Shield that were both held at such a high value due to its legacy where legends tell that the very first Oni defended themselves against the threats of the Netherrealm for such a long time using these two items, but must've lost it… as must they have been lost throughout one of the infinite spaces of the nine planes. Rumours spread that the Bone Sword was even made out of the first Onis own horns, which would be incredibly impressive considering it's size.

Amon had carved out her own legacy though. She won the tournament at a Coliseum located not too far outside the walls of Nekros and won the right to possess the Bone Shield and Sword. The battles the Oni held for those items led to the Coliseum being left in ruins from the damage caused, a constant visual reminder of what Amon had to go through to achieve the respect of her fellow Oni. She was considered a part of the trinity of respected Oni, along with Drahmin and Moloch who had earned the titles of the Oni Tormentor and Oni Destroyer respectively. Unlike the duo, however, Amon had no desire to negotiate with Lord Shinnok and instead spent her time training her fellow Oni Goblins for future conflict.

"Amon!" Drahmin greeted as the two mutually bowed out of respect for eachother. "How fares our war?"

"It's hard to tell who is winning," Amon admitted. "But we managed to overrun the island before the enemies even showed up! We have the advantage!"

"That is better than no advantage," Drahmin commented.

"Torcher!" Moloch suddenly called out for the firebending Oni Beast who he was close companions with.

"Moloch the Destroyer," Torcher acknowledged him by his infamous title. "I have only arrived recently myself. My arrival had been… delayed."

"How come?" Drahmin questioned.

Torcher turned his big head around and looked up over his shoulder to direct everybody's attention to the Oni Warlord who was slowly following Torcher himself.

"Gagroth here failed in protecting his appointed troopers," Torcher scolded the giant.

"Show me respect, fool!" Gagroth demanded. "I am an Oni Warlord."

"Yet despite your size you are incapable of being a greater warrior than us," Torcher continued to rebuke Gagroth while also expressing his own self confidence. "Not to mention the only true warlord here is Drahmin."

"He was but a former warlord in his old life as an Outworlder!" Gagroth argued as Drahmin growled lowly in response. "That life led to him becoming one of us!"

"No need to remind everybody of my history!" Drahmin snapped defensively. "Being a rival to Shao Kahn himself wasn't easy, y'know?!"

"I could've stomped that pathetic Emperor into a fine paste," Gagroth claimed.

"In your dreams," Amon remarked as she found amusement in seeing her allies squabble with none of them fully caring about the battle anyway due to who's orders they were having to obey.

"And I could pry that Sword and Shield from your skinny hands, Amon!" Gagroth threatened.

"The last one of you Oni Warlords who underestimated me collapsed into the walls of our Coliseum," Amon reminded him. "If I were you I'd stick to the mortals, sweetie."

"Allow me to back up my words!" Gagroth yelled in rage as he was about to try and attack his fellow Oni in a blind rage.

"Enough!" Drahmin ordered which caused Gagroth to cease his attempted attack on Amon who simply stood still, unphased by the massive Oni.

"When can we start feasting on the mortals?!" Moloch questioned as he started to become hangry.

"Moloch has the precise attitude," Torcher complimented his fellow Oni Beast. "It is time for action."

"Indeed," Drahmin agreed. "If we help Lord Shinnok's plan then once he controls all the realms, his armies will become scattered, and judging by our masses…"

"We can overrun the other realms with ease," Amon finished his sentence with Drahmin nodding in confirmation that she was correct. "Genius."

"I like this plan already," Torcher gave his verdict.

"Like how we have overrun the planes of the Netherrealm," Gagroth made the connection. "Quite smart, Drahmin."

"Good," Moloch gave his simple praise. "More mortals. More freedom. I like it."

"Why thank you all," Drahmin said in appreciation of all the praise. "Now what do you say we crush some mortals right now?!"

The nearby Oni gave their roaring cheers of approval which signalled for Drahmin to finally lead them into battle, to aid their fellow Oni and, more unfortunately, to aid Lord Shinnok. They soon gathered the attention of more Oni warriors who were already involved in the war, unfortunately having to deal with Belokk as their commander previously. Gagroth offered for as many Oni to cling onto his flesh as possible as the giant would carry the masses of fellow Oni towards the battlefield with their first target happening to be the large group of Shokan forces who were seemingly being the fastest at wiping out their Demon allies.

"Watch out!" Sheeva yelled to the guards she commanded as she pointed her upper left arm up to the Oni Warlord as multiple smaller Oni began leaping off him and cannonballing at the Shokan below.

"I shall deal with this!" Zenkaro said confidently as he stepped forth amongst the row those who answered to Sheeva's commands had created.

"Zenkaro, no!" Sheeva tried to stop her trainee but he already ran forth into action.

An Oni came diving from atop one of Gagroth's enormous hilltop-like shoulders, their sights on the approaching Zenkaro. The Shokan warrior merely grabbed the Oni before it could collide into him and snapped their back over his knee with ease.

Tossing the Oni's broken body aside, Zenkaro pushed forward as he grabbed his spiked shield from his back and tossed in forth, the three metal blades surrounding the shield immediately slicing a sizable chunk of flesh from one of Gagroth's shins which brought the behemoth to a knee.

To prevent Gagroth from suffering further harm, being brought down a knee meant those clung on his leg could safely drop down to confront the bold Shokan warrior. Zenkaro bravely fought through the oncoming masses but soon found himself overwhelmed as Amon led a horde of Oni Goblins to take down their larger foe.

"We must help him!" Sheeva decided as she commanded her warriors to charge forth to come to their comrades' aid

Sheeva remained at a distance as she charged her Shokan flame in all four hands before blasting massive fireballs from each at the opposition. The fireballs exploded on impact and sent several Oni flying away as more Shokan soldiers began clashing with the Oni head on. Zenkaro managed to recover and soon managed to find himself in a one on one situation with Amon.

Using his signature shield, Zenkaro tried to slice through the smaller enemy but to no avail. Amon used her swift reflexes to roll back before springing back at Zenkaro to punish him for his failed attack. She smashed her own shield straight in the bearded face of Zenkaro which sent him staggering back before Sheeva's feet.

"I am sorry," Zenkaro once again felt inclined to apologise to his superior as he crawled away from Amon. "I have failed you again…"

"Not yet," Sheeva replied reassuringly. "Hand me your shield."

Zenkaro raised an eyebrow at the request but complied, handing over his weapon as Sheeva gave him a hand back up to his feet. Sheeva then pointed for him to go and help his fellow guards with the surrounding Oni which he gladly complied before charging off to find his next opponent as Sheeva confronted Amon.

"I can admire the skill of a warrior such as yourself," Sheeva confessed as she put Zenkaro's shield forth in preparation to defend herself from any potential oncoming attacks. "But I cannot admire your cause."

"I serve the Oni," Amon claimed.

"You serve Shinnok," Sheeva countered. "What do you Oni have to gain from such?"

"Fool," Amon insulted. "Our alliance with Shinnok is only temporary."

"Your temporary alliance will find you no success," Sheeva informed her.

"I wonder how many new Oni with four arms that the planes of the Netherrealm will have after this battle," Amon thought to herself aloud in an attempt to frustrate her challenger.

"I shall send you back there to find out!" Sheeva promised before marching forth and slamming her shield which Amon blocked with her Bone Shield and followed through by slashing Sheeva's arms with her Bone Sword.

Sheeva groaned in pain but like any Shokan, she fought through it. Sheeva charged forward and booted the Bone Shield with one of her massive feet which came with such force that the precious shield went flying in the air which opened up Amon's guard. Sheeva then spun around with Zenkaro's bladed shield which had enough force that it was able to slice through Amon's chestplate and cut her green skin wide open as she fell back.

Sheeva then went to finish off Amon as she lay on the ground clutching her wound. Grabbing the falling Bone Shield she had propelled in the air in the process, Sheeva launched herself up high this time. Using the leap of a great Shokan warrior, Sheeva was able to leap at least fifteen feet in the air before coming down as she intended to stomp the life out of Amon.

Before Sheeva could stick the landing, Torcher suddenly came from out of nowhere and swiped Sheeva from out of the air as her fall was more painful for her than intended. The Bone Shield had fallen from her grasp on her way to the ground which Torcher used his foot to slide back to the rightful owner who used it to help fend off against some of Sheeva's trainees who were attempting to interfere and aid her in her fight.

Sheeva hurried to her feet to confront her new opponent who was actually a larger foe than her, a rarity to say the least. She tried her fireball technique for a second time but Torcher called upon his own firebending abilities and the Oni Beast sent a much larger ball of fire which Sheeva's bounced off of weakly as she had to roll aside to avoid the massive projectile.

Torcher smirked menacingly as he then resorted to his lavabending power as a stream of the boiling liquid came oozing from his clenched fist before he slammed the stone ground with sheer force, his magic lava seeping through the ground. Then with an upward gesture from his hand, the lava shot back out from underground like an erupting volcano which blasted Sheeva into the air as it gave her feet severe burns, only surviving due to the Shokans own heat protection in their part Dragon genetics.

"Shokan," Torcher grumbled to himself as he had successfully sidelined Sheeva, "less ugly when they burn."

Torcher then turned around to gaze at the carnage that surrounded him. His remaining two eyes, one of which now covered by an eyepatch after his incident involving Quan Chi and the human formerly known as Hanzo Hasashi, soon fell upon a very powerful looking Shokan duo indeed.

"It has been too long since we last fought side by side, Kintaro!" Goro commented as he ruthlessly stabbed a resilient Oni to its death using his Dragon Fang weapons as Kintaro gave a roar in response while he himself was busy tearing the head off of an Oni before tossing it aside and moving onto the next foolish challenger.

"Who else?!" Kintaro questioned as he sought to destroy any intruders of Outworld.

"The Destroyer," replied a deep voice from behind.

"What?!" Kintaro spun around to face the voice only to get smashed in the body by a massive ball and chain which knocked the Tigrar Shokan into Goro.

"What do we have here, Moloch?" asked Drahmin as he joined his good friend as he stood over Goro and Kintaro after knocking them down.

"Worthy opponents," Moloch predicted after having observed their dominance over several Oni warriors. "Get up."

Goro and Kintaro took advantage of the generous amount of fairness that the Oni Beast was offering and helped each other stand up as Moloch and Drahmin began circling them. The Oni duo had found those they had encountered so far in Outworld to be easy pickings and hoped for a proper challenge for their own entertainment. They at last had found a seeming challenge.

"Which of you creatures are in charge of all this?" Goro questioned as he sharpened his Dragon Fangs against each other.

"Yours truly," Drahmin proudly owned up to being responsible for the Oni attack.

"Then I shall crush you," Goro promised before suddenly charging forth at Drahmin and clobbering the Oni leader with a clubbing clothesline maneuver using both of his muscular right arms.

