Final Confrontation

by Jcarlton

Stories that start before the first MK movie and then pick up after it ended. The world holds surprises for the kombatants once they return from Shang Tsung's island, and some adversaries refuse to stay dead. Note that MK Annihilation never happened.

8. Final Confrontation 8

During the ninth tournament, the enthusiastic screams from the large crowd brought back many memories, most of them bad. Sheeva closed her eyes in an effort to force the memories to return into the dark abyss of her conscience from where they had emerged. She stood quietly outside the immediate perimeter of the large ring, watching the occurrences inside of the circle even though she wasn't even remotely interested in them. The howls and cheers still reverberated clearly in her head as she shut out the images of the battle, or what some would call the slaughter, which took place in the ring...

Fighting her recollections of the past, Sheeva grudgingly saw herself at the tender age of half a century. It was then that she was orphaned. It was then that agents acting on behalf of the Prince of Shokan had burst into her parents' cave looking for what they believed were insurgents. She first recalled how the fire that had been started by her father in the cave was creating dancing shadows on the natural walls since it was nighttime. She had tried to fight. But an inexperienced female Shokanite who still had decades to grow before reaching maturity proved to be no match for the first agent who arrived close enough to lunge at her father. Less than six feet tall and weighing about 200 pounds, she had foolishly tried to restrain him the only way she knew how, by wrapping all four arms around his upper back from behind. The eight-foot tall giant had barely felt her weight pressed against him since he was so adamant on reaching her father instead. Hearing her cry out in fear probably indicated to him that he was facing resistance before he even felt her pathetic attempts to pull him backwards. The lead Shokanite stopped for a split second as his comrades ran past him to ensure that the wanted betrayers did not escape. He then reached behind him with his upper right hand and firmly wrapped his three large fingers around her throat. She instantly felt his hand as it nearly crushed her windpipe. The stark terror of not being able to breath lasted for only an instant, but it felt more like minutes from Sheeva's point of view. She did not have to worry about it much since she next felt herself being hurled from the giant's back towards the cavern wall thirty steps away. She must have screamed again, though she didn't hear herself, before she slammed into the stone obstacle.

Green blood erupted from her face as she stumbled and then fell down on her knees, feeling dizzy. Turning around on her knees and looking up, she saw three Shokanites punching and kicking her father mercilessly as he lay motionless on the ground, probably unconscious. At the same time, two other Shokanites were busy beating her mother. The dim light from the fire was enough for her to see her mother's neck snap sharply in the wrong direction as she received a brutal roundhouse punch from one of her attackers' upper arms. She knew at that instant that her mother was dead. Gasping, Sheeva turned her attention back to her father, though afraid of what she might see. He was lying in a pool of his own blood as the three Shokanites had finally stopped their onslaught against him. One of his assailants then calmly withdrew a spear which was shorter than him. He pointed the tip of the spear downward, just a few inches away from the back of her father's head. Sheeva wanted to scream again. She opened her mouth, but no sound came forth. She was still mute when she saw a yellow bolt shooting out of the spear's tip. Her father's head exploded upon impact with the bolt and his body remained on the ground, quivering involuntarily for a few moments before stopping forever.

"Let this be a warning for all who dare defy our great prince Goro", the head Shokanite announced to no one in particular in as proud a manner as possible.

Sheeva next felt all ten eyes boring towards her. She was still down on her knees and staring at the two corpses which used to be her parents as the five Shokanites approached. Her face wound still bled profusely, sending blood running down her cheeks until the result was an increasing amount of green stains on the ground next other knees. She didn't think of standing up as the larger intruders advanced.

"And you!", the head Shokanite angrily pointed at her, his red eyes glowing brightly in the darkness, "How dare you try to interfere?".

She looked up into their faces in a clockwise motion as they formed a semi-circle around her.

"We were to leave you be", the head Shokanite went on, "But that was before you forced us to make an example out of you".

Grabbing her upper left arm, one of the giants pulled her up to her feet.

"Bring her!", the head Shokanite pointed towards the fire that still lit the inside of the cave.

Two Shokanites, one on each side, quietly delivered her towards the burning pile of wood as the heat from it became more intense the closer they got.

"Do not worry", the head Shokanite gave a sadistic smile, "Burns heal with time".

Sheeva's eyes widened when she finally realized what the giants had in mind. She shrieked and tried to pull back, but her efforts were nowhere near what was needed to counter the pull of the two Shokanites. Once next to the blaze, the intruder on her left gripped her left upper elbow and made eye contact with the Shokanite on her right, nonverbally telling him to retain a strong grip on the young female. The next thing Sheeva felt was intense pain as she saw her left upper forearm being thrust into the flame. She screamed again...

Sheeva opened her eyes wide while the recall of her past scream as a youngster blended with the present screams from the crowd. She did not know why she had remembered the night of her parents' death again, perhaps it was because she was currently watching the Prince of Shokan in the ring. It was the same prince who had ordered her parents' death when she was such a vulnerable Shokanite.

Though life had been hard, she was obviously not the same female she had been on that painful night two centuries ago. Sheeva now stood strong at over seven feet tall and weighing more than 300 pounds of muscle. Despite her physique, she knew she still would not be able to beat Goro in a fair fight, nor did she have the desire to. Thoughts of revenge had quickly left her mind after she discovered that her parents had expressed doubt about Goro's ability to rule the realm of Shokan along with his new human ally. Such disrespect simply could not be tolerated and she now understood why her parents had to be killed.

After all, she told herself, Goro was the prince and it was the duty of every Shokanite to give him total allegiance. She just wished the humans from the realm of Earth would finally accept the Shokan prince's natural superiority instead of trying to fight him every generation. Ever since she could remember, the tournament of Mortal Kombat had pitted some brave, or possibly crazy, human warriors against Goro and the result was always the same. It was inconceivable to think that the humans detested Goro that much, but yet they did. Sheeva had heard that, at the present time, a conflict had just taken place in the realm of Earth and that was the reason why two of the remaining Earth fighters did not like the third one very much. Despite their differences, however, all three warriors had decided to work together against the ruling champion of Mortal Kombat.

Sheeva chuckled to herself thinking of the pathetic resistance most humans would put up once in the ring with the Prince of Pain. As the fighting in the circle raged on, she tried to imagine how much of a damage these humans could inflict if they wanted to hurt each other. The war that had taken place in the Earth realm could not have been very brutal, or else the three humans she was looking at would not have allied against Goro. She recalled that, in Earth time, the year was 1946 and the three human warriors came from different backgrounds. Before the match, she remembered being told that Schultz was born in a country called Germany while Louis was from another country called France. Both Schultz and Louis were of average height and built when it came to human standards, but the third, Arkin, was bigger. He was apparently from the island of Australia and his appearance was somewhat of a surprise when Sheeva had seen him for the first time. Arkin was almost as tall as she was and fairly muscular. It was this seven-foot tall human who was now in the ring against Goro while Schultz and Louis watched from the sidelines like her.

Despite Arkin's relatively large physique when it came to comparing him to other humans, he still appeared to be a dwarf next to Goro. At the current time, the battle was not going well for the Australian, not that it was a surprise for anyone watching. Goro swung his upper left arm and his massive fist crashed into Arkin's face, breaking the human's jaw before he fell on the floor, exhausted and beaten. The crowd which consisted of Shokanites and Shang Tsung's human servants grew wilder as Arkin wasn't able to stand back up.

Turning her head towards the left, Sheeva caught a glimpse of Rayden, the protector of the realm of Earth. She found herself being thankful that she didn't have his responsibilities since his mission was doomed to fail no matter how hard he tried to train his fighters. The deity was dressed in white, as usual, and still wore a straw hat as he pressed his jaw shut. He was obviously disappointed at the result. Turning her head towards the right, Sheeva then stared at Shang Tsung, seated on his throne with a slight grimace on his face and anxiously waiting to own the soul of Goro's latest victim.

Goro bent down and gripped Arkin's throat with his upper right hand. He then easily lifted the human back up to a standing position. No one in the audience knew what the Shokan prince was planning for a moment, but his intentions soon became clear. Goro lifted his own head up and backwards, getting ready to crash his forehead into the human's dazed face. In Arkin's current condition, the headbutt would've almost surely meant his death, and that was the whole point. The crowd quieted down, waiting to cheer loudly as soon as the death blow was delivered, and Shang Tsung impatiently stared at his prize pupil, awaiting Arkin's soul.

Before Goro was able to deliver the headbutt, a scream emanated from just outside the ring. Louis, the warrior from France, bolted into the ring in a desperate effort to save Arkin's life. Such interference was expressly forbidden in the tournament and everyone involved knew it.

"No!", Rayden exclaimed as he saw one of his fighters rushing into the circle.

"Don't!", Schultz also raised his voice, trying unsuccessfully to restrain Louis from behind.

The deity's and the German fighter's caution was for a good reason because Louis was met in the ring by three of Shang Tsung's servants who also rushed in when they saw his actions. The three servants were armed with simple metal spears while Louis was unarmed. The human from Earth was a handful of yards away from Goro when the three servants collided with him. He swung with a left fist, his knuckles slamming hard into the jaw of the left-most servant. His opponent, though dazed, did not lose the grip on the spear. The next scene Louis saw was all three of his adversaries reacting as one. They pushed forward with their spears, each aimed into the same target area of his midsection. The French fighter crashed down on his knees as he looked at the three spears that had entered through his stomach and then exited out of his lower back. He spit out blood before falling on his right side dead. A pool of blood gathered around him as Schultz watched in horror, though knowing he could not interfere either.

"Enough interruptions!", Shang Tsung spoke up from his throne, addressing Goro, "Finish him!".

Goro grunted and swung his head forward. His forehead crashed into Arkin's face and an explosion of blood followed. Goro then released the human's neck and Arkin's lifeless body fell on the floor a short distance away from Louis. The crowd went wild again as Shang Tsung stood up. The sorcerer raised his right forearm as he fixed his gaze on the bodies of both Arkin and Louis.

"Both your souls are mine", he hissed.

Sheeva saw Arkin's and Louis' corpses glowing red before the sorcerer forced their soul out of them. Everyone in the audience witnessed Shang Tsung pulling at the two helpless souls through the air before both souls flew towards him and each entered one of his eyes. The sorcerer raised his arms, feeling more powerful than ever. Amid the screams and cheers of Goro's name, Sheeva calmly looked at Schultz. The German fighter was the last surviving human in this ninth Mortal Kombat. He was next against Goro.

Schultz seemed to be calm when Rayden ushered him away from the ring and the dispersing crowd. Sheeva kept watching him intently, mainly because she had nothing else to do on Shang Tsung's island. She thought to herself that Schultz must've been nervous at best and scared nearly to death at worst, but the German fighter was probably a good actor. The female Shokanite eyed the pair until the deity led the human away from the main room and into an adjacent hallway. Rayden had rested his right arm around Schultz's shoulders as the two whispered about their future plans. The last thing Sheeva saw before they both disappeared around a corner was the human warrior rubbing his own forehead hard with his right hand. She told herself that she was right, the human was scared.

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The last match was a few short hours later. On an official basis, it was not supposed to be the last fight of the tournament, for if Schultz had emerged victorious against Goro, then he would be scheduled to meet the demon sorcerer Shang Tsung in single combat next. But on an unofficial basis, everyone watching knew the tiny human did not stand a chance against the Shokanite. Schultz was already in the ring, his back turned to the inside of the circle as he had gripped the rope surrounding the circle and was bent down so his forehead nearly touched his knuckles. Rayden stood quietly a short distance away as the last human fighter seemed to be trying to devote his entire concentration to the task at hand.

Sheeva spent quite some time wondering about what was going through Schultz's mind at the moment when the moderate cheers from the crowd indicated the arrival of his opponent. She knew the only way to know for sure would've been to walk up to the human and talk to him, perhaps like a commander in a war talking to his or her troops right before a suicide mission. She only considered the option for a moment before dismissing it. Shokanites did not take kindly to seeing a member of their race associating with a member of an inferior people. The ludicrous idea was forgotten just as the cheers from the crowd suddenly increased by a factor of ten.

"GORO! GORO! GOROOOO!" was all she heard from the high-spirited audience.

The eight and a half-foot tall Prince of Pain made his appearance as he slowly marched towards the ring, raising all four of his arms towards the ceiling. An ear-splitting scream followed from Goro as his voice single-handedly managed to draw out the shouts and cheers of the dozens of humans and Shokanites in the audience. Almost everyone was screaming at the moment. In fact, it appeared as if the only quiet beings in the area were Schultz, Rayden, Sheeva and Shang Tsung, who watched the course of the scheduled battle from several steps away. Schultz stood up straight and turned around, an eerie calmness having taken over his facial expression. He saw the huge Shokanite champion as that one entered the circle and stood on the side opposite his own. Turning his head towards Rayden, the human kombatant and the deity bowed to each other in mutual respect before he walked into the middle of the large ring. Goro's menacing eyes seemed to drill into Schultz's face. In many other situations, such a stare from a much larger opponent would've been enough to destroy the confidence and spirit of a fighter, but the human's peacefulness did not falter.

"Begin!", the demon sorcerer declared from his throne.

Goro grunted and was able to take one step forward towards the middle of the ring before Schultz unexpectedly yelled a battle cry and flew into the air to meet him first. The human's extended leg crashed into the Shokanite's stomach hard and sent Goro staggering backwards before he was stopped bluntly by the ropes from behind. Still on his feet and not even dazed, the Prince of Pain swung with his upper right arm as he saw the human landing on his feet. Schultz ducked and Goro's fist met air as the roar from the crowd rang in both fighters' ears. The human quickly stood up and delivered a punch with his right fist directed into the same spot of Goro's stomach where his foot had impacted a moment ago. The tiny human put all his energy into his right arm, but the Shokanite barely even felt the blow. Before Schultz was even able to withdraw his right arm, the Prince of Pain swung with his upper left arm and the human was now unable to react in time. Goro's fist collided with his opponent's head and sent the human staggering backwards before he lost his balance and fell down on his hands and knees.

The crowd roared louder as Sheeva quietly stared at the damaged human in the center of the ring. If her race wasn't a sworn enemy of his, she might have actually felt sorry for him. Goro marched towards his downed opponent, expecting to finish the fight with a second blow. Contrary to his and everyone else's belief, Shultz managed to shakily stand back up. From three steps away, the human rushed forward and drove his lowered shoulder into the Shokanite's stomach, stopping the Prince's walk, though again without being able to hurt him. Annoyed at his adversary's resilience, Goro tried to swing with his upper right fist again, only to realize that the human was still the faster of the two. Shultz stepped away from him and swung to his own left, kicking out with his right leg. His right foot was solidly planted into the Shokanite's stomach and actually managed to force his opponent to bend down under the impact. The human took advantage of Goro's lowered position and delivered a high roundhouse punch into the Shokanite's head. The back of the German fighter's knuckles met his opponent's jaw and sharply snapped Goro's head in one direction.

Unfortunately for the human, the four-armed reigning champion was still unhurt. Goro quickly managed to stand back up to his full height before sending yet another fist towards his adversary's head. The three giant fingers on his fist bluntly punched Schultz in the face area, since the size of the Shokanite's fist were large enough to allow him to not have to worry about the accuracy of his hits. Blood erupted from the young human's nose and mouth as he felt his teeth shattering under the impact. The last remaining human of the ninth Mortal Kombat fell down on the floor and landed hard on his back. He could barely stay conscious as he looked up and saw Goro raising his four arms into the air and crying out in victory. Schultz couldn't hear anything by that moment. He saw his opponent and the audience members yelling out, but no sounds registered in his ears.

Seeing that his puny opponent was still alive on the floor, Goro then lowered his arms and hissed as he looked down at the last defeated human. Shang Tsung slowly stood from his throne amid the cheers and pointed at the Shokanite prince.

"Finish him!", the sorcerer ordered.

Goro opened his mouth and gave a scream that shook the walls and easily drowned out everyone else's voice. The members of the audience calmed down when they realized the fury that had engulfed the Prince of Pain. Goro jumped up and towards the direction on the floor where the human lay helplessly. His 550 pound body landed feet-first on Schultz's stomach and chest. Pints of blood erupted from the human's head and torso as he was instantly crushed under the Shokanite's weight. The crowd roared in approval again as Shang Tsung proceeded to take the human's soul like he had done a countless number of times before.

Goro next proceeded to step off the bloody cadaver which used to be Schultz, raised his arms into the air and roared in victory again. Sheeva wondered why he was cheering so much. She reasoned that, after all, the human was much braver coming into this fight than Goro had been. So she couldn't understand why the Shokanite felt so proud of himself for killing someone who was half his size. She next looked in the direction where Rayden stood silently. She thought that the expression on his face would have to be described as disappointment again, and perhaps sorrow for the pain that the humans under his guidance had suffered.

The crowd slowly dispersed. The ninth Mortal Kombat was over. Goro walked out of the ring, heading towards his private quarters on the island. Before exiting the area, he turned to Rayden and pointed towards the deity with one of his left upper fingers.