Goro's attack on Drahmin having signalled for the conflict to continue, Kintaro soon began looking to deliver a receipt to Moloch for his previous ambush using his signature Mystical Orb. Moloch tossed the Orb once more but Kintaro ducked as it swung over his head, wrapping his upper hands around the chain wrapped around Moloch's wrist. Kintaro and Moloch struggled for control of the chain but once Kintaro managed to grab onto it with all four hands he easily began to take control. Kintaro yanked the chain forward, dragging the mighty Moloch onto his knees which left him vulnerable to a running knee from Kintaro straight into Moloch's skull.

Moloch growled deeply with Kintaro giving his own intimidating growl in response as he began equipping a set of four gauntlets with two tooth-like claws extending from each one. Kintaro called these weapons the Saber Teeth. By the time he had equipped the Saber Teeth, Moloch had recovered and was charging forth at Kintaro with intentions of crushing him savagely. Before Moloch's plan could come to fruition, Kintaro leapt into the air and landed on Moloch's hunched over back which immediately caused him increased back pain yet he did not collapse to the ground despite the sheer force of the Shokans signature stomp. Kintaro bounced off of Moloch's body and went to stomp back down on him a second time, only for Moloch to use his Orb to smash him out of the air.

Meanwhile, Drahmin was trying to find a way to takedown the much larger Goro. The Shokan Prince tried to stab the Oni with all four of his Dragon Fangs but Drahmin was able to dodge all attempts, returning fire with some swings using his iron club at his arms in an attempt to weaken his most lethal limbs. Wearing the Face of Kun-Lo, Drahmin was able to control his rage and fight with sensibility and far more wisdom than the usual Oni. His attacks were well timed and placed as were his defense tactics. He was frustrating Goro.

Kintaro himself was growing frustrated also. He had risen to his feet but immediately found himself in a test of strength with Moloch as the two grappled for dominance. Kintaro eventually found an opening, however, and plunged one of his Saber Teeth weapons into Moloch's chest, wounding the Oni Beast. Moloch staggered back in reaction, accidentally bumping into Drahmin and knocking his good friend to the ground due to his sheer size.

"Moloch!" Drahmin yelled in annoyance. "Watch it!"

"Sorry, Drahmin," Moloch apologies to his friend before scooping him up in one of his arms before suddenly launching him at Kintaro.

"Woo!" Drahmin cheered as he struck his club out while flying into Kintaro and smashing his weapon across his skull.

The blow came with such power that it completely stunned Kintaro, likely concussing him as he fell backwards onto the ground. Drahmin quickly hurried over to stand over him as he prepared to use his iron club to smash his head in. He raised the club up but as he went to bring it down, a sudden blast occurred…

"Katrina!" Goro recognised the appearance of a close ally though was unable to group with her as Moloch stood in his path.

The Shokan who had just arrived in the nick of time was of the Tigrar lineage like Kintaro, though the colour of her fur was quite different. Unlike Kintaro, Katrina's fur was only white with black stripes, bearing a great resemblance to the white tiger's in Earthrealm. She was heavily armoured in gear that bore a unique green colour due to its creation being from a unique material found beneath Kuatan that bore a similar look to emerald. The armour shimmered as bright as her eyes, which were a sky blue. Even more unique about Katrina was her ability to create ice. In order to save her fellow Tigrar Shokan, Katrina sent a quick ball of ice at Drahmin to temporarily freeze the Oni which actually fortunately aided Drahmin in the pesky flies that constantly surrounded him as they bugged him were drawn away, at least for the moment.

Her abilities greatly contrasted most Shokan due to her control of ice and not fire. She did indeed possess the rare ability of Cryomancy. Very long ago in her past she was of a group of fellow Tigrar Shokan sent to their Cryomancer allies who were also Outworld natives. They gladly trained a handful of impressive Shokan warriors with immense potential in hopes of Cryomancy along with their general practices making them even stronger. Mixing Cryomancy with the iconic Shokan flame, the rare likes of Katrina were very powerful beings.

"You will not hurt my fellow Shokan!" Katrina declared as she used her Cryomancy to create a giant war hammer made of ice which was so tall that both one of her lower and upper arms had a grip around the cold handle.

Katrina charged forth before smashing her ice hammer into Drahmin, shattering the frost that consumed him from the previous ice ball that had kept the Oni stuck in place. He soon found himself flying to one side from the power of the hammer smash.

"Kintaro," Katrina acknowledged her fellow Tigrar warrior as she offered him a hand up. "Are you well?"

"Well I am still alive," Kintaro replied as she accepted Katrina's helping hand. "Still alive thanks to you."

"It's what we do," Katrina told him. "We look out for each other."

"I am glad you showed up," Kintaro stated with sincerity. "We need you right now."

"I would've arrived by your side sooner," Katrina explained to her ally. "However, Sheeva was wounded and I wanted to make sure she was taken to safety…"

"I understand," Kintaro responded. "You have saved two Shokan today already."

"Thank you," Katrina said as she turned to see Goro, who was busy wrestling with Moloch. "Shall we go save another?"

"Right behind you," Kintaro stated as the two were about to head over to aid Goro in taking out Moloch.

Before they could give Goro a few extra hands, however, Torcher suddenly made his return as he basted a beam of flame at the ground which suddenly burst into an eruption of lava that nearly wiped Kintaro out like it did Sheeva. Shocked by the sudden attack, Kintaro was left vulnerable as a charging Torcher ran him over with his massive frame.

Katrina turned around to confront Torcher who quickly tried to send a fireball at her only for her to use her ice powers to push the projectile back. Then with one of her spare arms not being occupied with Cryomancy, she created a fireball of her own and sent it straight into Torcher's face which blinded the Oni Beast momentarily. Kintaro then emerged from behind Torcher and grabbed both of Torcher's arms as he held them back and applied a full nelson submission hold while punching away at Torcher's sides using his lower arms.

"End him!" Kintaro instructed her ally as he tried to hold Torcher in place.

"The ability to summon fire and lava both," Katrina noted as she created a sword made of ice and held it to Torcher's throat. "You were the monster who harmed Sheeva, aren't you?"

Torcher laughed evilly and replied with, "as if I keep track of my victims names."

"You deserve this," Katrina stated as she swung the sword back but in parallel to how she had rescued Kintaro, Drahmin had returned to the battlefield to rescue Torcher.

"None of us are returning to the Netherrealm just yet!" Drahmin yelled as he smashed his iron club at Katrina, knocking her to one side.

Kintaro growled upon Drahmin's return and decided to take down Torcher by falling back into a bridge form as he kept his arms around Torcher to perform a Dragon suplex, landing Torcher on the back of his head. Kintaro finally released his foe before getting back up and grabbing Drahmin from behind with his lower arms as he was focused on Katrina and began wailing hammer fists down on the back of Drahmin's skull as he held the Oni up to him.

Goro meanwhile was trying to stab Moloch repeatedly using his Dragon Fangs but Moloch would just take every sharp cut and shrug it off as he continued his own offense. Moloch threw heavy blows that would completely rock Goro who was unused to a larger foe, as were most Shokan. Moloch threw a sequence of blows with one hitting Goro in his gut, causing him to bend forth in reaction to the pain. This left the Shokan Prince's back vulnerable to being crushed beneath Moloch's Mystical Orb. Goro let out a cry of pain as he was knocked to the ground.

"Goro!" Kintaro yelled out in concern for his friend as he threw Drahmin recklessly to one side and charged at Moloch, breathing fire as he did so.

The fire seared Moloch's thick skin as it pushed him back while he blocked his face from any possible burns. Kintaro then managed to stand in front of Goro who was trying resiliently to stand but was currently unable to due to his injured back. Moloch growled with Kintaro returning the hostile gesture right back, only more aggressively.

"I shall deal with this, my friend," Kintaro reassured Goro before stepping forth to battle Moloch.

"Here they are!" called a voice from high above as a massive figure covered the warriors below in shadow.

"You're back, Gagroth," Drahmin acknowledged the giant's presence. "How's the knee?"

"It's fine," Gagroth replied through gritted teeth before looking at the countless Oni still clinging to him. "Get off me now!"

"Get them!" Drahmin followed through with ordering the Oni as they climbed off of Gagrath and surrounded Goro, Kintaro and Katrina.

"Blast!" Kintaro cursed.

"I hope our friends are faring better," Goro remarked as he finally managed to push himself back up onto his two feet.

"Get ready, you two," Katrina spoke as she created a set of four ice swords. " We've got a fight on our hands…"

Meanwhile in Zaterra, the Saurian friends of Mileena's Union were preparing to battle the Revenant Raptors that had overrun their precious realm. Khameleon who had decided to take leadership over the group of remaining Saurians who hadn't been revived in Shinnok's evil wave of resurrecting the fallen members of the Saurian race from before Zaterra was merged into Outworld by Shao Kahn.

Khameleon was contacting Sindel through two enchanted gemstones which Sindel used her magic to create hologram projections between the two upon command. This was to allow communications between realms after realising potential difficulties caused from Chameleon having to traverse back to Outworld just to inform the rest of Mileena's Union and realising the difficulties that could cause. This new magic form of communication would be a far easier and quicker alternative.

"Thank you for the extra forces," Khameleon said to the former Queen of Edenia gratefully. "They shall certainly help even the odds against… those… things…"

"I understand it's a hard fight for you, Axoltia," Sindel emphasised. "Especially with how soon this is after you just got your realm back."

"Thank you for understanding," Khameleon continued to express her gratitude. "This sure has put a halt to my proposal plans…"

"Your plan is lovely," Sindel complimented. "But now you must focus on securing a good future for your realm once again. We will get through this."

"We will get through this," Khameleon repeated, trying to tell herself that Sindel was right. "How are things in Outworld?"

"The battle is still ongoing and I cannot make out any winning side just yet," Sindel confessed. "I am with two of my lovely daughters and we're heading into our Jinsei Chamber right now."

"Good luck!"

"Thank you!" Sindel smiled at Khameleon through the hologram as Kitana and Mileena could be seen battling Demons behind her. "I must leave you now but good luck, Axoltia. I'm coming, girls!"

The hologram soon switched off as Sindel left to aid her family in battle against the Netherrealm. Khameleon now realised it was time to do the same in Zaterra. As her call with Sindel concluded, Khameleon turned around only to be met by two approaching women.

They were fellow Saurians though they remained in their human disguises, feeling safer under such an appearance. They both wore matching ninja attire that was common for Saurians as it was clothing that would aid in both their stealth and mobility. An item of their same attires were a tabard with the two each having a unique colour and pattern on each of their own.

The Saurian on the left of Khameleon went by the name of Kiri. She walked slightly in front of the other and the colour of her tabard was a berry blue colour with patterns of the dinosaur known as the Spinosaurus on the tabards' material. It was a homage to the creatures who their race had evolved from with a few dinosaurs having survived the incident in Earthrealm all those millions of years ago as the Saurians managed to protect a few where they since repopulated in Zaterra and after the merger they populated Outworld. Now they were all back home at Zaterra, both dinosaurs and Saurians.

The Saurian behind Kiri was named Ankha, Kiri's beloved wife. Her tabard was a nice maroon colour, contrasting Kiri's but still maintaining the dark shade of colour though. The married couple wanted to dress nicely for each other, but also didn't want to wear something obnoxious to avoid standing out. However, such subtlety was hardly reflected in their love for each other which was as open as can be. Patterned onto Ankha's tabard was also a type of dinosaur but instead of the Spinosaurus that Kiri represented, Ankha's attire showed patterns resembling several Diplodocus'. Their astonishingly long necks were depicted well on the clothing as they wrapped around the piece she wore. She and Kiri held hands as they at last reached Khameleon's position to talk with her.

"Excuse us, Axoltia," Ankha spoke quietly as the two bowed before their new leader who had proven such skills in arranging the campsite for all the Saurians.

"We bring news," Kiri clarified as she spoke more confidently than her wife. "It appears that these undead Saurians have already occupied Varkain."

"Any sign of Tetsurri?" Khameleon inquired. "My brother spoke of him being the clear leader of… all this."

"Ankha spied on him heading into the throne room," Kiri detailed before pulling down her mask and pecking Ankha on the cheek. "You did good, love."

Ankha immediately blushed before kissing Kiri back and saying, "you're such a sweetie."

"Aww," Khameleon reacted positively to the couple's affectionate display as it made her think of how Reptile was doing. "Can you do me a favour, Kiri?"

"Depends on what it is."

"You helped order the new soldiers that Empress Mileena sent to us well," Khameleon complimented. "Would it be possible for you to control our army as a General?"

"I'm… good at controlling a certain somebody when in bed," Kiri admitted as she covered her smirk up with her mask as Ankha's red face was fortunately concealed by her own face covering. "But this is certainly a big promotion."

"I am quite a handful," Ankha joked quietly as the couple giggled. "You can do this."

"With you I feel like I can do anything."

"So, is that a yes?" Khameleon asked as she was once again moved by the lovely married couple.

"It is," Kiri confirmed with a nod.

"Yay!" Ankha cheered. "Congratulations, sweetie."

"Thank you," Kiri replied to her lover. "Any current orders, Axoltia?"

"With our added forces we should be ready to fight back," Khameleon assessed the situation smartly. "Gather everybody at the centre of the camp please, Kiri."

"Yes, ma'am," Kiri complied as she and Ankha walked off while still holding hands as they set out to fulfill Khameleon's request.

Khameleon meanwhile, took the time to check on her own lover. She returned to the makeshift hut that was made for the two Saurians where she had last talked to Reptile. Although Khameleon had successfully calmed him down and eased his anxiety, Reptile opted to remain inside the hut for a little while longer in order to process Chameleon's news.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as she walked in on Reptile still sat where he was when she had left.

"It's just… a lot to take in," Reptile spoke back. "And a scary thing to take in."

"If it makes you feel better, Empress Mileena has donated to us a generous amount of her loyal soldiers," Khameleon informed him while kneeling down to face him. "Things aren't so one sided anymore."

"That's good," Reptile told himself. "That's great."

"It is."

"But… do you think we can win this?" Reptile asked as he thought of the threat. "We don't even know why these Saurians are alive from the dead and are evil! Are we going to be killing them?!"

"Calm down, Syzoth," Khameleon instructed as she embraced him gently. "We can get through this. No, we will get through this."

"How do you know?!"

"We have so many friends and allies now who can and will help us with this situation," Khameleon explained. "We've already gotten help just now."

"But will it be enough?"

"I know it will be," Khameleon said confidently. "They'll help us in the fight… and help us figure out what Shinnok has done to our fellow Saurians."

"Damn that Shinnok…" Reptile cursed. "How does he keep creating scenarios that put us at risk?"

"Yet we survived the last scenario," Khameleon pointed out. "And we survived the entirety of Shao Kahn's evil reign."

"You're right…"

"If we can get through all that then I see no chance of this being the end for us and our people!"

"You're right!" Reptile suddenly sounded less upset and more motivated thanks to Khameleon's reassuring speech. "Thank you, my love."

"Always," Khameleon replied as the two briefly kissed. "And on the bright side, we might be able to find a way to restore these Saurians from their current state."

"What makes you think that?"

"There's always a way to acquire freedom," Khameleon stated. "We'll figure it out."

"Hopefully," Reptile agreed.

"Maybe the Thunder God would know," Khameleon thought aloud. "I believe he is in charge of the Earthrealm side of the alliance with Outworld. We could ask him."

"It's the least he could do after forcing us out of Earthrealm and nearly slaying the great dinosaurs!" Reptile replied as he bitterly recalled the tales of Shinnok and Raiden's first war.

"He never meant to harm us," Khameleon believed. "We were just in the crossfire of their battle."

"Well I pray that no innocents will be in the same situation this time," Reptile hoped.

"So do I," Khameleon said as she smiled at Reptile who smiled back. "I love you."

"I love you more," Reptile replied, which caused Khameleon to chuckle at how adorable her boyfriend was.

"Axoltia!" came the voice of Kiri who was shouting outside. "We're ready!"

Khameleon and Reptile soon emerged from their tent and were greeted by cheers from their allies, brightening the spirits of everybody.

"Thank you all," Khameleon expressed her gratitude as she stood before all her loyal allies. "It is time we fight back against Tetsurri once more. We shall not slay the other undead Saurians, I speculate we can free them in due time from this curse. Today we shall head to Varkain and take back the kingdom once and for all!"

"Let's do this," said Chameleon as he stepped forth from the crowd. "I'm proud of you taking charge, Axoltia."

"Thank you, brother," Khameleon said as the two hugged for a moment. "We're going to fix this."

"I know," Chameleon replied. "Now let's go."

"Follow me!" Khameleon instructed as she and Chameleon led the army outside the camp and headed towards Varkain, following Chameleon's directions after his previous trip which led him to its location.

It turned out though, that a group of undead Saurians had stalked Chameleon back to the hidden campsite in the forest beside the Great Swamp. They soon emerged, all ready for action and blocking the path ahead. There were countless enemies and it was seeming like a massive battle was about to occur already.

"Stand back," Chameleon instructed his allies who complied and all moved behind.

The Revenant Raptors began hissing at Chameleon aggressively as he calmly walked towards them, his costume turning blue. Once one of the Revenants made a move on Chameleon, he slammed his fist into the ground. Upon impact, a large portion of the ground ahead turned into ice as it spread ahead of where he had punched the earth. The ice spread fast, and upon contact with each Revenant they too would become frozen momentarily.

"Woah…" Kiri reacted as she and the other Saurians stared in awe of what Chameleon had just performed. "Your brother sure is impressive, Axoltia."

"He is," Khameleon agreed. "Well done, brother."

"Not as impressive as me though, right?" Ankha asked her wife, getting unreasonably jealous. "Right?!"

"Of course, love," Kiri confirmed with a smile behind her mask.

"Let's keep moving," Khameleon instructed. "Before they become unfrozen."

All of Khameleon's allies agreed with the order and they moved on, carefully moving past each frozen Revenant as they stood like statues made of ice. Khameleon appreciated her brother's brave attempt of preventing the Revenant Saurians' attack but also making sure to keep them safe in case they could restore them at a later point. But now their target fell upon the kingdom known as Varkain where Khameleon and her allies now stood before the walls of.

"We're here," Khameleon stated as she turned to face her group. "Be careful everybody."

Khameleon then turned to her brother and gave him a nod, signalling for him to use his replicated Cryomancy ability to freeze the towering locked gate before them which made it easy to shatter with one powerful crane kick.

"Let's take our kingdom back."

Lord Shinnok smirked upon walking through the entrance of Raiden's Sky Temple. He was surprised to see the shattered wall along with his two Dragon allies clashing with the Dragon named Cynder. He took his Amulet, well the replica of it, and blasted Cynder to give Belindo and Vouvire.

"Since when did Earthrealm host Dragons?" Shinnok queried.

"It is indeed unusual," Quan Chi commented as he stood by Shinnok's side. "Orders, my Lord?"

"Get to the top of this place," Shinnok demanded. "Everybody! Quick!"

"Wh-what if we destroy the tower instead?" Kia suggested as she and Jataaka stood ahead of the accompanying Demon army but still behind Master Quan Chi and Lord Shinnok.

"You imbecile!" Shinnok insulted. "Do you not realise that our goal is to obtain the Jinsei's essence?! Destroying this place would destroy the chamber which exists to preserve it all!"

"Sorry…" Kia apologised quietly.

"You should be," Shinnok continued. "We are now at the battlefield and you must still be lectured!"

"She was only trying to help!" Jataaka spoke up on Kia's behalf.

"Pardon?!" Shinnok was already outraged and he hadn't even engaged in combat yet.

"You heard me!"

"Must I send you back to the Netherrealm?" Shinnok questioned as he pointed his replica Amulet at Jataaka.

"No!" Kia yelled as she stood in front of Jataaka. "Please stop!"

"What services can you still provide for me?"

"How does serving you benefit us…?" Kia suddenly had a question of her own to ask.

"What?!"

"HOW DOES SERVING YOU BENEFIT US?!" Jataaka yelled at the top of her lungs, finally fed up with Shinnok controlling her and Kia.

"This is a waste of my time," Shinnok said with a sigh. "Just kill them."

"Now, Kia!" Jataaka instructed as she performed a quick spell to remove her human disguise which Kia copied and the two now resembled similar forms to the common Demons that littered the area in front of Shinnok as he had brought a sizable chunk of his Demon army with him. Now able to blend in with the crowd of soldiers, Kia and Jataaka sprinted off through the group and away from Shinnok's view.

"Leave them be," Iris instructed who had been quietly observing the events unfolding. "It's not worth the pursuit."

"It was only a matter of time before they'd turn," Quan Chi said reassuringly to Shinnok.

"You're right," Shinnok agreed. "It's something I should be weary of from even my… closest allies."

"Shall we head upstairs?" Quan Chi asked his ruler.

Before Shinnok could answer, the sound of something falling sounded nearby. Everybody turned to the source only to find Geras as he summoned his signature golden fist around his hand and smashed Belindo in the face as he came down from an enormous drop off the top of the Sky Temple upon spotting guests below.

"Brother," Shinnok greeted disdainfully. "I was not expecting you."

"Were you not expecting your nephews either?" Geras asked as the Elemental Gods soon followed and landed beside him.

"Ah the ones I killed," Shinnok recalled casually. "I am pleased that such an act did not lead to permanent death for you three."

"Sure," Torch sarcastically remarked.

"I mean it!" Shinnok clarified. "Things should not have ended in such a way."

"Blame yourself for that," Geode joined in on the comments also.