"Better luck next time, god!", the Prince of Pain spoke up with clear sarcasm in his voice.

The reigning champion made the remark in a loud enough manner so everyone in the area would hear him. Rayden did not respond. He only returned the Shokanite's glance as Shang Tsung addressed the deity in his own turn, though using icy politeness rather than sarcasm.

"He speaks the truth, lord Rayden", the sorcerer remarked, "You only have one more tournament to go. And then...".

Shang Tsung did not bother to finish his statement. Everyone in the audience already knew the consequences of losing ten Mortal Kombats in a row.

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Half a century after the ninth Mortal Kombat tournament, Sheeva found herself in the only realm she could ever call home, which was the realm of Shokan. She and many other Shokanites had known of the occurrences of the tenth tournament, she had even considered asking the sorcerer Shang Tsung to watch it on his island. In the end, though, she had decided against the idea. All the previous tournaments had been the same, with new warriors coming from Earth, being led by the deity called Rayden and then being destroyed by Goro. Being honest to herself, she realized that the tournament was boring her, so she had made up her mind to stay in her home realm with the others this time.

She couldn't totally remember what was on her mind when the news came. She knew where she was, and with whom. She and other Shokanites, both male and female, were readying for the ritual exercises that keep all Shokanites, young and old, in prime condition. The workout consisted of both natural and artificial barriers. An example of the former was to cross the width of the pits which surrounded the civilized nation of Shokan without boarding a floating ship or using a portal. Children as young as thirty years of age were forced to partake in this natural exercise. Simply reaching the other side of the pit and getting out alive took skill since one was sure to encounter a roaming band of mutants three or four times, or perhaps even as often as a dozen times, during the journey. One mutant alone was not much of a threat to a Shokanite, since the largest mutant ever encountered was about as large as Sheeva herself. The challenge was that mutants almost always traveled in packs ranging from ten to a hundred members. Every mutant also had a pair of razor-sharp blades, one embedded into each forearm, which were about a yard long. Thus, crossing the width of the pit alive was an experience that was sure to hone one's fighting skills, and it was believed that any Shokanite who didn't survive the experience wasn't worthy of the name to begin with.

As she was readying to depart from the others, a well-known eight-foot tall male Shokanite, Bakro, had approached them. Bakro seemed to be confused, as if something was weighing on his mind, though most of the individuals in the group did not notice. As he came closer, his facial expression nonverbally told everyone that he brought bad news. Sheeva noticed everyone quieting down as they finally recognized the solemn look on Bakro's face.

"I... I have just received word from Shang Tsung's island", Bakro started in a shaky voice, "Goro, our Prince, is dead".

Just about everyone in the group gasped simultaneously at the horrifying news. Sheeva could remember that she suddenly felt sick to her stomach and couldn't breath for several instants. Though she could not verbally answer, one of her fellow warriors managed to utter a phrase in response.

"Dead! How?", the Shokanite blurted out, still in shock.

"He was defeated in single combat by one of the last human survivors of the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament", Bakro grimly continued.

Sheeva asked herself how a human could've possibly been strong enough or possess the endurance to kill the Prince of Shokan. The mere thought was inconceivable.

"Impossible!", another Shokanite answered.

"Shang Tsung was killed in the tournament also", Bakro added, "I do not know the details of the battle. But whichever course it followed, the humans were the victors and Goro and Shang Tsung are dead... Emperor Kahn cannot be pleased with us over this, and in the tenth and last tournament of all times".

"Does his brother know?", the same Shokanite asked the messenger.

"No", Bakro stopped, "It is my duty to tell him and I have only arrived here from the island. I am on my way to see him presently".

With those words, Bakro left the group and proceeded towards Kintaro's lair. Goro's younger brother would not be pleased, but it was Bakro's obligation as official emissary to emperor Shao Kahn and his servant Shang Tsung to bring him the news.

Realizing the routine exercises would be canceled in view of the current situation, Sheeva decided to head towards Kintaro's cave also. After Goro, Kintaro was the strongest Shokanite around, easily being Goro's equal. He had agreed to let his brother have the title of Prince of Shokan since Goro was the older of the two, but now that Goro was dead, the realm of Shokan would need a new leader. Kintaro was famous for having a violent temper, but Sheeva was intent on knowing what his first orders would be for her race.

After waiting several minutes to let Bakro bring Kintaro up to date, Sheeva headed towards the home of the one who would most likely be the next leader under emperor Kahn. Once arriving at the entrance of the cave, she heard a roar emanating from inside followed by a loud crash. She recognized the roar as Kintaro's voice and the crash as one of his fists punching the natural wall of the cave. She thought of turning around and leaving, but her curiosity finally got the better of her and she decided to risk going inside. Her eyes needed a few seconds to adjust to the darkness in the cave, but after that, she could see the sharp edges of the rocks on the walls. She proceeded deeper inside towards a fire she could see, hoping she could calm Kintaro down.

It took Sheeva only instants before she ran into the large Shokanite. Ignoring her presence, Kintaro roared again and punched the nearest wall with his right upper fist, loosening several pieces of stone. A few steps away from him lay the lifeless body of Bakro. From the angle of his upper back, Sheeva guessed that Kintaro had broken the messenger's spine in a fit of rage. Despite the evidence of his incessant fury, Sheeva came closer to the Shokanite who was a foot and a half taller and hundreds of pounds heavier than her. Kintaro realized she was approaching him despite his behavior. He must have been impressed since he stopped his violent demeanor.

"Are you our new leader?", she asked him first, disregarding Bakro's body since a mere messenger's death was not a serious loss.

"Yes", Kintaro grunted for a response as he pointed towards Bakro's corpse, "He said the emperor Kahn hand-picked me to be my brother's successor".

There was a brief silence as both Shokanites locked eyes.

"His training was pathetic", Kintaro continued, still pointing at Bakro's body, "All this time with Shang Tsung made him soft. He could not even offer adequate resistance when I attacked him".

"He can be replaced", Sheeva quickly replied about the dead messenger, "What are our priorities?".

"Emperor Kahn wants us to report to the wizard Tsung's island because there is some labor to be done", Kintaro answered, "At least this waste of a Shokanite could remember a lot of messages that were to be delivered".

"When do we leave?", was her next question since she felt confident enough that Kintaro would not attack at the present time if he hadn't already.

"Immediately", the new leader grunted, "And afterwards, I will HAVE MY REVENGE!".

With those words, Kintaro punched the wall again.

"The humans who did this will pay", he then whispered.

"We will not rest until they do", Sheeva agreed in a cold voice.

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The army of more than six thousand Shokanites took a few minutes to arrive at Shang Tsung's island through the many portals that Shao Kahn had created. Once on the deserted island, the first thing Sheeva felt was the cool breeze that had engulfed the place. There was no sign of the previous people who had been there. The servants who were under Shang Tsung were presently reclaimed by emperor Kahn and the Earth realm warriors had already gone back home.

The lady Shokanite wasn't allowed to enjoy the scenery for very long because she was suddenly struck hard in the back of the head. She staggered three steps forward under the strong blow before being able to turn around to face her attacker. She instantly recognized him as one of Kintaro's newly-selected officers. The giant Shokanite pointed at her, his angry facial expression indicating he was not pleased.

"Get to work!", the officer barked at her, "You are not here for amusement!".

Without waiting for a reply from her, he then pointed to his left. Following his direction, Sheeva saw a line of Shokanites as each one carried a single cube of stone, each side of which was about a yard long. Emperor Kahn was dismantling a structure on this island before sending it through the portal to be rebuilt in his own castle.

Sheeva rubbed the back of her head with her upper left hand. It would have been a suicide move to retaliate against the Shokanite who had struck her since resisting an officer was considered an act of treason, which in turn was punishable by death. So she suppressed her urges to charge towards and attack the larger individual. With her eyes locked on him, she grunted and proceeded towards the direction of the workers to pick up and transport her share of the stone through the portal.

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Things were slowly returning to normal in the Earth realm after the failed invasion by the Centaurs. Many people were doing a good job of putting that fateful night when the invasion began and was repelled in approximately seven to eight hours. A few individuals seemed to have forgotten it altogether, as was evident by the emergency that general Marckena of the US Army Special Forces was facing. The general was seated alone in his office, hoping that the actions that had been allowed would not result in dire consequences.

"Dear general", he read the letter out loud to himself for what felt like the thousandth time, "Taking into account the fact that five weeks of negotiations have failed with the terrorists, the president has signed a waiver allowing the US government to use the Army Special Forces in a domestic situation. As you already know, the terrorists are holding 22 hostages and are well-armed. That is why we preferred not to use the local police in the effort to release the hostages by force and are now turning to you. We would appreciate it if you assigned a team from the Army Special Forces to a commander in order to neutralize the city block where the terrorists are barricaded".

General Marckena stopped reading the letter. He set it down on the desk and rubbed his forehead.

"I can't believe he said she was the best he had", he whispered to himself, meaning the colonel who had come from a tour of duty in Hong Kong and advised him, "God! Why couldn't he have given me someone more stable? I hope she doesn't screw up. She better not screw up".

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The machine gun fire reverberated in Sonya's ears as she and four other Special Forces troops ducked behind the burned car. From thirty yards away, three masked men were firing their AK-47's at them without even bothering to take cover. Her blond hair swung wildly from behind her as she twisted her face around to eye each of the four men since it was tied in a tail at the back of her head.

"NUMBER ONE, TAKE THE LEFT, NUMBER TWO, TAKE THE RIGHT!", she yelled to be heard above the sound of the enemies' bullets, "NUMBERS THREE AND FOUR, FOLLOW ME!".

Every other Special Forces member at the scene was armed with an M-16 rifle, but she thought she could do better. Instead, Sonya had left the rifle behind and had replaced it with two 9mm Glocks, one in each hand, as they neared the forsaken block. The police and other emergency crews had withdrawn when the SF vans arrived, giving the soldiers room to attack without having to worry about hitting members of the local authorities.

The rate that the AK-47's were being fired against them was slowing down, indicating to her that the three terrorists were running out of ammunition. Her belief was soon proven correct because two out of the three masked men stopped firing altogether since their weapons were empty. They rushed back inside the first building of the block which was overtaken five weeks ago. The two men whose weapons were useless ran inside first, with the third one lagging a few steps behind them since he wanted to empty his clip on the invaders as well. As the first two men vanished inside, Sonya became the first to lift her head and arms over the hood of the car they were using as cover. The third terrorist saw her and aimed in her direction, hoping to get lucky with the last several bullets in his AK-47. He squeezed the trigger of his weapon as she leveled both pistols towards him. His aim was not accurate since the last bullets from his machine gun punctured the trunk of the car, missing her by several feet.

"TOUGH GUUUUUUUUY!", was her loud response as she squeezed both triggers at once, firing three bullets from each handgun.

All six rounds tore into the terrorist's chest and stomach as he cried out. An explosion of red appeared on his shirt as he lost the grip on his empty weapon and was thrown backwards into the air. His back slammed against the wall of the first building behind him before he slowly slid towards the ground, leaving red streaks on the wall behind him. The five Special Forces soldiers were rushing past him and into the first building before he had even come to rest on the ground.

Following the two gunmen, it didn't take Sonya and the four men following her to reach the inner auditorium of the first building. It was there that intelligence had guessed the hostages were being held. Surely enough, the five troops rushed into the large room and came face-to-face with seven masked terrorists and several hostages. Hurried footsteps were pursuing the five soldiers from a few yards behind. Within seconds, the seven terrorists found themselves confronting five more Special Forces troops who had tailed Sonya and her team. Private Ellison was one the members in the second team as the ten soldiers aimed their M-16's, or in Sonya's case her two Glocks, towards the masked adversaries. Only one terrorist was courageous enough to try to raise his AK-47. His bravery was rewarded by a burst of gunfire from two members of the second team as they shot the lone man in the head and heart. The terrorist shrieked and fell on the floor dead in a pool of blood as some of the hostages screamed. The remaining six terrorists threw their AK-47's on the floor and promptly raised their hands into the air.

"You folks OK?", Sonya asked the hostages as she approached the six masked men with both handguns still trained on them.

As the leader of the attack force, it was her responsibility to find out if any of the hostages needed medical attention. The lack of a response indicated to her that they were unhurt. Three soldiers from behind her rushed ahead and promptly began handcuffing the six men.

"Wait a minute!", one of the soldiers in the first team spoke up, "There were 22 hostages! There are just 14 here. Where are the other eight?".

Sonya quickly surveyed the frightened hostages, confirming the warning in her mind. One of the terrorists who was about to be handcuffed chuckled under his mask. Sonya walked towards him and quickly pulled his mask off, looking into his eyes with an icy stare.

"Our patriots took the eight others", the man laughed, unshaken by her actions, "They all snuck out right from under your noses last week and you didn't even see it! Those hostages will die and their blood will be on your hands".

The terrorist laughed some more, but his delighted facial expression was erased when Sonya lifted one of her Glocks and pointed its muzzle towards his forehead.

"No, it won't", she answered him, "But yours will. Where were the hostages taken?".

"Go to hell", the unmasked man whispered.

It was not the reply Sonya was waiting for, and every moment spent in the building was giving the terrorists who had snuck out more time to kill the hostages they had taken with them. She pulled the trigger of the handgun once and the unmasked terrorist's forehead exploded, staining her face and chest with his blood. Ellison gasped at her actions and some of the hostages screamed again. With the man's body lying on the floor, Sonya ignored the screams and quickly pulled the mask off the head of a second terrorist. The unmasked man returned her cold stare as she pressed the Glock against his forehead in his turn.

"Are you suicidal too? Where are they?", she asked him.

The man gave no answer.

"You have three seconds to answer me", Sonya gave an ultimatum.

The terrorist still gave no answer.

"One... Two...", she calmly counted, locking her eyes with his.

"Three...", she announced.

Without another word, she pulled the trigger again. A bullet ripped through his skull and killed him on the spot as more screams followed from the hostages.

"Lieutenant...", one of the Special Forces troops thought of speaking up as she proceeded to unmask a third terrorist.

Sonya aimed the muzzle of the 9mm handgun between the eyes of the third man. Before she could even make a threat, the man closed his eyes and exclaimed.

"They're at Dawn and Parken avenues!", he blurted out, "There's an abandoned construction sight! They're there!".

"That's three blocks away", Ellison stated.

"You and you, stay and guard them", Sonya hurriedly pointed at two of the nine men with her, "Everyone else, come on".

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The five elusive terrorists at the deserted construction sight had received a distress signal over the radio from their comrades. Realizing that they were being attacked by the government, they had marched the eight hostages into a large and empty tool shack. Once inside, one masked individual stood with his back against the only door as he held on to his AK-47 to make sure none of the frightened hostages could escape. With that, his four partners rounded up the eight hostages in the middle of the room and forced them to kneel.

"No, please...", the first man begged with tears in his eyes as he looked up at the leader of the five armed radicals.

Since he was closest to the terrorist, his masked executioner overlooked his pleas for mercy and fired several rounds from an AK-47 into his chest. The first hostage thus fell over as the other seven screamed out of fear. Ignoring the distractions, the same terrorist aimed his AK-47 into the chest of the second-nearest hostage and fired half a dozen rounds into that young man's chest also. He aimed his machine gun at a third hostage, intending to put that one to death also, when gunfire erupted from outside. The masked man who was standing with his back to the door was shot by bullets which pierced the wooden door from outside before finding their mark in his upper and lower back. He screamed and tried to turn around in order to face his unknown assailants, but he fell down on his stomach and died before he was able to.

Sonya kicked the bullet-ridden door open from the outside as she held both Glocks at arm's length in front of her chin. Feeling surprised, the masked executioner who had killed the first two hostages pulled the trigger of his AK-47 as the weapon was still aimed at the third hostage. The third hostage screamed as over a dozen bullets tore into his body. The terrorist then lifted the machine gun in an effort to aim it at the blond who had killed one of his men. Unfortunately for him, Sonya already had both pistols pointed at his chest.

"DIE!", she yelled out before pulling each trigger five times in rapid succession.

The first two 9mm bullets entered the executioner's heart and killed him instantly. Eight more bullets entered his chest before his lifeless body was able to fall on the ground, causing his torso to explode in a bloody mess under the firepower. Two of the remaining masked men leveled their machine guns at the intruders also, only to be cut down by rifles from the seven Special Forces troops who followed their lieutenant. The last surviving terrorist lifted a living hostage in front of him, pressing the muzzle of his AK-47 into the man's stomach.

"I'll kill him! Don't come any closer!", the masked survivor blurted out, "All I want is to get out. I'll let him live if I'm allowed safe passage out of here".

Sonya lowered both pistols by her sides.

"Lower the peices, guys", she ordered to the seven men with her attention still fixed on the lone terrorist ahead.

The soldiers obeyed, pointing the muzzle of the M-16 rifles towards the ground. With that, Sonya then raised her right arm, thus leveling the right Glock pistol in front of her face and taking aim at the target.

"I don't think so", she calmly let the terrorist know before she pulled the trigger once.