"Yeah!" as did Splash.

"I wish for our family to have the best," Shinnok claimed. "You just need to listen and understand my cause!"

"Not this again…" Torch said with a sigh.

"Listen!" Shinnok demanded. "I only seek for a better universe where all the realms are united as one force, and that no Elder Gods pull strings behind them."

"Except for you right?" Splash asked. "You'll try and retake your position as Elder God."

"I shall take my rightful position as ruler over the mortals," Shinnok stated. "I'd actually make sure that the realms are at peace. There would be none of this nonsense with me in power!"

"You're delusional," Geode accused him. "You speak of yourself as some mighty ruler but how has that been going for you down in the Netherrealm?"

"I am the one who created civilisation in a place shaped by the Elder Gods to be a place of suffering and torment!"

"And how many people in that civilisation are forced to obey you and do your bidding?!" Geode wondered.

"I have servants because I have generous promises that I shall fulfill!"

"You lie," Torch bluntly accused.

"What will it take for any of you to believe me?!" Shinnok asked as his eyes fell on Geras. "You understand don't you, brother?"

"I obey the will of our mother," Geras told him. "She is still a close supporter of the Elder Gods."

"Mother has been manipulated by the luxuries of the Heavens!"

"Why not return there?" Geras asked. "Mother just wishes for us to create peace."

"As do I!" Shinnok agreed. "You just have to see my vision first!"

"You know that will not happen."

"Then I must kill you all again," Shinnok warned the group.

"Do it," Geras offered. "I shall only return in mere seconds and stronger than before."

"Change of plans," Shinnok told his allies. "Belindo! Vouvire! Ignore that other Dragon and fly my soldiers to the roof!"

"Understood, Lord Shinnok," Belindo replied.

"Grab on!" Vouvire ordered as he and Belindo swooped over to the Demon masses.

"You aren't leaving so fast!" Cynder yelled as she also glided over and tackled the two Dragons as they all crashed into countless Demons all lined up on the battleground below.

"Aid the Dragons, Quan Chi!" Shinnok ordered. "And you shall aid me with this family drama, Iris."

"Yes, father," Iris complied as she stood by her father's side as Quan Chi ran over to the chaos unfolding with Demons and Dragons behind them. "I'll deal with my cousins."

"Excellent," Shinnok commented as he pointed his replica Amulet at Geras. "And I shall deal with him."

"I predicted that you would not be swayed," Geras commented as he approached Shinnok. "Now I predict that you will not be getting anywhere near the Jinsei!"

Geras went to throw a punch with his giant golden fist but a wall made of skulls suddenly rose in front of Shinnok, with Geras blasting through the skulls in one blow. This was enough of a distraction caused by Iris to allow Shinnok to send a blast from his replica Amulet into Geras' chest. Geras was stunned for a moment but shook it off like a tank and grabbed Shinnok by the throat. Iris tried to intervene but Torch, Splash and Geode soon came charging after her and Geode threw a rock into her big body which threw her aside. This left Shinnok and Geras without distractions for their battle.

Geras sent a burst of sand from the ground beneath Shinnok, propelling him into the air where Geras had placed a floating ceiling made of sandstone as he smashed the airborne Shinnok face first into the stone. On his way down, Geras caught the Fallen Elder God and performed a backbreaker before tossing him against the wall of Raiden's Sky Temple.

Geras then leapt over to the wounded Shinnok in an attempt to capitalise on his offense, but Shinnok suddenly summoned a staff made of solid gold which had two curved spikes on the end and impaled the staff into Geras as he came down on him. Geras staggered back as Shinnok ripped his staff out of Geras' flesh, blood staining the gold. Shinnok looked over to see two deep holes within Geras' chest, near his Temporal Anchor which guarded his heart. Shinnok then watched as the wounds healed in mere seconds.

"I warned you, brother," Geras told Shinnok.

"Your abilities matter not," Shinnok remained confident despite the surprised sight of Geras automatically healing. "You shall still fall."

"But for how long?" Geras asked as he threw a punch which Shinnok just barely ducked. "What will you do when I stand back up?"

"I too am an Immortal, Geras," Shinnok reminded him.

"But you can still be stopped," Geras believed. "Yet how do you plan to stop me? I cannot be killed or wounded… not permanently."

"Then I will just have to be rid of you!" Shinnok yelled as he summoned a blast of dark magic from the earth which shot Geras into the air, knocking him into a higher beam and then the process repeated itself. Shinnok then shot a blast from his replica Amulet which sent the already high up Geras flying away across the area.

Shinnok laughed to himself in regards to his genius. But before he could push forward with his plans, he soon saw Geras return. He stood exactly where he was before being blasted by the dark energy. Thanks to Kronika's magic, Geras was capable of reverting time on himself which made him all too dangerous.

"You were saying, brother?" Geras asked as Shinnok stared with wide eyes, once again shocked by his brother's display.

"I must admit that I am impressed," Shinnok owned up. "But this has gone on for too long now. Farewell for now, brother."

Geras raised an eyebrow but soon realised what Shinnok was doing. The Dark Lord took to the skies, using his dark magic to give him the power of flight. Realising somebody else would confront him by the time he returned to the top of the Sky Temple, Geras switched focus to aiding his nephews against his niece.

Geras came in time to witness Geode tossing a boulder he created towards Iris. The new Princess of the Netherrealm summoned a bone hand which grabbed the boulder as it came at her. The skeleton hand then tossed the boulder into the air before flicking it back at Geode, launching him into a horde of Demons which he now had to fend off.

Torch and Splash then attacked Iris at once, both sending beams of their respective elements. The beams of water and fire connected with another wall of skulls made of Iris, causing the elements to mix which created steam. The steam was at such a high pressure that it shot through the wall and pushed Iris back as well as block her vision for the moment.

As the steam obscured Iris' vision, it left her vulnerable to further attacks from Torch and Splash. A blast of high pressure water soon pushed Iris to the ground with Torch following up on this by blasting a fireball which blew through the steam as it passed and struck Iris.

Splash jumped up before blasting water beneath his feet, creating a temporarily floating water slide to allow him to quickly reach Iris. He jumped off and went to land on top of his cousin. Before he could stick the landing, Iris summoned a naginata made of bone which stabbed Splash on his way down. Iris stood up, kicked Splash off her newly formed weapon, and faced Torch.

"Splash!" Torch yelled as he watched him get stabbed. "Why can't you just join us?!"

"I don't want to do any of this!" Iris clarified. "But I'm not going against my father!"

"Why not?!"

"His vision is superior to that of the Elder Gods," Iris genuinely believed. "They're our enemy. You just happen to be in our way."

"You've gone mad overtime," Torch concluded. "Shinnok is clearly the villain!"

"Yet he's done more for me and makes a better point than anybody else here!"

"If that's what you believe then so be it," Torch had given up on trying to convince Iris to switch sides. "You're a lost cause."

"Enough!" Iris snapped as she pointed her bone weapon at Torch and went to charge forth.

Before she could begin her charge, Iris suddenly felt unable to move. She was frozen in time, thanks to Geras. The God had come from behind and snuck in a blast which temporarily froze those caught in it in place. By the time Iris was freed, Geras now stood in her path.

"Stop this now, Iris," Geras demanded. "Nobody wants this to escalate further."

"Then leave my father alone!"

"Unless he stops what he's attempting then we cannot do such a thing!" Geras informed her.

"Then us talking is pointless!" Iris concluded before she aggressively tried to attack Geras only to be caught in a sand portal that Geras had created on the floor as a trap that caught Iris in the ground.

"Torch," Geras acknowledged. "Check on your brothers and send them to deal with the Demon army."

"I shall, uncle," Torch complied and made haste to accomplish such orders.

Within the Demon horde itself that Splash, Torch and Geode confronted, Kia and Jataaka were weaving their way through their fellow people in an attempt to run away from all this conflict. Jataaka held Kia's hand as she guided her through all the Demons who were heading to the Sky Temple to serve Shinnok, either willingly or unwillingly. Kia and Jataaka couldn't take in anymore. They soon escaped the crowd of Demons and had a chance to process everything that just happened.

"Are you alright?" Jataaka asked Kia.

Kia was too busy trying to catch her breath and compose herself to properly give a response.

"I'm proud of you," Jataaka told her. "You stood up to him. We stood up to him."

"Finally…" Kia said between gasps of breath. "We finally did what Sareena was able to do."

"And now we can go anywhere in Earthrealm," Jataaka realised.

"But what if Shinnok wins?"

"I…" Jataaka paused to think of a response. "I don't know."

"If he does then we'll be trapped under his rule again…" Kia realised.

"Think positively," Jataaka instructed. "It's really uncertain on the fate of everything… but what we just did is for the best."

"Do you think we can help?"

"With what?"

"With Shinnok," Kia explained, "what if we help the Earthrealmers stop him?"

"I don't think our involvement will change the outcome of anything," Jataaka believed.

"If we had just ran away and not set up all these portals then this wouldn't be happening!"

"Let's not dwell on the past," Jataaka instructed. "Let's move forward, and get out of here."

"No!" Kia refused. "The least we can do is help stop this horrible thing that we helped set up!"

"Calm down, Kia."

"We have to go back!" Kia insisted. "We started this!"

"No we didn't!" Jataaka argued. "Those Earthrealmers called the Red Dragon made those portals and Shinnok forced us to place them here. Forced us."

"But we should've left the Brotherhood a long time ago!" Kia told Jataaka as she let her emotions pour out. "We-"

Kia was cut off by Jataaka wrapping her arms around her firmly in a warm embrace.

"I know," Jataaka said softly as the two hugged. "You're right."

"So we'll go back?"

"I… I don't want you to get hurt," Jataaka told her.

"But it's a good cause to fight for," Kia pointed out. "It's what Sareena would've done."

"It's what she did do," Jataaka pointed out as they both recalled the time their best friend attacked Quan Chi… only to be slain by Shinnok soon after. "Are you sure about this?"

"If we stick together we'll be fine," Kia believed. "Plus, we'll find allies soon."

"You're right," Jataaka stated again.

"Thanks," Kia said as she began to smile which melted Jataaka's heart despite them being in their true Demon forms.

"C'mere," Jataaka instructed as she suddenly pulled Kia into a passionate kiss. All their worries soon faded away for the brief moment of blissfulness. However, they soon found themselves interrupted.

"Are those two Demons… kissing?" asked the Spectre known as Scorpion as he, Sareena and Ashrah were cautiously trekking through the Demon filled field.

"You've seen us do so about three times already on this trip," Ashrah remarked. "Why does it surprise you?"

"Because they don't look like you two I guess," Scorpion concluded. "I forget that not everything in the Netherrealm is pure evil."

"I understand," Sareena spoke up. "It is difficult for even us Netherrealm natives to process sometimes… but then you find friends and loved ones and that feeling is left behind."

"That is wonderful to hear," Scorpion commented. "With those feelings you haven't left any of said friends and loved ones behind though have you?"

Sareena paused for a moment and then admitted, "there are people who I've been split apart from in the Netherrealm… I hope I can see their faces again."

"Sareena!" shouted Jataaka.

"Would you happen to know these two?" Scorpion asked as he pointed to Kia and Jataaka, unrecognisable to Sareena due to them being in their Demon form.

"Hello?" Sareena spoke as she faced the two.

"It's us!" Kia said. "Kia and Jataaka!"

"By the Gods!" Sareena said as her jaw dropped in shock. "It's great to see you both!"

"You too," Kia expressed the mutual feeling. "I'm Kia by the way."

"And I'm Jataaka," she clarified. "We had to get rid of our… better forms in order to escape Shinnok."

"You're still beautiful," Kia told Jataaka who would have blushed had she been in her human form.

"Aw thanks," Jataaka replied before quickly kissing Kia a second time.

"I'm happy for you both," Sareena stated. "You make a great couple."

"We've been a couple for ages, Sareena," Jataaka revealed.

"What?!" Sareena replied as she received more shocking news. "How come you never told me?!"

"You never asked," Kia pointed out.

"What am I supposed to do?" Sareena questioned. "Ask you every single thing that might have happened in case it did?"

"Sorry," Kia apologised. "You aren't mad at us, are you?"

"Of course not!" Sareena clarified, "I'm so happy for you both!"

"Thank you," Jataaka said gratefully. "We're happy for you also."

"What do you mean?"

"You two are girlfriends, yes?" Jataaka asked as she pointed at Sareena and Ashrah both.

"Yes," Sareena confirmed. "What gave it away?"

"We overheard what you said about smooching," Kia said with a giggle.

"Also it never hurts to ask," Jataaka added.

"Well I'm glad that we've caught up," Sareena said sincerely. "What will you two do now that you've escaped Shinnok's control?"

"Kia insists we return to fight his forces," Jataaka explained.

"That is admirable," Scorpion praised.

"Then join us," Sareena offered. "We too are heading for the Sky Temple."

"Would your plan happen to involve the Demon Slayer?" Jataaka asked disdainfully as she looked at Ashrah.

"I'm sorry?" Ashrah wasn't sure if she was meant to apologise. "Well, I will be helping in-"

"It was rhetorical!" Jataaka interrupted. "Here's a serious question: why the Hell are you slaying so many Demons?!"

Ashrah held her Kriss up, which was unfortunately already stained with blood due to an earlier encounter which only made Jataaka angrier.

"This sword is blessed," she tried to explain, "if I slay those with tainted souls… then it'll aid me in ascending from the Netherrealm."

"How selfish can you be?!"

"You speak like I'd attack Demons who are innocent," Ashrah pointed out. "Besides, most will still reform."

"And how do you know if they will or not?!" Jataaka continued piling on the questions. "You can't decipher if a Demon is a native or not!"

"I know," Ashrah admitted. "I know."

"And if they do reform they can be lost forever!" Jataaka yelled.

"That sounds very unlikely," Ashrah said logically.

"I lost my parents!" Jataaka revealed. "They were killed while serving the Brotherhood of Shadow and while they're somewhere out there in the Netherrealm… I've never found them."

"I'm sorry, Jataaka," Ashrah apologised as she felt great guilt. "I've only intended on doing good… I would never harm any innocent Demon, only the ones of evil ways or Brotherhood of Shadow members out of self defense as they've been trying to hunt me down."

"Just be more mindful," Jataaka requested.

"I will," Ashrah promised. "Don't worry."

"I am sorry about your loss," Sareena apologised to Jataaka. "I feel as if Shinnok's rule has somehow managed to tear us all away from our family…"

"Yeah…" Kia agreed as she comforted her lover. "Can we head to the Sky Temple now? Maybe convince some more Demons to help along the way there?"

"Let's go," Scorpion decided. "Stick together, everybody."

As the growing group of Scorpion, Ashrah, Sareena, Kia and Jataaka headed towards the Sky Temple on ground, Lord Shinnok was in the skies. He utilised his dark magic to defy gravity as he sought to reach the high balcony of the Sky Temple, the outside area of the Jinsei Chamber. Belindo and Vouvire soon swooped up to join Shinnok by his side, they were in the process of carrying Demons up to the Sky Temple but Cynder was making such a challenge.

"Victory will soon be ours, Lord Shinnok!" Quan Chi said confidently as he sat atop of Belindo.

"Is that Heaven Dragon dealt with?" Shinnok questioned.

"Not yet," Quan Chi said with a groan as he looked back to see Cynder boldly in pursuit of them.

"I'll deal with her," Vouvire promised before flying faster upwards to deposit the Demons travelling on him, and then crashing into Cynder on his way down to the ground as he brought Cynder with him.

"Isn't he great?" Belindo asked as they all watched Vouvire's impressive attack which had certainly dealt with Cynder, as Shinnok wished.

"Stay focused," Shinnok ordered. "We're almost at the Jinsei Chamber."

"And almost by your sister, right?" Quan Chi inquired.

"I imagine so," Shinnok predicted. "It's been a while since we last met."

"How long has it been?"

The Elder Gods had called for a gathering. Shinnok now stood before her fellow Elder Gods of Tharasis, Zeus, Zeraura, Vutix and her own sister: Cetrion. Tharasis in the future would be a retired Elder God, though in the early times where the realms were freshly created she was a key contributor. She was also the person who had ordered for the meeting had stated it was of utmost importance and urgent so the other Elder Gods had to attend. Shinnok never liked such meetings, nor did he ever enjoy working alongside the other Elder Gods.

"Well?" Shinnok spoke up first. "What is it, Kahnum?"

"Thank you all for gathering," Kahnum expressed her gratitude.

"Get on with it," Shinnok demanded.

"Do not be so rude, brother," Cetrion advised. "Kahnum is just showing politeness to us."

"Then he can politely explain why we're all here!" Shinnok stated.

"Ignore him, Kahnum," Cetrion advised. "He's just grumpy."

"Such emotions should not be present in our line of work," Vutix stated bluntly.

"Of course," Shinnok spoke with a sarcastic tone, "I'll just make sure to suppress everything from now on."

"This is a meeting!" Zeraura reminded everybody. "Such is intended to be an orderly and productive gathering!" Her already bizarre looking face then shifted into a crazed smile as she said, "we can enact Chaos another time!"

"And why do you approve of Chaos again?" Shinnok questioned.

"Because it's fun!" Zeraura replied followed by an insane laugh.

"I cannot believe that this lunatic makes up one sixth of us!" Shinnok yelled with clear rage boiling over him.

"Don't you dare judge me, Shinnok!" Zeraura argued back, her demeanour shifting once more.

"Why shouldn't I?" Shinnok continued pushing buttons. "What would you do about it?"

"ENOUGH!" Zeus' voice boomed throughout the Heavens in a very successful attempt to enforce control over the other Elder Gods. "Kahnum brings urgent news, everybody! Stop this at once!"

"My apologies, Zeus," Zeraura said as she returned back to her orderly self. "Forgive my outbursts. I am unable to control them."

"That much is clear," Shinnok remarked.

"Silence, Shinnok!" Zeus commanded. "You may speak now, Kahnum."

"Thank you. Well somebody here has been suppressing some information from us," Kahnum informed the group as she finally had the chance to begin her explanation. "So I've arranged this gathering to find out who has done this and why."

"What information?!" Shinnok asked aggressively.

"The Kamidogu," Kahnum told him. "Where are the others?"

Kahnum then proceeded to summon a set of the Kamidogu, ones representing the realms for Earthrealm, Outworld, Chaosrealm, Seido, Edenia and even the Netherrealm each.

Upon the creation of the realms, the Elder Gods created powerful artifacts called the Kamidogu in order to contain the essence of the realms. They had collaborated on using their power to create Kamidogu for each realm which they would protect in the Heavens so that they would avoid falling into the wrong hands. It became evident to the other Elder Gods that the Kamidogu for the realms outside of the six that Kahnum presented before them had been stolen.

"Did one of us take the other Kamidogu?!" Zeus questioned. "Who has them?!"

"You probably misplaced the others," Shinnok accused in dismissal of any severity of the situation. "Check again and leave us alone."

"If we do not figure out where they are then the fate of everything could be at risk again!" Cetrion stated anxiously. "Please check your stations, everybody."

"I gave you the ones I made, Kahnum," Vutix informed her.

"So what did you do with them?" Shinnok asked with the question directed at Kahnum.

"I… I left them all on my altar!" Khanum recalled. "They had been kept at enough distance still to prevent them from fusing…"

"If somebody fuses them then the One Being may doom us once more," Cetrion said with fear in her voice.

"The One Being?" Shinnok repeated in a lower tone. "Um… what happens if only a few of the Kamidogu are mixed into one?"

"That matters not," Vutix clarified, "it only has an effect once they're all together. We are lucky we still have these six remaining."

Shinnok let out a sigh of relief.

"Something the matter, Shinnok?" Zeus questioned.

"Just concerned like the rest of us," Shinnok lied.

"Then would you care to explain the powerful artifact I saw amongst your belongings?" Kahnum spoke up, revealing what she had learnt from investigating his possessions at his station.

"This?" Shinnok summoned the artifact as well as a skeletal arm to hold his Amulet for him. "It is merely an innocent gift I was given."

"If it is so innocent then why do I sense great power within it?" Kahnum questioned.

"I sense it too," Zeus added. "Could it be?!"

"You used the essences of several Kamidogu to empower your Amulet?!" Cetrion asked her brother as she was completely shocked after making the realisation. "But why?!"

"Allow me to show you why," Shinnok offered as he had his Amulet pointed at Kahnum before summoning a powerful blast at the majestic Elder God.

"You fool!" Kahnum yelled as he summoned a beam of green energy that deflected the powerful Amulet blast which, due to it being empowered by several Kamidogu, it was powerful enough to harm the Elder Gods themselves and even trap them within the artifact.

Upon being deflected, the blast unfortunately bounced downwards which happened to be where Kahnum was presenting the other Kamidogu. But before the blast could strike and thus shatter the artifacts, a safety precaution was triggered on each of them. This precaution was on being in a dangerous state, in a one time use, the Kamidogu would retreat to the realm that they hold the essence of. Suddenly, the Elder Gods no longer had possession of any Kamidogu. Not even Shinnok.

Shinnok still held the Kamidogu empowered Amulet of his. But he soon realised his form had changed. He was much shorter and was touching the cloudy ground. He looked at his hands and then noticed they were no longer translucent. He was in his physical form. His Elder God status had been stripped.

"Why would you do this, brother?!" Cetrion asked.

"Help me, sister!" Shinnok requested. "It is time we destroy these vile Elder Gods!"

"No!" she immediately refused.

"You're insane, Shinnok!" Zeus remarked as he began charging a beam of lightning.