A single bullet shot out of the handgun and entered the left side of the man's forehead. Pieces of bone and parts of his brain flew out of the back of his head amid an explosion of blood. The last terrorist fell down without being able to use his AK-47 as his hostage remained unhurt.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Private Ellison had found some time to be alone with his supervising officer when the situation with the hostages was over. The local police was already busy clearing the scene and maintaining order, so the members of the Special Forces were not needed any more. Ellison had a problem with lieutenant Blade's behavior ever since she was assigned to be his boss after the mess with the Centaurs was finished, but, according to him, she had crossed the line today. The fact that she was now relaxed, wearing her usual shorts and untucked T-shirt only aggravated him more.

"I saved five lives", Sonya repeated as she realized she was defending her actions to someone whom she outranked, "It might've been eight if the first guy had talked instead of the third one".

"We don't do things like that, lieutenant!", Ellison kept objecting, "Goddamnit, you executed those two people!".

"And your point is?", she locked eyes with him, her calm face enervating him.

Ellison remained silent, feeling unsure as to how he should respond when she saw nothing wrong with her actions. Sonya's glare into his face remained steady while her hair was now untied and flowing free around her shoulders.

"Look", she broke the silence, "If you wanna leave and go to another platoon, just give me the transfer papers tomorrow. I'll be happy to sign it and you won't have to have me as your leader. Do you want to leave my platoon?".

Still no response from Ellison.

"Well?", she pressed.

"No", he finally answered, "But what you did was still wrong".

This time, it was Sonya who didn't have an reply. She couldn't have one. She would've found her actions detestable if she had seen someone else doing them just a short while ago, before the Centaur invasion had taken place. Fortunately for her, she didn't have to come up with a response because her former supervisor from Hong Kong, colonel Shabvey, opened the door to the room from outside. Ellison turned around and saluted at once when he saw the rank of the officer who had entered the room.

"At ease, soldier", Shabvey returned the salute.

"What can I do for you, sir?", Ellison relaxed a little, but not much.

"For starters, you can take the rest of today off", the colonel told him, "It's been a long day for everyone. I need to talk to the lieutenant here. You go home and relax".

"Thank you, sir", Ellison gave another formal salute and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"What's going on?", Sonya crossed her arms in front of her chest when the two of them were alone in the room.

"What's going on is, we read the reports of your actions earlier on today when you found out eight hostages were missing", Shabvey informed her.

"So?", she questioned, still giving him an icy look.

"Needless to say, they caused problems", the colonel added.

"Oh. So what are you going to do? Kick me out?", she answered him, indicating she did not care much about his actions, or anyone else's, "Go right ahead. It's not like I'm dying to keep this job".

The colonel only replied with a facial expression, one where he looked sad.

"I wasn't supposed to be alone anyway. That wasn't the plan", she continued.

She was referring to Scott and how they were both supposed to serve together, although she didn't know, or care, if the colonel knew that. Shabvey, though, still remembered her actions on the boat during the Centaur invasion when Motaro's soldiers had pushed the boat with him in it into the middle of a lake. Sonya had saved the life of everyone on board then, and he knew it well.

"I'm not kicking you out, but...", his response was interrupted.

"What's going on, colonel?", she lowered her arms and approached him, bringing her face to within inches of his, "You used to be good at that. You're softening up".

"There's a hearing scheduled in two hours concerning your actions", he let her know, "I advise you be there to defend yourself. I'll be there also. They shouldn't be so hard on you considering the reasons for your actions".

An uneasy silence followed since she didn't respond and he didn't add anything else. Only the constant eye contact remained between them. The colonel wanted desperately to say something to break the ice. He wanted to tell her that he had been wrong back in Hong Kong when she wanted to go after Kano and also when he recommended that she be given a dishonorable discharge for disobeying him. He also wanted to say that he hated to see an excellent soldier such as herself being overcome by the stress. He could easily see the burned expression in her eyes, but especially now that her face was so close to his. On top of that, he also wanted to inform her that he knew she had been bearing a tremendous heartbreak ever since the Centaur invasion, a heartbreak that she hasn't been able to deal with so far. Colonel Shabvey was worried because he could recognize the burned look in her eyes. It was the same look he had seen in the eyes of a previous soldier under his command several years ago. That soldier had ended up going AWOL one day. His body was found the next morning in a forest because he had put his service pistol into his own mouth before pulling the trigger. Shabvey couldn't find the right words to even begin saying all that was on his mind at that time. He simply nodded, turned around and walked out of the room, wishing there was more he could do for his lieutenant.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Lieutenant Blade", the three-star general woke her up from the daydream as he called out her name during the hearing.

Sonya's eyes popped open before she looked around the room. The three-star general was seated at a desk ten steps ahead of the table around which she was seated herself. A pair of two-star generals sat next to the one who had called her name. Turning her head to the left, Sonya saw major Jackson Briggs sitting next to her and colonel Shabvey sitting to the left of the major at the same table. All five men were dressed in full military uniform while she was still wearing her shorts and T-shirt. She thought that looked very strange and began laughing about it, thus receiving stares from everyone else.

"Yes, what is it?", she finally stopped laughing and asked why the general announced her name.

"Do you have anything to say on your behalf?", the three-star general politely asked.

"About what?", she answered his question with a question of her own.

"About your actions earlier on today, lieutenant", the general seemed annoyed.

"I'm tired. I wanna go home", she only replied, still feeling dazed.

The three-star general exchanged looks with his two-star counterparts and only got confused stares from them.

"Well", he then proceeded, "After what I've hear from the major and the colonel on your behalf, and also since your actions were to save the lives of the remaining eight hostages, I think I can let this matter go with some mandatory counseling with a psychologist who your superiors approve of. Your rank and pay will not be lowered and that will be the end of the matter. Is that acceptable with you?".

"Sure thing", she extended both raised thumbs in front of her chest, "Can I go now?".

"Yes", the general sighed.

"Great!", Sonya jumped out of her seat and quickly walked towards the exit door.

"Lieutenant", major Briggs called out, following her outside.

She paid no attention to him.

"Lieutenant!", Jax called out again, this time louder as they were already in the hallway.

Still no response from her. She only kept walking away from him.

"Sonya!", the major almost yelled, finally getting her attention.

She turned around and waited for him as he ran to catch up until he reached her.

"Yes?", she asked him, giving a tired smile.

"Where you going?", he questioned in a softer tone of voice since they were next to each other by then.

"I'm going to the bar", she turned and started walking away again, "Gotta get me some beer".

"Are you going to tell this counselor or whomever about the killings in the raid?", he pressed, still following her.

"I have to, don't I?", she replied.

"It's for your own good", Jax said.

"Yeah, right".

"It is", he continued, "And since when do you drink?".

"Since a while ago, boss", she turned around as she emphasized his rank, indicating that the only reason she was talking to him was because it was her duty to do so, "And it's none of your goddamn business what I do with my free time. And this is my free time, right?".

"Yes", Jax had to admit, "You're not to report to duty until tomorrow morning".

"Great, so buzz off!", she told to his face with more anger, "I'll be on time and ready tomorrow morning. That's all I owe you. I don't have to listen to a lecture until then".

Jax stopped following and let her walk away. He stood still in the hallway, watching her from behind until she disappeared. He told himself that Sonya was acting strange, even for her. He had to think of what to do about it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The beer always seemed to taste better after the second bottle. Two empty bottles rested on the table as Sonya was in the middle of guzzling a third one while a fourth full bottle was still unopened a few inches away. It had been a process over the last several months where she'd stay alert and sober while on duty, take in all the emotional pain of the job and then rush to the bar to forget every last detail of it. All the killing just didn't matter once she was drunk. She realized that she'd have to face reality again the next morning, but at least this way, a fraction of her days was spent without anguish. She just didn't see any point in staying brisk when not on duty any more, and while at it, she thought there was no point to life in general. Things were always difficult when she had tried to find a meaning to the occurrences around her and also when she had tried to convince herself that she had purpose. But in the end, all the effort on her part and on the parts of many others could only procrastinate the inevitable doom that was destined to swallow up this realm.

There was one time when things appeared bright. Ironically, it was during the night when Motaro's army was decimating the Earth's warrior class. When Scott had told her of plans to get her old rank with the military back, it sounded like the best thing in the world back then. Of course, that was on the assumption that Scott would be there too. She sighed and put the half-empty bottle down on the table when she thought about Scott. She had many plans arranged with the ninja; the ninja who loved her more than life itself. She pointed out that she was thinking the word 'loved', as in the past tense, because he was buried six feet under ground now. Ever since the night of the failed invasion, she had been reminding herself that Scott had been taken from her simply because some four-legged jackass decided he wanted to control two realms instead of one.

Sonya's thoughts were interrupted by an outside voice. She looked up from her seat and recognized Chris despite her blood-shot eyes. The young man whom she had met during the invasion sat next to her. She didn't particularly want to talk to anyone at the time, but as long as Chris had taken the time to come and see her, she reasoned he had a right to stay.

"What can I do for you?", she whispered as she picked up the third bottle and began sipping again.

"Just wanted to see how things were", Chris answered, "So, how are they?".

"Oh, just great. Can't you tell?", she didn't mean to sound sarcastic, but ended up doing so anyway.

"I heard the Special Forces broke up that gang who had taken those hostages today", the young man went on, "Were you there?".

"Yeah, right in the middle of it", she replied before sealing her mouth with the open end of the bottle again.

Sonya put the bottle down again, realizing she was probably being impolite.

"Beer?", she gripped the fourth closed bottle and offered it to her guest.

"No", Chris quickly shook his head, "I'm underage".

"Oh, we can't have that, now can we?", she pushed the bottle away from him.

They made eye contact for a moment before she spoke again.

"So did you come here just to stare at me or what?".

"Just wondering if there's anything I can do", he gave a slight smile.

She looked at him, wondering if that actually was a real smile or a fake and nervous one. She couldn't tell any more, the alcohol was taking affect, which was probably good.

"That's fine, kiddo", Sonya finished the last gulp from the third bottle, "I'm fine, you can go home".

"You're sure?", he was being persistent, she didn't like that.

"Yeah, yeah", she went on, trying not to appear annoyed, "This isn't the right place for you if you're underage anyway".

Either Chris finally got the message or he believed her because he then got up, said good-bye and left.

She didn't know how much time passed before her next visitor. Maybe it was a couple of hours or so. She had been seated still and just staring at the fourth full bottle of beer, which she had opened, from the time of Chris' departure until now. She turned her head away from the bottle and had to stare up at the standing man for several seconds before she recognized him as Johnny Cage.

"Can I join you?", the actor quietly asked.

"Since when do you need my permission?", she replied, turning her stare back towards the fourth bottle.

"What are you doing?", her fellow kombatant asked next as he sat next to her.

"I've been wondering whether I should drink this", she motioned towards the bottle with her head.

"You don't want to", Johnny said, trying to convince her.

Sonya only moaned a bit for a response.

"How many have you had so far?", he then questioned.

"Three", was her quick answer.

"Then don't drink that. You've had more than enough, Sonya", he whispered into her ear.

The actor placed his arm around her shoulders in an effort to sway her away from the bottle.

"Come on, sweetheart, I'll take you home", he added as he stood up, "You should get some sleep".

"OK", she whimpered as she stood up after him.

"That's good", Johnny went on, "You shouldn't drive in this condition anyway".

"Oh, I walked, I didn't drive", she corrected him as she let him lead her outside.

There was a pause as he directed her towards the door.

"It's not like I expected myself to be able to take this shit forever", Sonya pointed out as she had trouble walking, "Every person has a limit and eventually cracks under the pressure, you know".

"I know, I understand", Johnny replied.

The strange part was that he wasn't lying. He really did understand.

The drive to take his fellow kombatant to her home was uneventful, which is to say good. Johnny had used his key to open the door before Sonya was finally able to go inside and crash on her bed. She was asleep almost as soon as her body had hit the mattress. Seeing it, the actor knew there wasn't much more he could for her, at least not on the short run, so he turned around and walked back out, closing the door behind him. He told himself that he was going to have to ask Liu for help in getting Sonya out of the depression that she was trapped in. The White Lotus monk definitely had the desire, and probably the ability, to help one of his contemporary kombatants.

As Johnny gazed at the setting sun, he thought that he'd prefer to visit Liu at the present time rather than be alone anyway. The next scenes for his film weren't going to be ready to be shot for several days, so he had plenty of time on his hands. Though not totally sure of the monk's current whereabouts, the actor had a good idea of where Liu could be. So he hurried to his parked car...

Surely enough, Johnny found a lone person seated on the ground in front of the small artificial waterfall near the end of Claridge avenue. The waterfall had been built three decades ago to serve as a tourist attraction, but an increase in the amount of crime in the several previous years had kept people from enjoying it, especially after sunset. Fear of crime was the reason why no one else could be seen in the streets of the neighborhood where the waterfall was located. Liu was the sole person there since the scenery had captivated him ever since the first time he saw it and this was a spot he always preferred to come to in order to meditate. The lack of citizens around him was even better, since it meant no interruptions during his meditation.

The monk did not turn around or even move when he heard Johnny's vehicle approaching from behind him. The actor stopped the car, got out and casually walked towards Liu, wanting to tell him who the driver was since he was sure the monk did not expect him here. Liu didn't move his head to look up even when the actor reached his left side, so Johnny next sat down next to him and crossed his legs in the same fashion. It was only then that the monk turned his face to the left and noticed who the visitor was.

"Jonathan!", Liu smiled before turning his attention back to the waterfall, "Nice of you to come. Are you here to see me?".

"Well, it ain't the scenery", the actor replied.

"Is something on your mind?", the monk asked next.

"Yeah, Sonya", Johnny got right to the point, "Took her home a short while back since she was drunk. Again".

"She has been worrying me also", the monk went on, still staring straight ahead, "Her pattern of turning to intoxication to deal with her emotional pain is not a healthy one. It could lead to her demise".

"We're the closest to her, right?", the actor faced the White Lotus member, "So it's up to us to pull her out of this".

"I agree", Liu frankly replied.

"So, what're we gonna do?".

"Let us discuss our options elsewhere", the monk said as he swiftly sprang up to his feet.

"Huh?", Johnny was taken by surprise as Liu was suddenly standing up straight.

"We should discuss this elsewhere", the monk repeated, looking down at him, "Unless there is a reason you would prefer to do it here".

"No, I just came here 'cause you were meditating", the actor stood up also, though not quiet as fast.

"The meditation is finished for today", Liu let him know, "Let's go home".

As both men opened the front doors to Johnny's car, the actor noticed an odd object by the side of the front driver's side seat. He gripped it with his right thumb and index finger and had to pull for several instants before it was free. Liu noticed that something had captured the actor's attention, so he waited patiently until Johnny was done inspecting the object.

Unknown to them, a tabloid reporter had planted that sensitive listening device on Johnny's vehicle and was listening in from two miles away by using a headset. The reporter's hope was that he could find some outrageous news about the well-known star which could then be published.

Recognizing the trick, Johnny lifted his left index finger at Liu, indicating he wanted the monk to wait by his car while he walked away. The actor took several steps away from the vehicle while still holding the listening device in his right hand. Once far enough away, he lifted the device to within two inches of his lips and whistled into it in as loud a manner as possible.

The listening device was designed to be delicate enough so that the person listening to it on the other end could hear the slightest whispers. So the reporter who was trying to eavesdrop in an office two miles away almost went deaf before was able to pull the headset away from his ears.

Chuckling, the actor dropped the device on the ground and walked back to his car. The curious look on Liu's face indicated to him that the monk had no idea what just happened and would need to hear his explanation of the events.

"Listening device", Johnny pointed behind him as he got behind the wheel.

"What was it there for?", the monk was curious.

"To get stuff on me", the actor let him know, "But it's done now".

"It was apparently as a whistle that keeps elephants at bay in the middle of a metropolis", Liu settled into the front passenger seat.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Scott could definitely understand how his opponent was considered to be the best ever. The bright white sky of his realm silhouetted Kung Lao's upper body as the Shaolin monk was prancing around as easily as a housecat, making it difficult for the ninja to deliver a clear blow. Richards and Daniel were seated on the flat ground as they half-heartily watched the sparring match between Scott and the original human Mortal Kombat champion. Durak's attention was elsewhere as the Shokanite kept staring into the sky, unsure as to why he felt mesmerized by it at the present time. None of the four humans seemed to notice the Shokanite's gaze for now.

"Don't let down your left arm, don't let down your left arm", Kung Lao quickly advised as he saw Scott's left forearm getting lower, thus leaving the left side of the ninja's torso unprotected.

"Damn", Scott whispered under his breath, realizing he had gotten careless against his opponent, again.

Realizing no permanent injury could be inflicted in the land of the dead, the ninja spun around in a powerful roundhouse kick aimed at Kung Lao's head. The monk with the hat easily ducked, forcing his opponent to miss yet another attempt. The former Mortal Kombat champion stood back up straight before Scott had returned to his fighting stance and smoothly executed a low sweeping kick with his left leg. His left ankle met Scott's knee and knocked the ninja's leg out from under him. The Special Forces soldier gasped as he felt his feet losing their grip on the ground. His upper body would've crashed down on the ground back-first, except Kung Lao rushed forward. The former champion passed one of his forearms under the ninja's lower back and the other under his shoulders, thus softening his opponent's fall. Scott gently landed on the ground before he sat up on the hard earth.