"Hypocrites!" Shinnok yelled as he blasted his Amulet again in order to counter the oncoming lightning bolt.

"Destroy him!" Zeraura demanded.

"Can't we talk this out?!" Cetrion asked, not wishing to see more violence. "Please?!"

"There is no resolving this without removing the issue," Vutix claimed. "Stay there, Shinnok!"

Zeraura used her powers to create walls that surrounded Shinnok, preventing him from running away. The walls were unbreakable and represented the control of Order. Vutix then followed through by summoning a sizable amount of the hottest lava in the Netherrealm as it lowered from midair and went to drop within Shinnok's new prison. Cetrion wouldn't allow this, and used her elemental abilities to place a ceiling made of stone to protect Shinnok as the lava poured beside the box that encased him.

"Cetrion!" Zeus shouted angrily. "What are you doing?!"

"I apologise, Zeus," Cetrion said sincerely. "I just can't let you do this!"

"Do not get involved, Cetrion," Vutix ordered. "Or we shall strip you of your status as well."

"I… I understand," Cetrion reluctantly complied as she felt there was no other option.

Zeraura removed the properties of gravity on the stone roof that Cetrion had created, causing it to float away into the endless sky within the Heavens. When she peered down though, all she saw were two massive bone hands as they sunk into the clouds.

"He's escaped!" Zeraura cried out as the hands disappeared, transporting Shinnok to Earthrealm.

"How?!" Kahnum asked.

"He must've retreated to one of the realms," Zeus pointed out. "Let's search for him from our posts!"

"Hurry!"

"They never found me," Shinnok remarked with a laugh as his story concluded. "The fools. I had to reveal myself to them the last time I sought to seize control of this place."

"They won't interfere in this, right?" Quan Chi questioned, concerned by how threatening they sounded from Shinnok's tale.

"They can send whatever allies they have to try and stop us," Shinnok stated as he thought of the fact that his sister as well as his nephews and the Dragon known as Cynder had emerged to try and stop his plans. "But they themselves wouldn't dare interfere. If their wrath was struck upon one of the realms outside their precious Heavens… then the One Being would no doubt be awoken."

"I see," Quan Chi commented. "We're at the balcony now, Lord Shinnok."

"Then let us reveal ourselves," Shinnok instructed.

Outside the Jinsei Chamber itself was one of the balcony areas that protruded from the otherwise slim yet very tall tower. The Defenders of Earthrealm were now occupied with the newly arrived Demons. Once Belindo had emerged again, this time with even more Demons which included the deadly sorcerer Quan Chi, they became even more occupied. The sight was even worse when by the Dragons side stood Shinnok himself.

"He's here!" Raiden announced.

"At long last," Fujin remarked as he stood beside Raiden as the two had been tirelessly fending off Demons who tried breaching into the Jinsei Chamber.

"Where is Cetrion?" Raiden asked.

"She headed down to the bottom to help her family with the other Demons!" Sonya said between fending off any aggressive Demons with her fists.

"Then we shall have to deal with Shinnok," Raiden said to his brother. "You should take charge in the meantime, General Blade."

"I'll do my best, Raiden," Sonya promised.

Raiden gave her a nod of respect before he charged forth at the speed of lightning as he tackled the airborne Shinnok midair as Fujin followed his brother into battle. Sonya turned her attention to a scream from the man nicknamed Mokap.

"Calm down," Johnny tried instructing his friend between using his signature glow ability to help back off any enemies in doing so. "We're going to be fine if we work together."

"You don't know that!" Mokap cried out.

"What's going on?" Sonya asked as she came on scene with she and Johnny teaming up to clear the area of Demons to give attention to Mokap. "I really think Raiden made a mistake bringing you along… no offense."

"No, I agree!" Mokap clarified. "I should be at home! Away from all this!"

"Buddy, I can't tell you anymore times that we're going to-"

"Watch out!" Mokap yelled in interruption as he on instinct summoned his telekinesis to hold some debris that was on the verge of crushing Johnny and Sonya both which he soon tossed over the balcony as the trio looked up to see more beings from the Netherrealm on the very top of the Sky Temple.

"You saved my life!" Johnny told Mokap. "That's twice now!"

"I take it back," Sonya added, "you're a natural."

"Well you're welcome," Mokap said as he tried to process everything. "But I am not climbing up there!"

"You won't need to," came the voice of Sub-Zero as he and Smoke approached from behind. "Those up there are Wraiths… my brother might be amongst them."

He handed Smoke a small flask which contained a small portion of the essence of Earthrrealms Jinsei that Raiden had spared for Sub-Zero to use by splashing the contents over his brother Bi-Han, who was now going by the identity of Noob Saibot. Sub-Zero then called upon his Cryomancy to create a slippery although usable stairway up to the roof that the Wraiths lurked on.

"You're paying the medical bill if I slip from this," Mokap remarked as he, Johnny and Sonya began following up the stairway from behind.

"Noob!" yelled one of the Wraiths. "The Earthrealmer you seek is here!"

"Kuai Liang," Noob muttered as he approached the edge of the rooftop to look at his brother who was climbing the makeshift stairs to reach him.

"Brother!" Sub-Zero acknowledged him. "I'm coming to save you!"

"We're not brothers," Noob said bluntly, which saddened Kuai greatly, "and I'm coming to kill you!"

Suddenly, Noob blasted his signature ghostball projectile. The spectral energy was so powerful that it shattered the stairway. As Johnny, Sonya and Mokap soon fell back to the level below before soon being swarmed by the Demon hordes once more, Smoke had leapt up and grabbed Sub-Zero before using his powers to dash forward as he left a trail of thick smoke behind him as he and Kuai landed on the roof.

"Wait!" Sonya yelled. "We should stick together!"

"You can go ahead and gather the others," Smoke suggested. "We've got to do this."

"Don't worry, Sonya Blade," Sub-Zero added.

"Are you sure?"

"We'll be fine," Smoke assured her. "I don't know about him though."

Smoke's gaze fell upon Mokap as he ran aimlessly from a group of Demons with Johnny trying to help intervene. Sonya looked back and gasped.

"We'll sort him out," Sonya promised. "I need to contact Hsu Hao for reinforcements too."

"Good luck, General," Smoke wished upon her which she gave a nod to in response before she hurried off to aid Johnny and Mokap.

"Thank you for helping me there, love," Sub-Zero said gratefully to Smoke before turning his attention to the angry Wraiths. "You all deserve a chance to be freed from your curse!"

Smoke then handed his lover the bottle of Jinsei essence which Kuai raised into the air to present to the Wraiths. Sub-Zero went to drop the bottle on the floor, thus shattering it and splashing its contents across the surrounding Wraiths. But as the bottle fell, a shadow portal emerged from the ground and collected it before it appeared in Noob's very hands.

"Bi-Han, that can restore you!" Sub-Zero tried explaining.

"From what?!" Noob questioned. "I am fine the way I am!"

"The Netherrealm has cursed you into being a Wraith!" Sub-Zero clarified. "It has done so to all of your friends here too."

"Destroy him!" Noob ordered his apparent friends who tried complying with their higher ups orders by attacking Sub-Zero.

"You won't lay a finger on my man!" Smoke promised as he hit a spinning heel kick to the first Wraith to approach the couple.

More Wraiths attacked but Smoke sent a bomb crashing to the ground that emitted smoke which those caught within it began choking on, leaving them open to Sub-Zero freezing them to keep them at bay. One more Wraith stood before Noob but Smoke and Sub-Zero used their excellent teamwork to tag down the Netherrealmers with a leg sweep and lariat combination.

"You're both making a huge mistake," Noob warned the couple.

"Hand over that bottle," Sub-Zero demanded. "Please, Bi-Han."

"I am no longer Bi-Han!" Noob yelled as he launched his scythe weapon in a fit of rage at Kuai Liang.

Sub-Zero caught the weapon by the handle but due to his connection to the strange scythe, Noob was able to teleport straight to it. Both Sub-Zero and Noob Saibot had a hand on the handle of the scythe and it prompted Noob to squeeze his brother's hand brutally, trying to break it through sheer strength. Despite the agony he was going through, this had given Sub-Zero an idea. He held Noob's other hand and quickly froze it, allowing him to easily pull the bottle of Jinsei essence away from him. Smoke soon came over and punched Noob off of Sub-Zero, though he had retrieved his scythe.

Noob swung wildly at Smoke but he was very agile and evaded every attack as he waited for Sub-Zero to enact his plan to restore the man formerly known as Bi-Han. Smoke managed to strike Noob with a side kick in the head to try and stun him for a moment.

"Hold him!" Sub-Zero instructed.

"On it!" Smoke communicated as he grabbed Noob by the arms as the two struggled with each other, Noob stabbing his scythe into Smoke which caused him to cry out in pain.

Sub-Zero, not wishing for his beloved to suffer anymore pain, hurriedly tossed the bottle at Noob Saibot from behind, who unfortunately ducked it and it smashed Smoke's body instead. An even louder scream of agony came from Smoke right after, it sounded almost demonic.

"Tomas!" Sub-Zero let out a cry of concern as he performed an ice slide to sideline Noob Saibot while he checked on his lover. "Are you alright?"

"I… I think so," Smoke finally replied after catching his breath. "Why did that hurt so much?"

"I have no clue," Sub-Zero commented before looking back to see Noob. "Stay away from us, Bi-Han."

"How many times?!" Noob continued to grow even more frustrated and enraged. "Bi-Han is dead! Your brother is dead!"

"No!" Sub-Zero yelled in refusal. "You just need help!"

"It seems so," Noob finally admitted though he was now glancing at his fellow Wraiths who were recovering from Smoke and Sub-Zero's attack. "You lot! Help me destroy them!"

The other Wraiths complied and soon Sub-Zero and Smoke found themselves surrounded as they stood back to back, ready for another fight. One Wraith leapt at the two but a double side kick sent them flying back through some of the fencing barriers surrounding the rooftop where they were smashed through and sent flying down to the level below where he just so happened to fall into the rocky and muscular grasp of Tremor. With one long throw, Tremor hurled the unfortunate Wraith off the balcony with zero regard for the beings safety.

"I am so glad that I'm not on your bad side," Jarek remarked as he stood beside his friend. "Same goes to you, Tasia."

"You should be," Tasia said as she finished up on rapidly stabbing a Demon to death with a bizarre weapon she had quickly scooped up in the Red Dragons headquarters in Charred Mountain. It was some unique technology that created a shapeable purple wire of sorts which was attached to two metal handles. She held onto the handles as she split the wire into two which essentially recreated a more powerful version of the twin katana she formerly wielded. "These creatures aren't so bad. Why did you need a lad's help to beat some teeth out of them?!"

"Just forget about that story!" Jarek demanded. "And I think we have worse creatures coming now…"

Jarek was watching as joining the rooftop was the subleader of the Red Dragon and many foot soldiers that spilled out from behind Mavado as he surveyed the surrounding battlefield.