"That was not bad", Kung Lao mentioned as he remained standing over the ninja and crossed his arms, "You do have plenty of endurance".

"Thanks", Scott replied, trying to catch his breath.

He still didn't understand how the individual before him could've lost a tournament against Goro. He told himself that perhaps the fighting monk was not as talented five centuries ago in Earth as he was now. There had to be some kind of reason because the energy and strength Scott acquired was more than he had ever thought possible when he first became one with his clone. His talents were then sharpened for several incredible months when he trained with Durak before being killed. Despite all that, he was staring at a fighter who could vanquish him every time they sparred. The confusing part was that Kung Lao had been totally honest about his life on the Earth realm, describing how he had lost the fight against Goro within half a minute. The ninja had to admit that the amount of strength possessed by a Shokanite was truly fascinating. Thinking of a Shokanite, he turned his attention towards Durak and found the nine-foot tall warrior returning his glance.

"Is that all you humans can muster?", the Shokanite grinned, "Pretty pathetic".

"Oh, like you can do any better?", Scott replied with a grin of his own as he stood up, though he knew very well that Durak was infinitely stronger than any human.

"Ha! I could do better the day I was conceived!", Durak kept smiling.

"Really?", Scott eyed Kung Lao, who slightly nodded in approval.

The ninja turned his head towards the spot where his comrade in the Special Forces and Sonya's brother sat on the ground. They also understood the look in his eyes and promptly stood up. Durak suddenly became suspicious as he noticed the nonverbal communication.

"If you're so good, maybe we should see how good", the ninja approached him in a cheerful fashion.

Durak suddenly realized that all four humans were slowly approaching him at once.

"No, don't you dare", the Shokanite warned, lifting his upper arms in front of his chest as a gesture that he was being serious, "Don't you dare!".

"Rush him, guys!", Scott ignored his advice and gave the order.

The four men charged towards the giant as one, each man tackling one of his arms. Durak groaned as he suddenly found himself being pulled down with a human fighter attached to each of his four forearms. With a grunt, he swung his upper right arm in a roundhouse fashion and saw that the human holding it, who was Richards, flew several yards away. Swinging the upper left arm caused Kung Lao to be hurled in a semi-circle until he landed on the ground fifteen steps away. Daniel was the third to go flying with a scream as Durak swayed his lower right arm. With Scott being the last human left still clinging to the giant's lower left forearm, Durak executed a swift uppercut into the air with that arm and saw the ninja flying backwards before landing on his back as well.

"Funny", the Shokanite stated as Scott stood back up, laughing at the scene.

"God! You should've seen your face when we came running!", Daniel added to the hysteria that the four humans were absorbed in.

Before answering, Durak felt an overwhelming sensation in his mind. He stared up into the bright sky again, only this time realizing the reason for his confusion.

"What?", Scott calmed down, noticing the look on his face, "What is it?".

"The realms", Durak whispered more to himself than to the humans, "The realms are unbalanced".

"Come again?", Richards questioned.

"I suspected Shao Kahn would do this", the Shokanite replied in a louder tone, this time looking directly down at the humans, "The emperor has unbalanced the realms in an effort to invade your realm".

"What?", the ninja exclaimed, "Isn't that shit over with already when the Centaurs were driven back?".

"I have suspected this ever since I did not see Motaro here", Durak explained, "The reason Motaro wasn't brought here after the female human killed him was because he was brought back to life, probably by emperor Kahn".

"Why the hell would Kahn bring Motaro back?", Richards thought out loud.

"Simple", Scott already knew, "That way, he can control him. And whoever controls Motaro also controls the more than a billion Centaurs who see him as a god".

"Precisely", Durak went on, "The emperor is probably trying to invade your realm under his own power and for his own reasons".

"Great! Fucking great!", Richards blurted out, "Just when I thought things were going fine, this happens! Now we're gonna be sitting here worrying about our race all over again!".

"I am afraid so", Kung Lao said.

"Uuuuuuggggghhhh!", Richards angrily pouted.

The Special Forces lieutenant flicked his right thumb and index fingers together, causing Kano to appear just two steps in front of him.

"Oh, what?", Kano whined, realizing that Richards could not have summoned him to give him good news, "I was just getting relaxed! Come on, mate, leave me alone! Why do you have to bother me again?".

"Sorry, I just need a punching bag right now", Richard replied before turning his right hand into a fist, "Nothing personal".

The lieutenant's fist crashed into Kano's face, knocking the organized crime lord down on his hands and knees.

"Now you may leave", Richards let him know as the man with the semi-metallic face remained on the ground and coughed from pain.

The lieutenant flicked his thumb and index fingers together again and Kano vanished, having been sent back to where he had been previously. Ignoring the punishment that Richards had imposed on the human who had killed him back in the Earth realm, Durak placed his lower hands together before slowly separating them. He stopped moving his hands when they were about six inches away from each other because a small but bright ball of gas appeared suspended in the air between them. The ball of gas expanded until its diameter reached the distance between Durak's hands. The Shokanite then continued opening his lower hands just enough to have room for the mysterious sphere, which slowly expanded until it was about a yard in diameter. Durak took one step backward, letting the brilliant sphere hang in midair as Scott, Richards and Daniel were mesmerized by what they saw, although Kung Lao didn't appear to be.

"Wooo, what is that?", the ninja was the first to ask.

"Something that the inhabitants of this realm can only learn with time and experience", the Shokanite replied, thus indicating that he and Kung Lao had already seen it while newcomers had not.

"It will allow anyone interested to view the land of the living", Kung Lao informed the three other humans, "No matter which realm one desires to watch".

"So you're telling me we can see what happens in Earth?", Richards questioned.

"Precisely", Durak let him know.

"I am worried about our homeland", Kung Lao went on, staring into the sphere with a blank expression on his face, "What if Kahn succeeds where Motaro failed?".

"That's not gonna happen!", Scott countered with more confidence than he felt.

"Kahn personally has more power than a thousand Centaurs combined", the hatted monk added, "And he also has Motaro's army on his side. The Centaur will have to be beaten again if humanity is to have a chance, and the only way any human could beat Motaro in a confrontation is by using the secrets of the natural forces".

"The what?", the ninja questioned.

"It is the only way I can think of", Kung Lao explained, unaware that Scott had no idea what he was talking about, "It allows people to use their innermost power in an external manner, but Shang Tsung has stolen the scrolls that explain the method in which the power is transferred to individuals".

"Is that so?", Scott was more interested in the sphere now than in the monk's words.

"Yes", the monk didn't seem to notice, "The scrolls have been hidden in a temple on the sorcerer's island for the last eight hundred years, but the living humans don't even know that it is there. They have no chance of finding it, I'm afraid".

By the time he was finished talking, everyone else was busy staring into the enchanted sphere.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The scene would have been truly frightening if an inhabitant from the Earth realm had witnessed it. Sheeva stood in a large group with her fellow Shokanites, only a few of which were her size. Most in the group were much larger than just seven feet tall. Judging from the number of individuals, she would have guessed that all the Shokanites from her realm had gathered there under Kintaro's leadership. The tiger-striped chief with the spiked shoulder pads stood his ground in front of the more than six thousand Shokanites that he controlled. Despite all the power and influence that Kintaro possessed over the other members of his race, everyone knew that Shao Kahn was his own master and no actions could be taken without the emperor's permission. At Kahn's request, or perhaps command, Kintaro had ordered everyone from his realm to attend the service where the emperor would instruct them about the future of the empire.

Despite the several thousand Shokanites who were present, the number of four-armed individuals at the ceremony was distinctly small when compared to the number of Centaurs. Sheeva could clearly see an infinitely larger gathering of Centaurs surrounding the Shokanites. In fact, Centaurs were the only things her eyes could see until the horizon. As strange as it sounded, she had been told that, in spite of the huge number of Centaurs in emperor Kahn's army, there existed an even larger number of mutants. The mutants were present also, but the total of Centaurs standing together all around the Shokanites made it impossible for her to spot any of them.

Emperor Kahn was supposedly standing on an elevated structure in the middle of his extensive army, though Sheeva could not see him in person either. Instead, several two-dimensional replicas of the emperor, which were at least fifteen feet tall each, were projected on regular intervals in the air. It was one of those replicas that Sheeva was looking up towards at the present time. The emperor was in the middle of his speech as he decried the Earth realm and gave a countless number of reasons as to why it should be conquered and all its inhabitants enslaved. His horned metal mask hid all facial expression from his audience, but one did not have to see the emperor's face to realize that he was enraged.

"...WILL PURIFY THOSE SUBSTANDARD HUMANS!", the replica screamed, its arms pointing towards the red sky, "THEIRS WILL BE AN EXISTENCE WHOSE ONLY PURPOSE IS TO SERVE US! THOSE WHO REFUSE TO BE ENSLAVED SHALL DIIIIIIIIIE!".

The army of Centaurs, Shokanites and mutants roared in approval as the emperor waited for the cheers to calm down before he continued.

"WITH THE HELP OF GENERAL MOTARO, MY SECOND-IN-COMMAND, MY SPECIAL ADVISOR SHANG TSUNG AND MY HEAD REPRESENTATIVE KINTARO FOR THE SHOKANITES, WE WILL OBLITERATE THAT REALM WITH AN ONSLAUGHT THE KIND OF WHICH ITS PUNY INHABITANTS COULD NEVER EVEN IMAGINE!".

More roars and cheers, louder this time.

"MY SECOND-IN-COMMAND HAS ATTEMPTED TO CONQUER THOSE HUMAN PESTS IN THE PAST", emperor Kahn stopped briefly, recalling Motaro's invasion of the Earth realm, "ALTHOUGH HE WAS BRAVE AND HAD THE RIGHT IDEA, HE DID NOT POSSESS THE PROPER KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO SUSTAIN HIS GRIP OF THAT REALM. I OWN THAT KNOWLEDGE NOW, AND WITH YOUR SUPPORT, I WILL OBLITERATE THOSE HUMANS FOR ONCE AND FOR ALL!".

Ear-splitting screams from the emperor's army followed.

"WE SHALL ANNIHILATE THE WEAK!", Kahn screamed in order to be heard over the roar of his army.

This was definitely not a good time to be a human.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rayden was ushered towards the celestial throne as the deity who had informed him that Zeus wished to speak with him followed as a courtesy. The chief of the deities sat lazily on his throne, as he had done for the thousands of years that the thunder god had known him. Zeus only lifted his face partly when Rayden entered the palace, as if the deity's arrival was merely a small matter in his otherwise busy life. The thunder god, on the other hand, knew that the most powerful god did not do much of value in the present time. Perhaps Zeus was truly great once, before Rayden existed, but that was surely a different age. Right now, the only thing the chief god stood for was the authority which did nothing useful and almost always tried to limit the effects lower deities tried to have. Rayden told himself it was possible that Zeus was once energetic and anxious to get involved in mortals' affairs. But the chief god probably ended up losing interest after seeing a countless number of generations die while he was immortal.

"You wished for my presence?", Rayden spoke first.

"Yes", Zeus replied as he still seemed preoccupied with another matter, "It concerns your involvement with the mortals from the Earth realm".

"What about it?", the thunder god questioned.

"There is a second invasion planned", Zeus explained, "You do know that, do you not?".

"I do now", Rayden went on, "I found out a short while ago".

"No doubt you wish to warn these mortals about Shao Kahn's arrival", the chief god added.

"Of course", the thunder deity assured.

"You cannot", Zeus flatly stated.

Rayden only stared back without answering. When the chief god did not give any reasons for his decision, the inferior deity was compelled to speak again.

"Would you care to explain why?", he calmly asked.

"Kahn is extremely powerful", Zeus seemed annoyed as he explained, "If I allow you to interfere, he has threatened to declare war on us".

"He is no match for us", Rayden countered.

"Perhaps not, but it would take much energy to defeat him, especially if he was to conquer the Earth realm and use the souls of its inhabitants to strengthen himself", Zeus went on, "I do not wish to partake in such a conflict".

If Rayden had been a mortal, he was sure he would've felt extreme anger by that time. But he was a deity who was incapable of such negative emotions.

"Do not worry about your purpose", Zeus added, "I will make sure to assign another realm for your protection after Earth has been destroyed. You need not go without aspiration. But this Earth realm of yours has already crossed the point of no return. Its inhabitants are lazy and mostly corrupt. They do not deserve such effort from anyone here. And just to ensure that you do not foolishly get involved, you are ordered to remain in my palace as a guest until Kahn's invasion is over. Once Earth falls, or survives, you shall be allowed to leave and you shall be assigned a new realm if you wish it. If you do not, you can always keep watch over Earth, though I do not know why you would desire so".

Realizing that the chief god had made up his mind, Rayden only turned around and walked out of the celestial palace without uttering a word. As of now, he was officially unable to assist the mortals in the realm he was supposed to protect.

Hades was on his knees and busy patting Cerberus' middle head when Rayden finally found him in Zeus' palace. The deity who was kept in charge of overseeing the dead and their progression from their first realm to his own one stood as he felt the thunder god approaching from behind. Turning around, he bowed as Rayden stopped three steps away and bowed back. Cerberus playfully proceeded ahead and began licking the thunder god's left hand as its master stared into Rayden's face. Hades' appearance was one which always shocked every mortal who left the first realm since it only consisted of a skeleton who was covered by a hooded cloak. But the thunder god was comfortable with it after ages spent together.

"What can I do for you, colleague?", Hades asked.

"I need for you to go to the Earth realm", Rayden went straight to the point.

"Does this have anything to do with its imminent invasion?", the god of death curiously questioned.

The thunder god nodded his head.

"I have been told Zeus ordered you not to involve yourself in it", Hades pointed out.

"He is a fool sometimes", Rayden boldly replied, "But he is also in control, for now".

"I see", the cloaked deity sighed.

"He ordered me to stay here until the duration of the invasion", the thunder god went on, "He did not say anything about you".

Hades stopped briefly, considering his options.

"If Shao Kahn succeeds, he will enslave six billion souls", Rayden tried to convince him, "Those are six billion souls who will then never reach your realm, as they rightly should. I know you disagree with Kahn's actions".

"Yes, his deeds have caused me stress ever since he began stealing souls", Hades agreed.

"This will be our chance to end the enslavement", Rayden went on, "And we will not be disobeying Zeus since he never put restraints upon you".

"What do you wish me to do?", Hades said next, pleasing the thunder god immensely.

"Find one of the mortals who participated in the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament", Rayden explained.

"That should not be difficult", the god of death told him, "And then?".

"Tell him or her that Earth's best chance of surviving Kahn's attack is to find the gray warrior who is in hiding in the Outworld realm. It is written in the prophecies that a gray renegade warrior escaped from Kahn a hundred years ago and that he will be the one to purify the world".

"I will go there at once", Hades flicked his left index and middle fingers, indicating his dog to follow, which it did.

"Thank you, my friend", Rayden smiled.

Hades bowed in response.

"I just wish these mortals would stop regarding me with fear and contempt", the god of death said, "I still receive negative responses from them every time they think about me. They are so afraid that they just never realize that I am here to help them".

"I know", the thunder god understood.

"Imagine if life was such that no one ever died", Hades sighed as he walked away, followed by Cerberus, "The conditions in any realm then would quickly be unbearable".

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Officer Pensky had just completed his eight-hour shift from noon until eight at night when he was leaving the police station accompanied by detective Olsen. The two had already put all the occurrences of the day behind them and were busy solely discussing what their plans were for the rest of the night. Pensky was looking forward to a quiet dinner in front of the television set as he watched a rerun of an old movie he had enjoyed as a child. Olsen had laughed at the mention of the movie's title, since it was one of the few films that he absolutely detested.

"I'm not saying the actor was bad by himself", Olsen pointed out, "But the movie just made me sick when I saw it for the first, and only, time".

"I can't believe I'm hearing that", Pensky smiled, "That was one of the best motion pictures ever...".

His words were cut short because both men suddenly heard a loud and concentrated whirlwind. Naturally curious, they turned their attention towards the source of the noise only to see a bright red tornado which had appeared out of nowhere. The tornado did not move, it only stood in place, and it was so high that it created a link between the ground and the clouds. Oddly enough, there was no increase in the amount of wind that could be felt. A portal appeared at the base of the tornado on the ground a few seconds before a figure emerged out of it. Both men quietly observed as other passerby's also stopped to see what was occurring. The emerging figure stood at seven feet tall and was wearing a metal mask with horns which made him look like Satan himself. Pensky calmly turned to Olsen and spoke without any hint of panic or surprise in his voice.

"Detective, is that supposed to happen?", the officer simply asked as he pointed towards the portal.