"The rats are here," Mavado remarked as he pointed to the trio of Jarek, Tasia and Tremor. "Let's kill them first."

"Of fucking course we're their first target," Tasis said as she watched the group approach herself, Jarek and Tremor.

"Dammit," Jarek cussed. "I'm not ready for a rematch with him already…"

"I'm not in full health myself," Tasia admitted. "Tremor?"

Tremor let out a sigh as he rolled his eyes and said, "I shall deal with him."

"Thanks, pal," Jarek expressed his gratitude while Tremor was already approaching the opposing Red Dragons.

"You think you'll stop us from getting to your friends?" Mavado questioned as he drew his hooks. "You really are as dumb as you look: a rock."

"Shut up and fight me, Mavado," Tremor demanded as he punched his fists together which surrounded them in stones.

"I'd rather fight your friend Jarek," Mavado remarked as he looked past Tremor's shoulder to see the man covered in wounds he had caused just the day before.

"Try and reach him then," Tremor offered.

"Alright then," Mavado accepted the challenge and latched his two rope hooks to the sides of Tremor before pulling forward and performing a leap boot with the metal spikes at his heels impaling Tremor in the chest as his foot brought him down. "Handle him. I'll take care of the other two."

All of the Red Dragon members following Mavado complied. All but one. A woman dressed in uniform similar to the usual Red Dragon grunts stepped forward, stepping over Tremor while he was down as she stood beside Mavado, face concealed by the traditional Red Dragon mask.

"I'll give you a hand," she told Mavado.

"I need no aid," Mavado replied.

"I know," she commented as she looked at Tasia. "I just have a score to settle myself."

"That sounds very unprofessional to pursue vengeance," Mavado told her only to quickly realise the hypocrisy in his statement. "Agh, right. Fine. You have permission to takedown the lady."

"Thanks," she said as she hurried over to Tasia and got in her face with Tasia pushing her back. "Been a while, Tas."

"Who are you?!" Tasia questioned.

"You don't remember your old friend?"

"I have no friends who are Red Dragon," Tasia stated.

"How about ex girlfriends?" she asked as she tore her mask off and tossed it aside. "Miss me?"

"Asuka?!" Tasia was shocked as the woman revealed herself to be someone very familiar to Tasia. Asuka was a former member of the Black Dragon clan and had trained Tasia in the ways of a ninja, teaching she now shares with the Red Dragon instead. "This is where you've been for the past year?!"

"I said I wanted to switch sides," Asuka reminded her. "It was one of our last talks before we split."

"I didn't expect you to actually go through with it!"

"I offered you to join me in abandoning that stupid Black Dragon clan," Asuka continued making Tasia recall to a long time ago when the two were in love and on the same side. "Of course you refused… even if you had the smarts to realise it's a better alternative you'd have not believed that my decisions could lead to any success."

"The fucks your point in bringing up any of this?!"

"You never believed in me!" Asuka accused. "Meanwhile I was the woman who trained you to use weapons like what you hold right now… that was meant for me, by the way."

"Thanks for the gift," Tasia remarked as she examined her new weapon.

"I've already gotten you plenty," Asuka claimed. "I've wasted so much on you. So much on the Black Dragon."

"Auka, I'm sorry," Tasia sincerely apologised. "You tried and you just wanted the best for us and… I was the problem."

"It's taken you too long to realise," Asuka told her as she presented a katana she was carrying with the blade made of the same electrified energy used for the traditional batons given to Red Dragon members.

"I want to get better," Tasia assured her. "That's why I'm helping protect Earth."

"So now you want to be a fucking superhero," Asuka couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I scouted this place out and suddenly you're teaming with the Special Forces!"

"And?!"

"You're literally giving yourself up to them!"

"I'm done running!"

"So am I!" Asuka related. "That's why I'm with the Red Dragon now. Something I can properly commit to."

"What's so good about it?!"

"Better management than fucking Kano, better rules, better services, better pay," Asuka listed off the many reasons to defend her decision and finished off the list with, "better girls."

"Sorry," Tasia apologised.

"For what?"

"This."

Tasia suddenly threw a right hook that stunned Asuka but she kicked Tasia back and allowed herself to recover, looking angrier now as she pushed long red hair out of the way of her eyes, the colour of the hair being unfamiliar to Tasia as her former colour was black. Asuka's choice to dye her hair was motivated by her switch from Black to Red Dragon.

"Is that jealousy I sense?" Asuka taunted as she rubbed her wound.

"If you ain't gonna go against these Red Dragon freaks then this is what I have to do," Tasia said mainly to tell herself that she had to fight Asuka without any other choice.

"You're finally thinking smart," Asuka mocked as she pointed her katana at Tasia. "Fight me!"

Tasia ran forth but Asuka quickly slashed her shins which immediately dropped Tasia to her knees and into a boot to the face to fully bring her to the ground where Asuka began ruthlessly stomping her.

"Tasia!" Jarek yelled as he went to intervene, only for Mavado to get in his way.

"Well that was entertaining," Mavado commented. "But you and I still have some unfinished business, amigo."

"Fuck…" Jarek muttered as he readied himself while holding his sword.

"And this time the Grandmaster has given me permission to finally slay you," Mavado revealed as he drew his pair of sabre swords. "I'm sure your time in the afterlife will be brief anyway. My beloved awaits you."

"I'm sorry, man!" Jarek apologised as he blocked a barrage of oncoming sword attacks from Mavado using his own sword. "It was nothing personal! Just a casualty of the stupid clan wars!"

"And it's time for one more casualty," Mavado said as he thrusted one sword back then forth while his other sword was pressed up against Jarek's.

The blade cut Jarek's stomach, one of many wounds Mavado had caused to Jarek's body as of late. Jarek soon fell, much like Tasia as Mavado stomped his spiked metal boots down on Jarek which caused him to cry out in sheer agony. Jarek had been here before and this time he was even weaker to prevent it, and Mavado was even more careless regarding keeping him alive as he no longer had orders to.

Tasia tried crawling over to Jarek, knowing he'd be unable to defeat Mavado alone in his condition. Asuka unsurprisingly interjected this, keeping the two fights separated. Asuka too was dominant in her fight, for the moment at least. Tasia combined the purple energy wire again and shaped it to be straight, allowing for it to serve as a staff. She clubbed one of the metal ends of the makeshift staff over Asuka's skull, pushing her off of her which allowed Tasia to stand.

Asuka ran back at Tasia but was smacked in the jaw by a swinging blow with the makeshift staff. Tasia went to follow with a combination of staff strikes but Asuka used her agility to jump up high, land on the staff, and kick Tasia in the face before backflipping away. Tasia wiped some blood from her face, a cut created from a kick to her already scarred cheek.

"Your face used to be so soft and pretty," Asuka commented as she continued her mind games. "What the Hell happened to you?"

"I got this massive scar taking a giant warhammer thrown to my face by a fucking tyranical God!" Tasia yelled.

"Once again your recent acts just show how crazy you are," Asuka said as she referred back to her previous point. "You aren't some fucking hero, yet you think you're capable of putting yourself within all this?!"

"I'm the crazy one?!" Tasia asked as Asuka only continued to enrage her. "You're helping some fucking devil destroy all life in Earthrealm! You're an Earthrealmer, dumbass!"

"Our actually wise and intelligent leader has created a solution to our fates once the corruption of Earthrealm has to occur," Asuka detailed, which was something Tasia already knew and she also knew that didn't suddenly justify everything.

"And you're fine with just everybody else on this planet dying?"

"Yes."

"Everybody you've known in your life," Tasia told her. "Friends and family…"

"All of those people have abandoned me!" Asuka yelled as she angrily swung her weapon wildly at Tasia who rolled aside. "All I have is the Red Dragon!"

"You had the Black Dragon… for what it was," Tasia reminded her, "and you had me!"

"Great," Asuka said sarcastically. "I had a group of rats and a neglectful girlfriend."

"I-"

"Just shut up and fight!" Asuka interrupted, not letting Tasia speak anymore as she immediately came in swinging again as Tasia had to split her unique weapon into dual blades once more.

As Asuka and Tasia continued fighting, Mavado continued bearting Jarek. Although the Red Dragon subleader had full intentions of finally killing Jarek to have the sweet taste of revenge, he certainly didn't wish to rush the process. This would unfortunately be a crucial mistake however, as more help that weren't White Dragon members had managed to show up after spotting all the commotion.

Stryker, Kabal and Pedro soon arrived, all key members of the New York Special Riot Control division which was led by Stryker himself. They all aimed their firearms at the Red Dragon criminals, giving them an opportunity to stand down before opening fire.

"Stand down!" Stryker ordered. "Stand down or we will have to open fire!"

"Three men are telling a whole group to stand down?!" Mavado questioned.

"You heard me!" Stryker yelled back.

"I suggest you three stand down before we brutalise you like the rest," Mavado threatened.

"Final warning!" Stryker ignored the threats and continued treating the situation properly.

"Kill them all," Mavado instructed his soldiers.

Half of the Red Dragon members who were busy keeping Tremor grounded moved over to confront the police officers. Unfortunately for the Red Dragons, they were only armed with melees. Despite several warnings, they continued to push the trio due to Mavado's commands being far more important. The officers shot at the Red Dragons only in attempts to wound them out of self defense.

"We've gotta reach Jarek and Tasia!" Pedro insisted. "Those two will kill them!"

"Tremor might save them first," Kabal realised as he glanced at Tremor who was fending off the Red Dragons who were trying to battle him. Due to the lesser numbers after the arrival of the police officers, Tremor now had the opportunity to break free and smash through all the Red Dragon grunts.

"Mavado!" Tremor yelled as he savagely stomped on a Red Dragon's head, crushing it immediately. "You're next!"

Before Tremor could attack Mavado, a red scaled hand firmly gripped his shoulder. Tremor swung around with a punch which the being ducked before scooping him under his shoulders and executing a burning hammer grapple move. As Tremor climbed to his feet, he managed to get a proper look at the random creature that had just ambushed him.

The creature was covered in reddish scales as he stared at Tremor with his glowing beady eyes. They had a head that was Raptor-like as well as Dragon-like. It became clear that this was the resulting project of what Tasia and Jarek were almost victims of. The Red Dragon had mixed the DNA of the Dragon Caro with the Revenant Saurians offered by Lord Shinnok himself to create this Hybrid Dragon. Mavado smiled upon witnessing the arrival of the Hybrid Dragon.

Tremor threw a punch but the Hybrid Dragon was clad in red armour matching his scales with golden accents. The armour protected the Hybrid Dragon from any damage from Tremor's crushing blow. The Hybrid Dragon simply hissed in response before spitting acid, a traditional ability of a Saurian, at Tremor. Tremor used his surprisingly fast reflex to shield his eyes with a stone wall before pushing it into the Hybrid Dragon, knocking them into Mavado.