Olsen didn't get a chance to respond because he was interrupted. The people in the streets as well as the two officers saw soldiers from hell teleporting everywhere all at once. Some of them, the Centaurs, were familiar with their eight-foot tall figures, four legs and their horned heads. Their appearance alone was enough to scare the citizens who saw them. Pensky gasped as he caught sight of the first Centaur since the failed invasion and both officers quickly reached for their service pistols. The Centaurs, though, were not alone this time. Other seven-foot tall creatures with what appeared to be razor-sharp teeth and huge blades protruding out of each forearm had teleported everywhere as well.

"IT IS TIME!", Shao Kahn screamed as he raised his arms towards the night sky.

What followed next was something that Pensky could only describe as the start of the extinction of his race. Amid the warcries of the Centaurs and the mutants and the panicked shrieks of most of the humans in the scene, the violence erupted. Some Centaurs were quick to jump into the middle of the street, stopping the flow of traffic. The first vehicles which reached them tried to screech to a halt but ended up crashing into the four-legged monsters anyway. The sudden stop of the first car in the line caused the vehicle behind it to slam into it also, thus setting up a chain reaction where dozens of cars ended up being involved in a violent crash. Looking for revenge for their previous embarrassment in this realm, the Centaur warrior raised his arms towards the night sky before angrily slamming both his fists on the hood of the original car in the traffic jam. The hood was crushed inward as the engine crumbled under the impact, letting out a thick outpouring of smoke. The hysterical driver tried to open the front door to get out of his vehicle, but the Centaur then rose on his hind legs before stretching his horse-like lower body forward. His front legs were then brought down on the forward half of the car roof, easily pressing the strong metal and trapping the driver inside. Once seeing that the human was unable to open the driver's side door, the Centaur walked around to the side of the vehicle and punched the roof inward with his bare fist. It only took two solid punches before he crushed the middle section of the car, pulverizing both the seats and the driver mercilessly. The driver probably screamed, but his screams were drowned out by the roars of the invaders.

Officer Pensky had witnessed that Centaur's actions since the first car in the pileup had only been a short distance away from the police station. Engulfed by a combination of shock and anger, the officer aimed his 9mm pistol at the upper back of the Centaur responsible and pulled the trigger five times. It was only after the giant invader merely convulsed under the impact of the bullets without even showing a sign of pain that Pensky recalled the exceptional toughness of a Centaur's flesh. Turning around from his first kill towards the direction from where the gunshots had emanated, the Centaur's pure white eyes were set on the young officer, and both Pensky and Olsen realized it. The detective was not about to run away knowing the monster would tear the officer apart, so he decided to stand his ground. The Centaur roared again and charged towards the pair of humans, intending to grip one person in each hand before colliding their head against the brick wall of the station. So instead of lowering his head to aim his horns at his opponents, the Centaur only arched his human-like upper body forward, his face eyeing the humans as he galloped towards his targets. Olsen saw his one chance to survive the encounter and aimed his pistol at the intruder's face.

"Empty the clip on his head!", the detective advised as the Centaur hurried closer with each passing moment.

Both Olsen and Pensky leveled their respective weapon and fired into the horseman's face. Sixteen 9mm rounds were fired from the detective's handgun as eleven others were fired from Pensky's, resulting in 27 direct hits on the Centaur's forehead, eyes, nose and mouth. As strong as the intruder's flesh was, even it had its limits. The aggressor screamed as the pain forced him to become disorganized in his forward rush. He staggered to the side, holding his bloodied face with both hands. He was still screaming when he slammed against the wall of a nearby building. He was incapacitated, but still alive, when Olsen replaced the used clip from his weapon with a fresh one.

Knowing the officer did not carry spare clips, the detective quickly motioned him to go inside the station and find some more firepower, which Pensky easily understood. As the younger of the two ran back inside amid the confusion, Olsen ignored the injured Centaur and concentrated on the many other monsters he was seeing within his half of the block alone. Over a dozen people were already lying on the street and the sidewalks dead within the few seconds that it had taken him and Pensky to shoot the Centaur, and the monsters were not finished.

The first spot the detective concentrated on was a nearby mutant who sent his yard-long blade through the window of another disabled vehicle. The sword from his forearm easily pierced the glass before stabbing through the throat of the person behind it. An explosion of blood followed from inside the car and stained the window all red before the mutant triumphantly withdrew his bloodied blade. The entire scene had taken place within about two seconds, so the detective did not even have time to raise his weapon. The same mutant next detected a pedestrian woman behind him who had fallen on the ground, frozen with fear. Seeing his chance, the mutant raised the bloodied blade above his head before swinging it downward towards her. She only managed to scream and lift her hands up in a useless attempt to protect her face as she also closed her eyes and turned her face away from him.

"DON'T!", Olsen yelled even though he was sure the mutant could not hear, and would not have complied even if he could.

The detective leveled his weapon even though he was unsure how tough the new monsters with the blades attached to their arms would be to destroy. He pulled the trigger once as the mutant's blade impaled the pedestrian's stomach. The large knife speared through the woman and was then stopped when its tip met the concrete sidewalk under her. He planned to decapitate her just for fun as he saw blood spilling out of her stomach and mouth. But before being able to withdraw his blade for the second time, the mutant felt a sharp pain in his upper back. He screamed out as he was pushed forward because of an unknown force, though he managed to remain standing. Olsen, on the other hand, saw the deep wound his bullet had created in the mutant's back and his painful reaction to it. Pleased to realize that the seven-foot tall monsters were as vulnerable to bullets as humans, the detective fired twice more into the back of his target. The mutant's upper body arched towards the sky as he screamed louder and his arm was still restrained downward because of his inability to pull his blade out of the second victim. He then managed to stagger two steps forward, dragging the corpse of the pedestrian behind him, before he collapsed on his stomach. His blood freely mixed with the blood from his last victim as his body convulsed for a few moments before he ceased moving.

Despite the detective's actions, though, the death of the mutant and the injuries that he and Pensky had caused to the Centaur were the only cases where an intruder was hurt. All the other cases he saw involved mutants or Centaurs literally tearing humans apart. The bodies of pedestrians and vehicle occupants littered the street. It was hard for the detective to imagine that he was discussing the contents of a movie with a fellow officer just minutes ago. He thought to himself that the odds would hopefully be turned in their favor as he saw Pensky and more than a score of other officers rushing out of the station, all armed with shotguns or high-powered rifles. Pensky tossed an extra shotgun which he carried in his left hand towards the detective, and Olsen grabbed it with his free hand before holstering his pistol.

"There are no orders and no battle plans!", the station lieutenant advised, "Just destroy 'em!".

"YESSIR!", the unanimous response rang out from most of the officers there.

Gunfire erupted from the front of the police station, finally putting a stop to the slaughter that the invaders were enjoying so far. Pensky and two other officers independently happened to each concentrate on the very same Centaur from forty yards away. All three fired the 12-gauge shotgun in their possession, shattering the Centaur's upper body with numerous vigorous rounds. The horseman's body was devastated by the sudden influx of firepower which was aimed against him as he didn't even see the source of the attack. His cries were one of many as he fell over on his side and died without even knowing who was shooting at him.

Halting the shots aimed at the deceased Centaur, all three officers turned their attention to different targets. Pensky looked around in search of a particular enemy, mainly the one whom he and the detective had previously shot in the face. He spotted that Centaur lying on the ground in front of the next building to the left, still moaning and holding his injured face. Feeling enough resentment towards him, Pensky broke away from the group of officers in front of the station and ran towards his left. The wounded Centaur didn't even hear him approaching while he slowed down to a walk as he came to within ten yards of his target.

"Hey, ugly, remember me?", Pensky held his shotgun with both hands in front of his face as it was aimed for the Centaur's head.

He kept walking towards his opponent as he spoke. The Centaur must have been surprised to hear a human addressing him since he withdrew his hands from his face to see who had spoken. The only thing he noticed was that he was staring down the barrel of a shotgun as a human holding the weapon had walked up to within one yard of him from the left. Without another word, Pensky stopped his march and pulled the trigger once. The Centaur didn't even have time to scream as the left side of his face exploded in a gory mess and green blood stained Pensky's police uniform. The four-legged giant fell dead on his right side opposite the direction from where the blast had originated. Feeling good about himself, Pensky turned around and headed back to the police station.

Olsen, on the other hand, had scanned the entire area in search of the man in the metal mask who had stepped out of the portal at the base of the red and immobile tornado. Reasoning that the man could have been the leader of the army from hell, the detective thought it wise to target him. The detective had no trouble spotting the tornado or the portal, but unfortunately, the masked man was nowhere to be found. Olsen could not afford to waste time guessing where he went, so he turned his attention back to the Centaurs and mutants.

By this time, each person at the scene, whether human or invader, had gotten used to the smell of gunpowder and blood. The screams had subsided significantly, which was evidence that all the humans on the street and sidewalk were already dead, as could be grimly seen by the officers. A small number of dead Centaurs and a slightly larger number of dead or dying mutants also littered the area, but the invaders still had the officers by the front of the station outnumbered. Realizing that these individuals had the capacity to harm them, the many mutants and Centaurs who remained aggressively turned their attention towards them. The officers, in turn, formed a tight semicircle around the entrance to the police station as they incessantly fired or reloaded their high-powered weapons. Most of the shots fired either killed a mutant who was charging towards them or stopped a galloping Centaur by injuring him. With his last shot having been used, Pensky was busy reloading his shotgun with the last three rounds in his possession. At the same time, the officer saw that detective Olsen's high-powered weapon was already empty since he had rested it on the ground, relying on his 9mm pistol to target mutants again. A mutant charged towards the semicircle with both arms arched in front of him, eagerly waiting to taste new blood. As he came to within five yards of the officer nearest him, an officer who was also fresh out of ammunition, Olsen squeezed the trigger twice. The first bullet exploded in the mutant's forehead, killing him instantly, while the second entered his chest. The seven-foot tall invader was stopped cold and shrieked before falling on his back dead.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sheeva had entered the portal along with Kintaro and about thirty other Shokanites not knowing what to expect on the other side. Kintaro had previously made a special request to emperor Kahn that he be sent to the area in the Earth realm where the human survivors from the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament could be found. Granting his wish, emperor Kahn directed the strongest Shokanite around to the portal which led to the capital of a country called the United States of America. Sheeva thought to herself that even the names of the humans' nations were dumb, but then again, she never expected anything more from these substandard beings. Having been given a choice, she thought to herself that she might as well use the portal that Kintaro himself was using since she had no special reason to invade anywhere in particular. Besides, she thought to herself, she would not have minded seeing the humans who won the tenth tournament, especially the one who was supposed to be strong enough to kill Goro.

Once through the portal, she was encountered with the night sky of the Earth realm. The Shokanites separated, as they were previously ordered by emperor Kahn, since it was believed they could destroy the natives faster that way. Sheeva told herself that the emperor was, of course, right. During Motaro's attempted invasion of this realm earlier on, the head Centaur had been too concerned about only killing as many humans from Earth's warrior class as possible. He had an unreasonable desire to capture most of the natives alive so they could be used to serve his race through forced slavery. Emperor Kahn, on the other hand, was not burdened in such a way. According to the emperor's plans, all humans were to be simply exterminated, regardless of background or reason for existence. If an exception was made where a particular member of the invasion force wanted to spare a human's life, then the appeal could be made to the emperor after the onslaught was over. Sheeva told herself that perhaps the gods understood why any member of the invasion force would want a human to be spared because she sure found the reasoning strange. But in general, all the natives were to be destroyed because the emperor had no use for them as slaves. They were much weaker, more inefficient and required more rest to survive than Shokanites, Centaurs and even mutants. All the emperor was interested in were the souls of the more than five billion inhabitants to increase his own power and the natural resources that the realm offered.

Sheeva's platoon of Shokanite warriors was accompanied by a larger army of Centaurs and mutants who were teleported into the same spot of the Earth realm. Once arrived, the first sight she observed was Kintaro rushing ahead in a lust for vengeance as he targeted a fairly busy street with vehicles that were made out of metal. The leader of the Shokanites reached a car which was not moving for whatever reason and bent down in front of it, gripping its hood with his lower hands. The two human occupants of the vehicle must have been scared beyond their imagination as Kintaro lifted the vehicle horizontally two yards off the ground. Sheeva smiled as she watched the spectacle even though she was only supposed to be there to increase the damage done to the natives. Being amused, she observed Kintaro as he roared and spun around on his own center of gravity, twisting the lifted vehicle along with him. Having spun around about half a dozen times, the giant Shokanite finally let go of the car as he grunted and the vehicle flew in midair until it violently crashed against a tree thirty yards away. It tore the tree in half at the point of impact before coming to rest on the ground in front of its roots.

Sheeva wondered if the occupants were still alive. Seeing Kintaro angrily walk away from the debris, she thought to herself that perhaps she should go to the car and check on the two humans herself. It would have been an ease for her to kill them if they had survived by good luck. As she was still debating the idea in her mind, the vehicle exploded in a ball of flames, disintegrating the tree and surely everyone in it. She smiled again because she did not have to go check on the humans after all. It was then that she heard an individual calmly approaching her from behind. The rhythm of that one's steps indicated to her that it could not have been a native. Turning around, she saw that she was right as she found a large mutant with a bloodied right blade returning her glare. The mutant was exactly as tall as her, so she ended up staring straight ahead to lock eyes with him.

"Stop wasting time", the mutant ordered, "We have a mission to accomplish on behalf of our emperor".

"Of course", Sheeva bowed in respect to the mention of Kahn's title, "I was on my way now".

Despite her words, it was obvious from the expression in her eyes that she did not enjoy being ordered around by a member of a supposedly inferior race, even if the individual was a member of Kahn's army. Despite the screams from the background, the mutant was able to read the voice that her face alone generated and he was glad to see it. Ever since his appointment in the army, it had been a pleasure for him to issue commands to members of other races, especially when those members thought themselves superior.

"Do not cross me", the mutant warned in a loud whisper as he lifted his blood-soaked right blade to show off his work, "I am major general Baraka and my wishes override those of everyone in this platoon, even that brute Kintaro's. Do not forget that".

Sheeva's face became angrier as he finished his last statement, but she made sure to suppress any primal urges to attack, as she had done many times before. Fortunately, she did not have to stare at the mutant for much longer because Baraka turned around and walked away as he flashed his razor-sharp teeth in a twisted smile.

The lady Shokanite could have taken part in the slaughter which occurred in her immediate surroundings. The scene appeared the same everywhere she turned - panicked humans trying unsuccessfully to evade their superior pursuers and ending up either impaled or crushed. She actually noticed two humans who were trying to physically fight back while every other member of their race was attempting to flee. The first human delivered a solid punch at the head of the mutant in front of him, only to be impaled in the chest from behind by a second mutant. The second human was crazy enough to tackle a Shokanite who was at least two feet taller. Her fellow Shokanite was quick to grip his arms by using the two lower hands and lifting him into the air before delivering a devastating headbutt into the human's face. Seeing his unconscious opponent being held helplessly in the air after that single strike, the Shokanite spread his lower arms as far apart as possible. The result was that the second human's arms were cleanly torn away from his shoulders and his armless body fell to the ground without a sound.

Then, Sheeva's sensitive ears heard a faint sound which was not originating from her immediate environment. Listening carefully, she realized that it was the sound of gunfire. Emperor Kahn had warned his army about this. It was a weapon that the humans possessed which allowed them to be even bigger cowards than they already were. A weapon, which, if used right, could kill a Shokanite from a distance so far that the human would be safe and untouched while the death blow was delivered.

"COWARDS!", Sheeva screamed with hatred as she realized those weapons were probably being used to kill members of the emperor's invasion force.

With the great speed that her agile body was gifted with, she ran in the direction where the sound of the gunfire had originated. She rushed past invaders who were busy delivering death blows of their own without even stopping since she knew she was needed elsewhere...

It took her about a minute to race to the spot where the gunfire had originated, which was at least ten city blocks away. Once there, she stopped cold in her tracks from a considerable distance away and surveyed the area. She wasn't even panting as she thankfully realized that there were no dead Shokanites in the region. But still, the weapons that the emperor had warned about were being used by the humans against other members of his army. Among the countless number of dead humans, about a dozen Centaurs and a over a score of mutants lay on the street, either dead or dying also. The humans responsible were formed in a semicircle around a building, and most of them were dressed alike as they incessantly fired their weapons.

Sheeva also observed the response that the surviving Centaurs and mutants were giving the aggressive and cowardly humans. She noticed that every member of the invasion force was trying to rush towards the semicircle of armed humans. She shook her head in disapproval, asking herself how the invaders could be so dull-witted as to attempt a frontal assault against humans who could kill them from a distance. The reason so many of them were already dead was because they tried to be faster than the humans' gunfire, which was impossible. The secret to defeating the natives at this point lay in stealth, not speed.

"Those Centaurs must be as stupid as humans", she whispered to herself.

Still, even though they weren't members of her race, the Centaurs and mutants were still members of her emperor's army, so she had a duty to assist them. Sheeva bolted to the side instead of running forward and trying to meet the human semicircle head-on like the other invaders were doing. She rushed to the rear of the row of buildings and turned the corner. Knowing lives depended on her, she ran towards the back of infrastructure which the human semicircle was using to stand in front of from the side opposite hers. Once reaching the back of the desired building, she slightly squatted her legs before jumping up in an almost vertical line. Her physical prowess allowed her to reach the roof of the four-story building in a single jump. While in midair, her eyes noticed the words 'police dept' written on the wall. Slightly curious about the definition of the word 'dept', Sheeva landed on the roof the building. She didn't think about it much because she then ran on the roof towards the front of the structure. She reached the edge of the roof at the front of the building and glanced over it towards the street below to make sure she had picked the right place. She growled angrily as she saw the semicircle of humans that was organized just below her.

With a tremendous roar, Sheeva jumped over the edge of the building. She landed feet-first on one of the members of the human semicircle, crushing him instantly under her weight. The man next to the crushed human screamed in shock as the seven-foot tall Shokanite seemed to appear out of nowhere next to him, and she did not look pleased to see him. Sheeva grabbed the man's collar with her upper left hand and tossed him towards the street. The officer lost his grip on the shotgun and flew for about thirty yards before landing on the asphalt road. The human was barely conscious when a nearby Centaur rose up on his hind legs before crushing him under the front half of his body.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!", Pensky screamed, shocked by her appearance before anything else because he had only seen Centaurs and mutants so far.

As the young officer planned to turn his shotgun with three remaining rounds in it against her, he noticed a Centaur with lowered horns charging towards one of the men in the semicircle. Sheeva's surprise attack had distracted the humans long enough for them to stop firing, thus giving the other members of the invasion force time to resume their offensive against them. The man who was the target of the Centaur had his back turned to the street because of the surprise the lady Shokanite had presented, so he could not see the monster coming for him. Pensky had a choice of either firing at the new four-armed intruder or saving the life of one of his fellow officers by keeping his shotgun aimed towards the street. With less than a second to choose, he decided on the latter and screamed as he pumped the remaining three rounds on the galloping Centaur. The horseman screamed as all three shells exploded in his chest and he was thrown backwards. He landed on his side, not dead, but seriously injured and bleeding.

Pensky kept yelling as he lifted the empty shotgun above his head and charged at Sheeva. He hoped that, by trying to neutralize the dangerous distraction, his fellow officers could've stayed concentrated on the enemies outside the semicircle. Unfortunately for him, the damage had already been done. Two mutants had broken through the wall of gunfire that the officers had been able to sustain for a short time and ended up fatally stabbing two officers. While that occurred, Olsen and the others kept firing, hitting Centaurs and mutants alike who had gotten even closer to them.

As one of the mutants who had broken through their defense dropped his first victim from the semicircle, he eagerly stabbed a second officer through the heart, fatally wounding him as well. The officer gasped as he looked down at the razor-sharp blade which had exited out of his back. Before the grinning mutant could withdraw his blade, though, the dying human raised the 9mm pistol which he held in his right hand. The mutant's eyes widened as he realized the damage that his second victim from the semicircle could still inflict as that one aimed the pistol into his killer's eyes. The invader pulled his arm back in an attempt to pull his blade out of the human's chest, but his adversary managed to squeeze the trigger three times before the knife was out. Two out of the three bullets entered the mutant's face and killed him on the spot. Both he and his human foe fell on the ground dead and in a pool of blood.

Pensky, in the meanwhile, held the muzzle of the shotgun with both hands as he swung the weapon like a baseball bat aimed for Sheeva's head. The heavier end of the firearm struck the Shokanite next to the right eye, opening a deep cut. Ignoring the pain, she growled and delivered a massive uppercut with her left upper arm. Her fist met his chin and sent him flying backwards for five yards. The officer lost the empty shotgun and landed on his back just outside the semicircle. In his dazed state, he could see the blade of a mutant being swung downward, aimed for his throat. Pensky would've been dead at that moment, except one of his fellow officers fired his next to last 9mm round and hit the aggressive mutant in the stomach. As the invader first dropped to his knees and then fell flat on his stomach, the same officer grabbed Pensky's right ankle and pulled him closer to the thinning semicircle.

"Tell me how this feel, bitch", Olsen commented as turned his 9mm handgun in Sheeva's direction with his right hand.

The Shokanite's eyes widened as she saw the muzzle of the handgun coming closer to her. As it was still in midair, she gripped the detective's right wrist with both left hands. Her upper right hand then delivered a solid punch into his face, snapping his head back as the screams from his both fellow officers and the invaders echoed in his ears. Not defeated, Olsen responded with aiming a high left jab into her throat. The blow hurt more than Sheeva would've liked to admit as she gasped and her upper body was yanked backwards. She loosened her left grips on the detective's right wrist enough that he was able to direct his right hand in her general direction. Finally having her within the range of his pistol, Olsen angrily pulled the trigger.

A round shot out of the 9mm firearm and exploded in between her upper left arm and the left section of her upper chest. Sheeva shrieked in pain as she was thrown backwards. She let go of the detective's wrist and was slammed into the wall of the station behind her. Olsen could not have been happier. The detective changed the aim of his right hand slightly so the muzzle of the handgun aimed directly between her eyes. Sheeva could only stand there because the shock from the pain froze her momentarily as she unknowingly pressed her upper right hand over the wound. Her efforts didn't even come close to slowing the flow of blood which freely emerge from the injury, but the first bullet was not on her mind.

She stared at the human who was pointing the weapon at her face with hatred in her eyes, though she knew she was helpless against him at the moment. Olsen, at the same time, didn't want to give her a chance to recuperate, so he pulled the trigger again with a passion. His mouth widened in shock as the click in the handgun indicated to him that it was empty. He was so concentrated on shooting at the invaders who tried to reach the semicircle that he had not kept a count of the number of shots fired.

"AAAAAAGGGHHH!", the young detective threw the weapon on the ground in a rare fit of rage

Sheeva pulled her hand away from the bullet wound and charged, this time determined to break the exceptionally strong human. Before she reached the detective, though, another officer struck her in the back of the head with the end of a rifle, shattering her concentration again. She turned around shakily, desiring to confront the second assailant, only to find that it was the first officer who had struck her in the head with a shotgun. Pensky had managed to stand back on his feet before picking up an empty rifle which laid on the ground. Ignoring pain from three different areas on her body, from the left shoulder, next to her eyes and now the back of her head, Sheeva growled menacingly. She forgot about Olsen and moved against Pensky in an aggressive manner again. Unfortunately for her, the young officer knew that he did not stand a chance when comparing his physical strength to hers, so he was prepared. Instead of trying to fight her with his fists, Pensky stepped backwards as he saw the Shokanite approaching and dropped the rifle on the ground. In one smooth move, he then reached into his police uniform and withdrew a folded switchblade knife with his right hand.

Pressing a small button, the five-inch long blade sprung open by itself. The officer clearly knew that a weapon that size would not seriously hurt his opponent, unless it was used against a vulnerable spot. With adrenaline charging through both of them, Sheeva and Pensky sprang forward, rushing to meet each other. A split second before they would have collided, the human swung his closed left fist. The Shokanite easily deflected it, telling herself what a pathetic strike it was. Sheeva turned both her right hands into fists, getting ready to deliver a double punch which she expected to devastate the human. She did not realize that Pensky's left fist had only been a distraction, the officer had no power whatsoever reserved in his left arm. While she thought his attack had failed and was getting ready to respond on her own, the human reacted with his planned attack. He lifted the unfolded knife and, using all his strength, plunged the five-inch blade in the exact spot where Olsen's bullet had struck her. The metal blade dug deep into her already ravaged muscles as it followed the course of the bullet wound. Pensky lifted his hand while he held the handle of the knife as he used the point between the handle and the blade as the middle point. That way, the blade, which was still in her flesh, would point downward as a result. Sheeva arched her head towards the sky and screamed as the pain from the bullet wound was worsened until it became unbearable.

The human furiously withdrew the knife, intensifying the pain even more. Sheeva involuntarily dropped to her knees as she kept screaming and clutching her obliterated shoulder. If he had been thinking rationally, Pensky would have realized that he could kill her right there by simply stabbing her in the throat. Instead, he had let his rage over seeing her kill two of his fellow officers overcome his common sense. The human dropped the bloodied knife on the ground and punched the helpless Shokanite in the same wound, causing her to fall on her back. Sheeva could only shriek as she twisted around and crashed on the concrete. She tried to get back up and was on her hands and knees when she noticed Pensky standing over her with the empty rifle again.

Without a word, the young officer lifted the rifle over his head before swinging it down. He heard a satisfying crack as the rifle crashed into the back of her head. An explosion followed in Sheeva's mind as she was knocked back down on her stomach. Pensky continued with the thrashing, using energy that he didn't know he had. He lifted the rifle over his head for a second time and waited a moment. When she was halfway up on her hands and knees for the second time, he slammed the rifle against the back of her head yet again. Sheeva's vision blurred and all strength left her arms and legs after she fell down flat on the ground after that strike. She believed this was going to be the end of her life as she simply waited to die. She told herself that she at least died fighting, as she always desired.

"GET UP! GET UP, BITCH!", Pensky dared because he was not finished with her.

The human grabbed her by the hair at the back of her head and violently pulled her torso upwards. Sheeva gasped at the tension in her neck as the officer yanked her head as far back as possible. A pool of blood from her shoulder had already gathered in front of her.

"This is what happens to copkillers around here!", he barked at her, though unsure as to whether or not she could hear him.

Pensky pushed her face back down and slammed it against the bloody, green-stained concrete. The Shokanite no longer felt any pain by that time because she was close to passing out. The human would have continued the punishment he was inflicting on her, but he was brought out of his anger spell when the officer standing next to him punched a mutant. Pensky turned away from the defeated Shokanite to see that all the human survivors from the police station had run out of ammunition and had to resort to fistfighting against larger opponents. He picked up the sturdy rifle he had used to knock out the Shokanite and swatted the nearest mutant with it, thus freeing the officer next to him from having to continue the battle. He saw only three officers alive aside from him, and a much larger number of Centaurs who were rushing towards them to make sure they did not remain so.

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The arrival of a second army from another realm was not good news for Sub-zero. He had been living in Sweden when he was faced with the first invasion of the Centaurs. Naturally desiring to help, he had gotten involved, but it proved to be harder than he originally imagined because he was forced to keep his talent a secret from everyone else. Still, though, his identity was revealed when a well-known and respected journalist was driving his wounded son to the hospital. A Centaur working for Motaro's extermination squad had ambushed the pair in the vehicle before literally tearing the driver's side door out. The invader had then thrown the father out of the car and decided to beat him to death. The father, in his turn, tried to divert the Centaur's attention so the horseman would not notice his son. Unfortunately, his actions had the opposite effect since the Centaur was able to realize he was being distracted. Understanding that there was someone more important in the vehicle, the invader then turned around and headed back for the car, reasoning that he could kill the son first and make the father watch. The boy in the backseat of the car had two broken legs as well as internal bleeding, so he had no chance of outrunning the invader.

Before that incident, Sub-zero had been able to use his freezing powers against the Centaurs only when no humans were around to see it. But that event had forced him to choose between saving a young boy's life and protecting his identity. He picked the former and threw what appeared to be frozen rain from his fingertips. Once hit with it, the invader had been instantly turned into a solid ice figure. The journalist's jaw had dropped when he saw what just happened in front of his eyes.

Sub-zero could've talked to him, perhaps made him promise to never reveal what he saw to anyone. In the end, though, he just couldn't live life knowing that others would look at him with great curiosity at best or anger and prejudice at worst until the end of his days. Thus, he decided to stay in Sweden for only as long as the Centaur invasion lasted. As soon as the army of horsemen turned away and walked into portals to leave for an unknown reason, he had gone home, packed his belongings and left the country. If he hadn't left and rumors began spreading about his powers, the Lin Kuei would have been quick to track him down to force him to go back to serving the clan.

Of course, he had a choice of returning to the Lin Kuei clan on his own when he departed from Sweden. But he thought that he would rather freeze himself and then have someone throw him over a cliff rather than live with that organization. His older brother had served as a loyal, and usually stupid, ninja. All his service had gotten him over the years was a life of servitude under Shang Tsung, doing the sorcerer's dirty work. The last time Sub-zero had even seen his older brother was the night when he told him that he was leaving the clan and had asked him to come along. Instead of agreeing to accompany him, though, his older brother had raised the alarm and had even tried to restrain him until others arrived at the scene. It was nothing short of a miracle that he was able to break his brother's hold and escape without getting killed. That was the last time the ninja had heard of his brother. At the present time, he didn't even know if his only brother was alive.

So here he was now, in a different country that was separated from Sweden by a vast ocean. His neighbors knew him as Wally, which, of course, was not his real name. He preferred to call himself Sub-zero, having even kept the blue ninja outfit he used to wear in his days with the Lin Kuei. He had settled in the new country fairly quickly. He was lucky that he was able to find a job with the local fire department, always impressing his fellow firemen with his ability to go into a burning building alone and extinguish the fire. None of them wondered, up until now, how they could follow him inside a drenched room which was burning only minutes ago and see that he hadn't even turned the water hose on yet.

He couldn't honestly say that he was shocked when he saw the red tornado. An immobile whirlwind such as that must have taken a large amount of power to organize and an even larger one to maintain. Someone was transporting a large garrison into this realm from somewhere else, and Sub-zero was pretty sure it wasn't being done for the benefits of his home realm. It might've been Shang Tsung's emperor Shao Kahn who was responsible, or perhaps even Shang Tsung himself. Almost anything was possible once an individual allowed oneself to partake in the black arts.

"Here we go again", the former ice ninja sighed as he saw the red tornado first and then the invasion by the three different races from foreign realms, all of whom he recognized.

Dressed in his favorite color, blue, he calmly rushed out of the little apartment he called home amid the screams of confusion and fear from the other building dwellers. He was a ninja no matter what his past with the Lin Kuei, and it was his duty to defend his home realm. If the invasion force was looking for a fight, it had just found one.

The first invader he ran across once outside was a seven-foot tall mutant who already had blood on both his blades. The aggressor hissed as soon as he saw the ninja. Sub-zero turned to his right and ran, intending for the mutant to pursue him in the hopes that the invader would leave the civilians alone if he was chasing him. Unknown to him, there were plenty more mutants were the first one had come from, since the human did not yet understand the size of the invasion force. The ninja in blue calmly turned the corner around the edge of the large apartment building, with the mutant charging wildly after him. Upon reaching the edge of the building also, the pursuing mutant came to a sudden halt. Streetlights were installed every fifteen yards around the building several years ago to reduce the chances of an apartment dweller being robbed just outside his/her home. The mutant had ceased running because one the streetlights from the side of the building towards which the human ran was projecting a shadow. The long shadow originated from the start of the other side of the building and extended several feet past the edge. This indicated to the mutant that the human was waiting just beyond the edge of the building, probably hoping to attack him as he turned the corner in hot pursuit. So the mutant decided not to run but instead to turn the corner and thrust out his blades in anticipation of the attack by his human target. He jumped around the corner as planned and pushed both arms ahead, his right blade impaling the chest of the human figure around the corner.

The mutant's eyes widened in horror as he realized that he had impaled an ice clone created by his human prey. He finally understood that the human must be one of those talented enough to control the natural elements. He shrieked as he tried to pull his right blade out of the ice clone, but it was already too late. The freezing effect of touching the clone spread from the ice statue through his blade, freezing his arm within an instant. The mutant was only able to give a second, pitiful gasp before his entire body was transformed to ice also. Sub-zero showed himself as he ran towards the frozen mutant from several yards away. The ninja executed a flying kick towards his former pursuer. The bottom of his right foot crashed into the mutant's stomach and pushed his frozen opponent to the ground. The mutant's body shattered into a countless number of pieces as it hit the concrete. Sub-zero gave a slight grimace as he dashed from the scene in search of others.

"Not very high on the evolutionary scale, now is he?", he mentioned about the mutant he had just defeated.

His search for humans to help, as well as his run ahead, was cut short when the silhouette of a large Shokanite appeared in the darkened sky. It only took the ninja an instant to realize that the airborne Shokanite was jumping in the hopes of crushing him under his weight. Thinking fast, Sub-zero halted and jumped to his left, rolling away on the ground after having turned his body into a ball. He was lucky not be any later because his opponent landed on the same spot where he formerly stood only a fraction of a second later. The ninja actually felt the ground shaking at the moment of impact when the giant figure crashed feet-first on the concrete. Swiftly standing back up just six steps away from his adversary, the human looked at the Shokanite who had nearly crushed him. The four-armed monster had stripes all over him, something the ice ninja had never seen before, and the spiked shoulder pads only served to make him look even scarier to his enemies. For the first time in his life, Sub-zero had run into an individual whom he was not sure he could freeze totally with one of his frozen projectiles or ice clone.

"I could sense you from a distance!", Kintaro growled at the human, "You have the talent, which means you were probably involved in the tournament!".

"Huh?", the ninja was confused.

"Are you the one who killed my older brother?", the head of the Shokanites demanded.