"Kill him, Hybrid," Mavado ordered to the creature.

"My name is Rick!" the Hybrid Dragon suddenly screamed in the face of Mavado.

"Wait… Rick?" Jarek recognised the name as he lay on the ground, writhing in agony from the abuse suffered from Mavado. "Ricky?"

"You and Tasia abandoned me at Charred Mountain!" Ricky, now unwillingly titled Hybrid, had claimed.

"They took you too?!" Jarek asked.

"I took your side in the Dragon clan war just to get abducted the next few days!" Hybrid recalled as his now reptilian hands shook with rage.

"We didn't know they had taken others," Jarek spoke the truth. "I'm so sorry about what they've done to you, Ricky."

"If you were sorry then this would've never occurred!" Hybrid claimed. "I wasn't the only one you abandoned! Ed, Dominic and John were all tested too! I was the only 'success'."

"What happened to them?" Jarek queried, growing more and more cornered every second.

"They died," Hybrid said with a growl.

"I'm so sorry," Jarek apologised again. "Really, I-"

"Shut up!" Hybrid yelled as he clawed Jarek while he tried standing, immediately knocking him to the floor again. "I'll kill you!"

"No," Mavado spoke up as he got between the two. "I will kill him."

"Move aside!" Hybrid demanded.

"You follow MY orders!" Mavado reminded him as he slashed Hybrid across the chest with one of his sabre's as punishment. "Now deal with Tremor!"

Hybrid hissed at Mavado before reluctantly complying, turning to Tremor as the two locked up in a grapple. Mavado meanwhile returned to Jarek, kneeling beside him and wrapping the red ropes to his hooks around Jarek's neck and proceeded to drag him across the concrete before reaching the balcony and clipping the hook onto the edge. He picked Jarek up and went to throw him off the balcony while the rope was still wrapped tightly around his neck.

Before he could do this, Kabal used his superspeed to intercept the attempted murder. He ran past Mavado, catching him in a spinning state before sweeping his legs with his hook swords.

"Stay down," Kabal ordered.

"Those hook swords," Mavado noticed as Kabal held them near his face. "And a speedster?"

"You know it's me," Kabal realised.

"Kabal," Mavado recalled the former Black Dragon member's name. "How come you're a cop now?"

"I moved on from crime," Kabal explained to him. "I've changed for the better."

"Those burns sure represent that better change," Mavado sarcastically remarked. "Now let's be done with this."

Mavado kicked upward, the tip of his metal boot clipping Kabal's jaw which gave him ample time to recover. Mavado then ran in with an attack of his sabre sword but Kabal parried the attack with his hook sword before hitting Mavado with a knee which pushed him back.

"You made an unwise choice in occupation after leaving the Black Dragon," Mavado told Kabal as he circled him. "You could've truly run away from everything. But no, you'll still fall like the other Black Dragon fools whether former or not."

"This is the best way to make up for all my mistakes," Kabal believed genuinely. "You're under arrest, Mavado."

"And you're about to be buried six feet under," Mavado threatened. "Time to die!"

As the huge battle at the Sky Temple raged on, Shinnok found himself a fair distance away after Raiden had pushed him into a hillside near the tower. Shinnok sneered before punching Raiden with his fist that he amplified with his dark magic, sending the Thunder God literally flying back. Fujin soon came in, having followed the two by walking along the air itself.

"Stay away, Fujin," Shinnok advised. "You've seen what I've done to other Elemental Gods before… and what I just did to your own brother."

"All reasons why I will try to stop you," Fujin said confidently as he drew his crossbow and blasted several shots with Shinnok creating a forcefield to absorb all the magical arrows shot his way.

"Try," Shinnok pointed out a word that was key to him. "You shall try all you like… but trying doesn't always equal success."

"Well I shall try to succeed!" Fujin replied as he flew in with a flying kick but Shinnok grabbed his foot, twisted it, then hurled him across the field.

"Try harder," he remarked to himself as he watched a distant Fujin crash into the earth thanks to his own doing.

"Fujin!" Raiden yelled as he caught what had happened while recovering from his own beating from Shinnok moments ago. "Enough of you, Shinnok!"

"Fool!" Shinnok insulted as he made a forcefield to absorb oncoming lightning blasts in the very same way he absorbed Fujin's arrows. "You cannot possibly defeat me!"

"I have before!" Raiden reminded him. "I will do it again!"

"You defeated a being who was abandoned by his fellow kind!" Shinnok claimed as he angrily dwelled on the past. "I was forced to retreat to this realm. My attempt to conquer it was one I did with a lack of preparations and all by myself… yet you still had to resort to everything just to imprison me temporarily."

"I have grown too, Shinnok," Raiden informed him. "Let me show you."

"Try it," Shinnok challenged. "I dare you."

Raiden summoned his staff and flew at Shinnok, both their staff weapons colliding as they both defied gravity. Shinnok broke the struggle of even strength by kicking Raiden in the knee, pushing him down a bit. Now slightly above him in the air, Shinnok raised his Amulet Staff above his head before slamming it down on Raiden's, beating his hat off of him in the process. Raiden tried to fly up in order to counter this assault but Shinnok spun his weapon around so that the spiky tips of the Amulet Staff were facing Raiden before plunging it into his chest as he rose up.

"Fall!" Shinnok screamed as he rammed the Amulet Staff deeper into Raiden's body before grappling him and flying down, seeking to crash him into the ground.

Raiden tried to fight this attempt despite the agony he was undergoing. Raiden swung desperate blows into Shinnok's body to try and get him off of him but the Dark Lord simply ignored the efforts. Raiden then paused and continued to allow Shinnok to push him down to the ever growing closer ground where their fellow Gods fought the Demon hordes. Shinnok laughed as he believed Raiden had finally given up and that soon he would have finally defeated the Protector God of Earthrealm after so long.

Raiden had actually taken the time to charge a lethal lightning attack and suddenly executed it by grabbing Shinnok and unleashing a powerful shock that inflicted damage across Shinnok's entire body. Shinnok yelled out in agony and abandoned his plans by launching Raiden across the field to stop him from shocking him further. Raiden was thrown by such a distance that he ended up crashing through the roof of the Jinsei Chamber that protruded outside the Sky Temple's mostly cylinder shape.

Shinnok went to glide his way down into the hole made from the impact of him recklessly launching Raiden into the Jinsei Chamber roof. Before he could, however, Fujin returned to challenge Shinnok once more. Charging in from behind, Fujin plunged his sword called the Kusanagi no Tsurugi into Shinnok's back. Shinnok turned around, sword still lodged into his back, with a furious look on his face as he pointed his Amulet on his Staff at Fujin before blasting him with it in order to once again launch him away for the moment. After dealing with Fujin again, Shinnok hovered down into the Jinsei Chamber through the opening he himself had created during the conflict.

"What a nice find," Shinnok said with a sly smirk as he examined the Jinsei itself.

The Jinsei essence stood unharmed in the centre of the formerly well protected Chamber. It glowed a bright blue as a liquid like energy surrounded the magical sphere that had existed since the dawn of the realms. Surrounding the Jinsei were statues crafted by the Thunder God himself that depicted the tale of the creation of all the realms. Shinnok took great pleasure in sending a massive blast from his Amulet that destroyed the statues of his fellow Elder Gods, a sign of things to come.

"Lord Shinnok?" came Quan Chi's voice as he and a few of his guards entered the Jinsei Chamber after hearing all the ruckus.

"The Jinsei is mine, Quan Chi," Shinnok stated as he pointed to the Jinsei essence.

"Indeed it is, Lord Shinnok," Quan Chi replied as he kicked Raiden while he tried to recover from his fight with Shinnok himself.

"There is just one last thing…" Shinnok said as he gestured for Quan Chi to come forth.

"Yes, Lord Shinnok?" Quan Chi asked as he stepped forward and bowed.

Suddenly, Shinnok threw his Amulet Staff to the side and grabbed Quan Chi by the throat with both of his hands. He began strangling the sorcerer as he picked him up, causing his real Amulet to fall from the string of cloth that Quan Chi had worn to conceal his position as his master's true artifact. Shinnok threw Quan Chi to the floor in order to pick his Amulet up from the ground.

"Sh-Shinnok…" Quan Chi uttered as he struggled to catch his breath after being throttled. "This is… is a misunderstanding! You see… see… I would never! I would never betray you!"

"I thought so myself," Shinnok admitted as he admired the real Amulet. "But then you dropped that map of yours… one of the many gifts I had given you. It showed that my Amulet wasn't actually in my possession."

"I…" Quan Chi tried to come up with another excuse but he had nothing.

"After so long working for me I had thought you'd realise that I cannot be overthrown," Shinnok told him as he pointed the Amulet at the sorcerer while he stood up. "It is a shame that you were far more foolish than I once thought."

"This won't happen again!" Quan Chi promised. "Please, Shinnok!"

"Farewell, Quan Chi," Shinnok said his farewells before blasting a beam from his Amulet that was even more powerful than the already deadly replica that Quan Chi had forged for him. It travelled so fast that the sorcerer had no time to react and soon he was turned into a corpse with a hole where his cold heart once resided.

"Such a shame," Shinnok said as he shook his head at the sight of the remains of Quan Chi. "You guards, return to the Netherrealm at once! Make sure that when Quan Chi reforms, he shall be placed within my dungeons for all eternity!"

The Demon guards were struck with shock and were unable to muster a response to their ruler immediately as they stared at Quan Chi's remains in horror. One of the many guards finally stepped forth and knelt before the presence of Shinnok.

"We shall leave at once, Lord Shinnok," the kneeling guard assured the Dark Lord before they and the others hurried off to do his bidding.

"Now…" Shinnok's attention returned to Raiden. "Watch as my very own creation corrupts your world's life force."

"No!" Raiden yelled as he tried to stand but a skeletal hand emerged from the floor and grabbed Raiden before shaking him wildly, an ability that the Dark Lord possessed though used much less often than his daughter.

As Raiden was thrashed about by the magical bony hand, he watched in terror as Shinnok reached his hand into the pure essence of the Jinsei. In mere seconds Shinnok's corruption spread, the beautiful blue juice that flowed soon turned into a threatening red as the tainted essences effect ended up spreading to the sky all over the realm. There was no way the secrets that Raiden had been protecting most of Earthrealm from for so long could be hidden now as the red sky engulfed all. Death of all Earthrealm life could soon follow if nobody stops Shinnok. Now Raiden truly felt defeated.

"I would let you watch the demise of your own realm," Shinnok stated his awful intentions, "but I cannot risk letting you live here any longer."

The hand that was restraining the beaten Raiden held the Thunder God in place as Shinnok aimed his Amulet right at the head of him. Shinnok smiled as he charged the next beam of energy as he told Raiden:

"The end has just begun."