"I don't even know who your brother is", the ninja replied as he took several steps backwards while in his fighting stance.

"Do not play games!", Kintaro ordered, pointing at him, "I will make your death all the more painful if you are not honest!".

"Is that supposed to scare me?", the human showed no sign of his fear.

Kintaro reasoned that if the ninja he was talking to had been the one who killed his older brother, he would've been bragging about it already. The fact that Sub-zero did not indicated to the Shokanite that this was the wrong human.

"Where are the others?", Kintaro demanded next, desiring to know the locations of all the human Mortal Kombat survivors.

"Where are who?", the ninja was confused again.

"That is it!", the larger invader roared, "You have tested my patience! For that, you will pay!".

Kintaro rushed forward, intending to grab the relatively minuscule human and destroy him with one quick blow.

"Oh, hell!", Sub-zero realized he had to act now, or else it would've been too late.

The ninja pressed his wrists together and yanked his hands open, concentrating as much freezing power as he could muster through them. The frozen molecules shot out of his hand, heading for Kintaro's position. The Shokanite, though, proved to be the faster of the two as he jumped nearly vertically into the air. Sub-zero's frozen rain hit the side of the apartment building and froze a section of the wall. Realizing that the Shokanite was planning to crush him under his great weight again, the human somersaulted backwards an instant before Kintaro landed on the spot where he had been. The ground shook again as the ninja landed back on his feet several yards away from the combative invader. Sub-zero screamed to fire himself up before he executed a flying kick towards the larger opponent who had not regained his total balance yet. The ninja's extended foot crashed into the Shokanite's chest and sent Kintaro falling down backwards with a grunt.

Seeing the invader on his back, the human did not wait long enough to see his reaction. The ninja gracefully landed on his feet and bolted away as fast as he could. Kintaro grudgingly stood back up as he watched the human flee. He knew he might have been able to catch up to him if he jumped enough times, but doing so would cost him much energy. He wanted to be vigilant, especially now, to enjoy the large amount of killings that had to be done. Besides, he reasoned to himself, the humans who were in the tenth tournament would probably be killed during the invasion of the Earth realm anyway.

Running hastily, Sub-zero heard what sounded like gunfire to his ears. Turning his face around behind him, he could see that the giant Shokanite wasn't following. He knew that none of the invaders carried or even knew how to use firearms, so the gunfire was evidence of human resistance. He listened closely without bothering to stop until he pinpointed the direction the noise was coming from. Realizing that it was from the left, the ninja turned to the left and kept running.

Within two minutes, the ninja ran across the source of the gunfire without stopping for the many human bodies which already littered the streets. He spotted a police station with a considerable number of dead Centaurs and mutants in front of it. He also observed four peace officers who were surrounded by a considerably larger number of invaders as approximately a score of other peace officers lay dead in the street. The four officers only had a short amount of time before the Centaurs overcame them, and Sub-zero knew it. The ninja swiftly placed his wrists together again and sent forth a frozen pattern against the two horsemen who were closest to the peace officers. Both Centaurs froze solid as they were within an arm's reach of the four humans. Peace officers and invaders alike stopped and turned to see what happened. Getting the humans' attention was good because the ninja could now signal them instructions.

"COME MY WAY!", Sub-zero yelled towards them as he let loose a second attack of ice.

The third closest Centaur to the officers was frozen solid in an instant as the ninja pushed his limit in terms of the number of ice projectiles he was throwing forth. Unsure about the occurrences, but knowing he had no other choice, Pensky pushed Olsen and the two other officers towards the ice ninja before following them. The young officer hated having to leave his dead comrades behind, since one of them was the officer who had saved his life by shooting a mutant after the Shokanite had uppercut him.

All four human resistance fighters bolted towards the newcomer in blue as the invaders gave chase, unwilling to let the vermin live after they had caused so much trouble. The ninja stood still and focused his energy on organizing yet another ice projectile to protect the four humans since a Centaur had galloped dangerously close to them. With a scream, Sub-zero let loose another large sheet of frozen rain. The white particles came dangerously close to hitting Olsen, but missed the detective, which was what mattered. The Centaur who was catching up to the humans with his horns lowered froze on his tracks as he was hit dead-on when the four officers reached the ninja and all five ran as far away from the invaders as possible.

The remaining mutants and Centaurs were not about to let the five humans go, though, despite the power that was shown by the new native in the blue outfit. They reasoned that, after all, five humans could not sustain resistance forever when they were still hopelessly outnumbered. With the closest invader being a mutant who was fifteen steps away from the five fleeing targets, Sub-zero decided that he had to use his talent one last time to save his fellow human beings. The ninja stopped and turned around as he brought his wrists together. Widening his hands, he aimed down towards the ground starting from ten yards to his left and let loose a powerful output of ice. With the sheet of ice still exiting his hands, he quickly swung his arms towards the right in a clockwise motion until the entire width of the street was turned to ice. Such a display of his talent might've been too much under ordinary circumstances, but this was the obvious exception since he had to pick between using his talent or dying. Pensky and the other officers had slowed down and then turned when they saw him stopping since they feared he was injured, but the ninja motioned they to go ahead.

"Do not stop! Do not stop!", he advised as he twisted his upper body towards them.

Before resuming his run, the ninja also closed his eyes. Even though he was drenched in a cold sweat from the overuse of his talent, he created an ice clone of himself which stood just after the artificial icy width of the street. The first mutant who arrived chasing after them saw the ice which covered the ground for the next six yards before eyeing the human in the blue outfit who was responsible for it. Thinking he could just keep on running, the pursuer stepped on the ice without worrying about the consequences. His actions cost him because he immediately slipped and saw his legs shooting upwards into the air as his upper body crashed down on the ground. The next invader who reached the icy barrier was a Centaur. Confident that he could jump over six yards with ease, the horseman leapt over the frozen obstacle. Unfortunately for him, he was only looking at the width of the street which was covered with ice and not the second hurdle which lay ahead. If he had, he would've seen that his forward jump was bringing him into a head-on collision with the ice clone which waited just after the first barrier.

The Centaur did not know the purpose of the clone, thinking it was only an artificial snowman that he could simply smash through. As his lower horse-like body collided with the head of the ice statue while he was still in midair, he was immediately turned to ice himself. The frozen Centaur kept flying through the air for five more yards before he crashed back down on the asphalt street. He landed on his lower horse-like body and shattered the lower half of his figure into several pieces until only the upper human-like section remained intact. At the same time, the first mutant who had slipped on the ice stood up carefully and dared to take a step forward, only to crash back down on the ice again.

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Johnny slammed on the brakes as he spotted the first invader while driving down the fairly busy street. The actor was surprised to see a Centaur appearing out of nowhere, even more so to see that he was presently in the company of mutants. Trying to hide his shock and doing a good job of it, Johnny turned the steering wheel to the left and quickly stepped on the brakes several times as he recovered his composure. Having him lift his foot after the sudden stepping on the brake and pumping it gently many times a second was what kept his vehicle from skidding like most other cars had done.

Once stopped, both kombatants sprang out of the vehicle as the sounds of chaos overtook their surroundings. Johnny ducked to the left and then jumped aside as a gigantic Centaur drove his fist downward aimed at his head. The invader's fist caused a large dent in the roof of the car as the actor was well out of harm's way. Turning his face to see the direction that his target leapt towards, the Centaur didn't get to strike again because he saw the smaller human executing a flying kick aimed at his midsection. The horseman grunted and bent down as Johnny's foot impacted into his stomach before the human landed back on his feet. Taking advantage of the situation, the actor then grabbed the Centaur's thick neck and sent the lowered head through the window of the car he had been driving. The invader's head easily smashed through the glass as the horseman groaned with embarrassment rather than with pain. The groan then turned to a scream as the horseman gripped one of the doors of the vehicle while his head was still inside of it through the broken glass. Raising his head, the invader lifted his edge of the car until he pulled his head out of the window. His next move was to toss the vehicle up and forward so the car landed on its side with a violent crash.

"You'll never be popular if you keep showing off like that", Johnny commented as his four-legged opponent targeted him again.

Before the invader could attempt another strike, the kombatant sent a low roundhouse kick aimed at his midsection, the result of which was that the Centaur lost his balance. The invader staggered several steps to the side and back as the human stepped towards him, eager to finish the confrontation. At the same time, Johnny heard another yell from behind him which, quickly judging from the intensity of the scream, told the actor that its source was not human. The warcry was also getting louder, which meant the individual screaming was charging towards him from behind. Realizing that the second aggressor was very close to his back, the actor decided he did not have enough time to turn around to counterstrike. Instead, the human dipped low as he performed an instantaneous leg split. He looked up to see a mutant who had charged towards him with both blades held in a horizontal position. The second invader was surprised of the human's ability to get out of the way as easily as Johnny did. Thus, the mutant was not able to stop his forward rush and both his blades ended up stabbing into the Centaur's stomach, though the horseman's tough flesh kept the knives from impaling him.

Ignoring the Centaur's first cry of pain, the actor then executed a leg sweep which knocked both of the mutant's legs out from under him. The second invader's blades were involuntarily pulled out of the Centaur as he fell down on his back at the same time that Johnny stood up. Looking down at the mutant, the human lifted his right foot before smashing the bottom of his right shoe into the invader's mouth. The kombatant heard a satisfying crack as the mutant's teeth broke under the impact and the second invader was knocked unconscious.

Liu, in the meantime, saw that the first invader to rush towards him as he exited the vehicle was a seven-foot tall mutant. The aggressor swung with his right blade, aiming for the monk's head, but was too slow. Liu ducked low and he heard the sound of the knife sailing through the air several inches over his hair. The human then jumped up as the mutant's right arm was still pointing towards the left side of his own body. Reaching about two vertical feet into the air, the kombatant raised his left leg in a front kick which crashed into the mutant's face. The invader's head violently snapped backwards as Liu saw blood gushing out of his mouth. The mutant took two steps back before the monk rushed up and slightly bent his own legs as he wrapped both arms around the invader's stomach. With a moan, the kombatant lifted the surprised invader on his shoulders and turned around, looking for a suitable target to throw the heavier individual against. Spotting a Centaur approximately fifteen steps ahead who was about to land his front legs on a civilian, the monk took three hurried steps towards him. Liu and the mutant both screamed as the monk threw the 300 pound invader towards the horseman. The mutant flew through the air before his chest crashed into the Centaur's stomach and sent the four-legged invader staggering backwards.

Then, Liu caught sight of Johnny's vehicle, which was resting on its edge several yards away. He also spotted another Centaur who was galloping towards his fellow kombatant from several steps away from the opposite side of the vehicle. Johnny had just finished knocking a mutant senseless as a previous Centaur lay on the ground behind him in a green pool of blood. The monk was afraid that the actor would not see the second horseman in time. Thus, Liu leapt forward in as powerful a flying kick as he could afford, although he knew very well that the charging Centaur and the actor were too far to be reached by a single aerial kick. His extended leg met the already dented roof of the car before he landed back on his feet. Reacting to the energy put forth, the vehicle skidded on the ground away from the monk while still resting on its side. The car glided amid sparks created by its friction with the street before it crashed into the Centaur who was charging for the actor.

The four-legged invader screamed with anger as the vehicle smashed into him and halted his forward rush. The invader fell down on his side opposite the one from where the car had hit him before he saw the vehicle coming down on top of him as well. The car then rested on a slanted angle as it became still on top of the horseman. Outraged, the Centaur screamed again as he stood up and pushed the vehicle off him. This time, the shove he gave was enough to propel the car until it landed upside down on its roof. The insulted invader ignored the reason that the vehicle had collided into him and turned his attention back on the actor as he wore a menacing expression on his face. The facial expression was all he had time for because the next thing he saw was Johnny flying towards him in a shadow kick which slammed into his chest. The Centaur grunted as he landed hard on the ground, pain originating in his chest and then spreading through the rest of his body. Remembering Scott's actions against Qarro back in Outworld, Johnny then gripped his adversary's horns before slamming the invader's face on the ground. He was unsure whether the horseman was dead or just unconscious, but the invader didn't move after that.

Despite the successful resistance created by both kombatants, a human victory over an invader was the exception rather than the rule. Everywhere they looked, the two fighters saw humans lying either in a pool of blood or with their bodies crushed. With only five human beings left at the scene other than him or Liu, Johnny decided he should try to evacuate using one of the vehicles he spotted which seemed to still be operational. The actor rushed forward and tackled the mutant who was about to execute a middle-aged woman. The invader crashed on his side with the kombatant on top of him as Johnny was only thinking of trying to get leave the scene with as many survivors as possible. He swiftly stood up and grabbed the human's hand, guiding her towards the vehicle which he saw as their only chance. Liu, in the meantime, realized what his partner was trying to do and thought it wise. The monk ran and simply picked up a child who was about ten years old as another mutant was about to decapitate him. The White Lotus member turned to the only other man left in the area and yelled at him to follow them since he saw the remaining two humans in the group of five survivors being put to death at that instant.

Realizing he couldn't afford to worry about those who had already died, Johnny reached the vehicle he planned to use. Opening the door, he saw that its unfortunate driver lay spread on the seat with a stab wound which had impaled his throat, obviously the work of a mutant. He didn't have the time to feel sorry for that dead stranger, so the actor was forced to pull the driver out of the seat. He guided the woman behind him through the bloody front driver's side seat and climbed in himself as she went further until she reached the front passenger seat. Liu arrived just in time and practically threw the ten-year old screaming child into her lap. Noticing that both back doors were locked, and not wanting to take the time to unlock them the conventional way, Liu used his elbow to break the window of one of the doors. The monk pushed his hand through the broken glass and unlocked the door as the third man managed to reach the car as well. With the door then opened, the man climbed into the backseat and the monk was about to follow him. Johnny shifted the vehicle into a driving position after seeing a countless number of Centaurs and mutants approaching.

"Come on, Liu, get in!", the actor advised from behind the wheel, "We're outta here!".

As the monk was about to jump into the backseat also, he heard a loud crash behind him. He turned around to see an eight-foot tall Shokanite who had just landed on the spot of the road just in front of the hood of the vehicle. The four-armed giant might have been able to stop the car from moving for several seconds, thus giving his fellow Centaurs and mutants enough time reach the vehicle. All three civilians in the car were terrified and screamed at the sight of the new invader they saw as Johnny narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth in surprise. Realizing he could not allow the presence of the Shokanite to cost the lives of everyone else, Liu closed the back door of the vehicle without climbing into the backseat.

"GO!", the monk ordered as he spoke to his fellow kombatant.

"LIU!", Johnny screamed back, "YOU C...".

"I SAID 'GO', JONATHAN!", Liu interrupted him.

The White Lotus member flew towards the huge Shokanite with his right leg extended ahead of the rest of his body. His foot slammed into the invader's chest as the Shokanite staggered backwards under the impact. Leaving enough room to maneuver the vehicle, Johnny did as he was told and pressed his foot on the accelerator. The car sped off, past Centaurs and mutants who were rushing towards it in an effort to exterminate the last humans on the scene. The right side of the hood ran through the leg of a mutant who was brave enough to try to stand in the path of the speeding vehicle. Johnny wasn't concerned about the injury inflicted against that invader, though. The actor felt a tear coming down each eye as he looked into the rearview mirror. It showed a shrinking reflection of Liu as the monk executed a roundhouse kick against the Shokanite and other invaders closed in around him.

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Princess Kitana did not like the feeling that appeared in her stomach as she heard the vibrations in the sky of the realm of Outworld. She remembered the only other time she had experienced such an emotion. It was when she knew that Motaro was unbalancing the furies by using millions of portals to invade the Earth realm with his army of Centaurs. She told herself that Motaro could not have devised a second invasion across the realms since he was dead. There was only one other individual who had the capacity to unbalance the furies, and that was her adoptive father. She reasoned that emperor Shao Kahn must be invading the Earth realm in order to collect the large number of souls it contained so he could make himself even more powerful. The inhabitants of the Earth realm were not perfect, just like the residents of every other realm in existence, but Kahn's plan to conquer their souls would obliterate all of them.

Kitana had a personal as well as an ethical reason to be disgusted by the emperor's actions. She still clearly remembered the four fighters from the Earth realm who had visited her Outworld to help in her battle against the mutants and Qarro. She owed them nothing at this point. Her debt to those humans was paid since she had returned the favor by participating in Earth's resistance against Motaro's invasion. Still, though, telling herself that her debt was paid indicated that she and those Earth natives were only professional associates. Friends, on the other hand, did favors for each other without expecting anything in return. Besides, she thought, Liu was one of those Earth humans and she couldn't stand the idea of leaving him alone while he was in danger.

"Is something disturbing you, my princess?", a question brought her out of her deep thoughts.

Kitana turned to see Wreath standing a few feet away. The young Outworlder had noticed the concerned look on her face and, as usual, felt compelled to help.

"Yes", Kitana told her, returning her attention back to the sky, "It's Kahn. He's in Earth".

"What are your plans?", the Outworlder asked next.

"I want to go to Earth and find our allies there, to help them", the princess was frank.

"I will come with you", Wreath flatly announced.

Kitana took a few moments to consider the choices in her mind. Wreath's intentions were definitely good, but she practically possessed no fighting skills. Taking her into the middle of a warzone would not be right. The young Outworlder was lucky to have survived the battle which had taken place in her home realm to begin with. So Princess Kitana locked eyes with Wreath and shook her own head.

"I must protest!", the young Outworlder exclaimed, as expected.

"I cannot risk your life in this, Wreath", Kitana explained.

"It is my life to risk, thus my decision", the eager native argued, "Correct?".

"It will be easier for me if I'm the only one I have to worry about", the princess reasoned.

Wreath did not answer.

"Besides, I need to make sure this realm is in good hands when I'm away", Kitana continued, "I need someone I can trust to leave in charge".

The young Outworlder obviously saw the princess' attempt to keep her back by providing her with a supposedly more important responsibility.

"Do this for me", Kitana told her, "Please?".

"Fine, my princess", Wreath delighted her by agreeing, "As you wish".

Creating the portal that headed towards the Earth was relatively easy. Kitana stood in front of it dressed in her favorite military clothes consisting of black pants and a sleeveless leather ensemble above the waistline. After a sincere parting with Wreath, the princess walked into the bright entryway. She had to admit to herself that it would've been useful to have Wreath around to watch her back until she found Liu and the others. She had already made up her mind that the young Outworlder was not going to be put in danger this time, though. She stepped through the portal expecting to see the desolate warzone that Earth became after the onset of Kahn's invasion.

She was half correct. The Earth realm had turned into a warzone, but it was not desolate. Kitana found herself staring at four seven-foot tall mutants who were waiting for her with their blades raised. She asked herself how they could've known the spot she picked to use her portal. There was just no way for the mutants to keep a track of her, especially when they didn't even know she was coming.

"Emperor Kahn warned us you might be on your way here", the head mutant spoke, pointing both yard-long blades in her direction, "We were put in charge of making sure you did not get involved".

"I see", the princess replied, sounding more confident than she felt.

"By order of emperor Kahn, turn around and leave this realm", the same mutant spoke with a menacing grin, "Or we have permission to restrain you any way we choose".

"Well", Kitana smoothly opened two razor-brimmed fans, one in each hand.

She held the left fan in front of her chest and lifted the other fan over her head as she bent her right elbow. The mutants' eyes widened as they were pleasantly surprised at her response. They now had a reason to tear her to pieces.

"You may attack when ready, then", she dared.

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Liu, in the meantime, kept up with the offensive as he delivered a sharp kick into the Shokanite's midsection. The monk recalled that, although very large, his current opponent was not as big or as aggressive as Goro had been. In fact, this four-armed adversary was slow and did not seem to possess the endurance needed to stay alert in a confrontation. After receiving a mere three blows from his smaller human enemy, the invader lost his ability to attack decisively. He swung blindly into the air with his upper left fist, hoping that he would get lucky and be able to strike the native's head with it. Seeing the assault, Liu easily ducked out of its way and intentionally dropped on the ground. Resting both palms and the left knee against the ground, the monk kicked out with his right leg, his right foot slamming hard into the invader's knee.

The large Shokanite screamed out in pain as he bent down, desperately grasping his injured knee and completely forgetting about his human opponent. Liu took advantage of the invader's inability to cope with pain as he sprang back up to his feet and delivered a devastating uppercut into the Shokanite's face. The four-armed giant's torso snapped backwards under the impact of Liu's fist and he found himself falling on the ground flat on his back. The White Lotus monk then turned away from his defeated opponent to concentrate on the Centaurs and mutants who were sure to surround him. Before he was able to react to the large number of new opponents, he felt a large fist grabbing the collar of his shirt from behind. He turned his face and saw the Centaur who had him in a solid grip. The horseman single-handedly tossed the monk into the air, hoping to injure him as much as possible.

Liu yelled as he flew into the air and landed on the hard ground a dozen steps away. Panting, he pulled himself up to his feet and stood in his fighting stance as he readied for the platoon of mutants who rushed towards him. With his attention turned to the invaders in front of him, the monk never saw the Centaur who was behind him. That horseman turned his right hand into a fist and delivered a crippling punch into the back of the human's head. Liu saw stars as his head snapped back and the rest of his body crashed forward on his stomach. Under the cheers of his fellow invaders, the Centaur bent down and picked up the defeated monk. Lifting the native two feet into the air, he was so busy showing off to his teammates as he prepared to headbutt the human that he didn't hear the sound of rotors approaching.

None of the Centaurs or mutants at the scene heard the Army Apache helicopter as it came closer to their area with every passing moment. By the time any one of the invaders noticed the strange noise, the attack helicopter was hovering above their position. With a blunt noise, the two occupants of the helicopter shone a powerful light on the large number of invaders who helplessly squinted their eyes and looked up. The Centaur who held the near-unconscious monk dropped Liu as his own attention had turned to the helicopter. Thus, the occupants in the hovering machine never saw that there was still a live human in the area.

Without a warning, the helicopter opened fire using its 30 mm chain machine gun. The first individuals hit below were the two mutants who screamed as their chest exploded in a gory mess. The gunman within the helicopter hit a Centaur with the chain rounds also, but the horseman only fell on his side with a scream before standing again. He was seriously hurt, but still alive. Not liking the fact that a Centaur would survive an attack where only bullets were used, the gunner also grabbed the controls to the seventy active rockets the helicopter carried. With the squeeze of a button, a rocket was launched and exploded into the injured Centaur, tearing the horseman's upper body to pieces. A second rocket was launched and struck the chest of the Centaur who had assaulted Liu from behind. The horseman's chest and head were obliterated as his lower horse-like body with only the stomach of a human attached to it fell on forward. The remains of that invader landed partly on Liu's figure as the monk still hadn't moved.

Liu saw the carcass landing on him, though he didn't feel the impact. His ears still registered the screams from the terrified mutants and Centaurs as the predators had suddenly become the prey. The monk heard dozens of invaders trying to retreat as a relentless barrage of 30 mm bullets and rockets followed them. He also heard the number of invaders who were getting killed. After the dead Centaur landed on him, Liu started counting. He heard one scream of an invader who was hit. Then a second. Then a third. Then a fourth. He lost count after the fourth scream because many shrill cries were heard at once afterwards. The monk thought to himself that the attack from the helicopter was fine. After all, the invaders were being shown the same amount of mercy they had shown to the humans they had previously confronted.

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Kitana, in the meantime, threw the fan in her right hand as she observed all four mutants rushing towards her. The fan glided through the air before meeting the neck of the leftmost mutant and easily decapitated that invader. As his head fell off his shoulders, the mutant's body stopped advancing and first crashed down on his knees before coming to a complete rest on his stomach. As the three other mutants reached her, she stood on her left foot alone and sent her right leg into the stomach of the invader at her right. While that one bent down, gasping for breath, the princess swayed the fan in her left hand. The razor edge of the left fan cut through the chest of the mutant at the very left in an explosion of blood. That one screamed as the fan cut through his flesh until it touched his spinal cord. After she pulled the left fan out of him, that leftmost invader of the three staggered back as he left a trail of blood in his path before he collapsed.

She then saw the mutant who was the middle one of the three swinging his right blade, aiming for her neck. Kitana closed the left fan before it instantly vanished in her hand. She then ducked and executed a leg sweep, knocking his legs out from under him as the mutant she had previously kicked in the stomach recovered. With the mutant who was on the receiving end of the leg sweep still on the floor, the last standing invader who had recuperated thought the kill was his. He found out he was wrong because she executed a front kick into the same area of his stomach before he was able to swing either one of his blades. He staggered backwards as the mutant who had been swept then stood up. Seeing him on his feet as the other mutant rushed back towards her, the Outworld princess knew she had to react fast. She executed a continuous cartwheel backwards, greatly increasing the distance between her and them with each passing instant. Both mutants angrily gave chase, though they were traveling slower on foot.

Kitana stopped the backward cartwheel when she saw herself nearing a large brick wall. She stood straight and quickly walked backwards until her upper back was flat against the wall. Seeing her there, both mutants were encouraged as they rushed ahead, each with two blades eagerly waiting to taste blood. When they were three steps from her, she jumped into the air following the path of a large semicircle. She curled her body into a ball as she sailed over their head and landed several steps behind them. Both mutants stopped in time to keep from slamming into the wall, but she had them exactly where she wanted. The fan appeared in her left hand before Kitana opened it. Exhaling hard, she threw the fan towards them. Both mutants gasped and jumped aside, so the fan struck the brick wall behind them. The two invaders thought she had missed her intended target and were about to stand back up. Before they got a chance to rise to their feet, though, the entire wall behind them collapsed. Both mutants screamed as they were buried under hundreds of red bricks. Kitana hadn't missed her intended target after all. The fan returned to her hand and she closed it before it vanished in her palm. She anxiously rotated herself away from the destroyed wall and the two invaders who were entombed under it. She still wanted to find Liu and the others.

She returned to the bright portal which she had used and lifted her right forearm horizontally in front of her stomach. The right fan appeared in her palm as she opened it and concentrated into the portal.

"We are in the Earth realm", she spoke into the portal, "Find my friends".

With those words, Kitana threw the right fan into the portal before following it.

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The first sound Sheeva remembered hearing was her deep moan as she opened her eyes since it hurt to just push her eyelids open. Slightly lifting her face off the blood-soaked concrete, the Shokanite slowly twisted her head to the left. The pounding at the back of her head would not cease as she looked as high up as possible towards the sky. The pitch black color of the sky had turned to dark blue, indicating that the sun was about to rise. Swearing at herself for being unconscious for so long, the Shokanite bent her four arms at the elbow in an effort to lift her upper body. She had temporarily forgotten about the bullet wound in the left shoulder, but soon remembered it as she arched her torso upwards away from the bloody ground. The torn flesh which had been devastated by a bullet first and a knife second protested in pain as she was forced to stretch her upper body while arching it upwards.

Sheeva hissed loudly at the pain as she suddenly recalled the amount of blood that she must've lost because of that particular wound. A pool of blood with a radius of about two yards surrounded her as she first rose on her knees. Looking around, the Shokanite surveyed her surroundings. Among several dead natives lay about half a dozen Centaur corpses and over a score of dead mutants. Across the street, the scene carried the distinct view of a massacre as dozens of more natives rested in their own blood amid the overturned vehicles and smashed walls. Doing her best to wipe the blood on her face way with her upper right hand, Sheeva shakily rose to her feet. A fair distance away, her eyes saw a Centaur who lay in the middle of the street. Despite the battered condition of her sight, she still noticed that only the horseman's upper, human-like body remained. Below his midsection was a large pool of blood, internal organs and bones.

Taking a few moments to get used to the torturous explosions which still occurred at the back of her head in regular intervals, Sheeva looked around towards the ground. She was in search of anything that could be used to try to control the bleeding from her left shoulder. The only items she spotted were the clothes that the dead humans wore, but they were all soaked in the natives' blood. Not wanting to risk contaminating her own body by exposing it to the blood of the defiled natives, she turned around and headed inside the building in front of which the natives had previously stood. She was surprised that it took so much effort for her to merely walk as she pushed the main door open. Once inside, the Shokanite scanned the area for anything useful, being especially wary in case some natives had hid inside the building with weapons. Hearing nothing, she soon became convinced she was the only individual there.

One item Sheeva saw was a large and rectangular banner which was covered with stripes of red and white, except for its upper left section, which was blue and filled with stars. Still groaning with anger, she limped towards it since it was across the large room. Upon reaching it, she swore since she just realized that it was hung about fifteen feet in the air. Looking up, she slightly bent her knees before jumping up towards it. She easily reached the edge of the banner and held on to it with her upper left hand. Her grip tore it off the spot on the wall it was attached to as she came back down. Landing back on the floor with the banner in her left grasp, she landed on her feet as usual but her legs then buckled under the pressure. Sheeva yelled as she found herself crashing on her side, swearing at the humans who had made her lose so much blood from the shoulder wound.

Grudgingly standing up, she noticed that the wound still had not stopped bleeding. Working as carefully and quickly as she could afford, the Shokanite wrapped the colorful banner around her left shoulder, making it as tight as possible. Hoping that the makeshift bandage would be enough to stop the bleeding, Sheeva turned around and walked back outside, eager to hunt more natives down.

Once outside the building and staring at the battle ground again, she began thinking. The Shokanite reasoned that some Centaurs and mutants obviously survived the battle with the armed natives. She had seen many more invaders in the area during her confrontation with the humans than were lying dead on the street at the present time. So, she asked herself why none of the invaders who had survived bothered to come back for her. If any members of emperor Kahn's army returned to the scene to check for her vital signs, they would've realized that she was still alive. Instead, she was left behind where she might have bled to death if she had not woken up. Sheeva told herself that there was a serious lack of concern shown towards her by the members of the emperor's army whom she had saved by attacking the natives. She ran towards a direction picked at random and could already feel adrenaline rushing through her system. She eagerly looked forward to her next meeting with the natives.

After running through deserted streets for several blocks, the first individual she saw was a human who was dressed in the same outfit that the natives in the semicircle had on. The man withdrew a weapon much like the one that had been previously used to injure her in the shoulder. Sheeva leapt, determined to kill him before he got a chance to kill her.

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The alarm clock sounded at precisely 6AM, feeling like an explosion in Sonya's mind because of her hangover. She was still half-asleep when she opened her eyes for the first time. Her initial reaction was to ignore the alarm in the hopes that it might perhaps stop by itself and she could go back to sleep. After several seconds of hoping for quiet and being disappointed, she remembered where she was as well as where she needed to be in a short time. She grudgingly told herself that she needed to get out of bed.

"OH, SHUT UP!", Sonya yelled as she quickly sat up in bed before turning the alarm off.

The pounding headache still remained after the annoying siren from the clock had quieted down, as she expected it to be. Moaning, the Special Forces lieutenant crawled out of bed as she scratched her blond hair, as if hoping that scratching her head would rid her of the headache. It never worked the countless number of times she had woken up with a hangover, and this occasion was no different. She still had not recovered her balance as she stood up, so she was forced to stagger to the bathroom and use one hand against the wall for support. On the way to her destination, she used the other hand to grab the folded black tank top and pants which served as her uniform.

Once finally bent down over the washbasin, Sonya turned the cold water on and gathered as much as possible in between her cupped hands. Holding her breath, she splashed handfuls of water on her face as well the base of her hair before standing up straight and looking at her reflection in the mirror. The circles under her eyes which were there the previous night were still there now, and she thought the old cut on her left cheek was actually spreading to the rest of her face. She then told herself that such a situation was impossible and she would do best by stopping the crazy beliefs.

It took her about as long as it should have to be back in her bedroom with the dark uniform on. Her headache was slowly subsiding, as expected, while she was seated on the edge of the bed and tying the knots for the Army boots. A five-inch switchblade knife was already strapped to her left ankle inside that boot, as had been her standard uniform ever since she got reinstated in the military. As Sonya then stood up and began constraining her hair in a tail at the back of her head, she thought that it'd be nice to have some fresh air in the room. Thus, she walked over to the only window and proceeded to open it. She froze as she looked outside through the glass.

"Huh?", her eyes narrowed as she pushed the window upwards, thus feeling the small amount of wind that was available outside.

Next to the rising sun, Sonya saw the top half of the red and immobile tornado for the first time as it stood above the trees and other obstructions. She did not understand the implications of the surprising sight for a few moments, but she then spotted an eight-foot tall Centaur smashing a parked vehicle across the street from her home. The car was unoccupied as the horseman turned it to a pile of dented metal within seconds. The invader then galloped away, probably in search of more rewarding prey. Sonya gasped as she quickly pulled herself away from the window and flattened her upper back against the wall next to it.

"Not good", she said out loud, "Nooooot good".

Another invasion was started during the night, and she had missed it since she was lying in bed, too drunk to be awake. Ignoring the remnants of the headache which still remained, the lieutenant rushed to her bed before reaching under the pillow and withdrawing her spare 9mm Glock pistol. Checking to make sure the clip was full, she headed outside knowing that she must report to the local Army headquarters, assuming that it wasn't reduced to rubble already. She told herself that it was better for her to join the fight late than to never join it at all.

The first individual she ran into once outside was a mutant who rushed towards her with a growl and both blades pointing forward. From five yards away, she was quick to point the handgun towards him before pulling the trigger once. The single bullet tore through the mutant's stomach before it exited out of his lower back, bringing him down on his knees before he could take his next step. He pressed both his hands on the bullet wound, though that did not slow the flow of blood from the stomach, and certainly not the flow of blood from his lower back. Not understanding how a mutant found a place in the Centaurs' army, and not caring, the human decided not to waste any more ammunition on him. Instead, Sonya casually walked up to her injured adversary and looked him evenly in the eyes as he still stood on his knees and bled. Twisting to her left, she kicked him in the head, knocking the mutant down on his side with a groan as her right ankle met his jaw. Her right thigh protested from the sudden use as she felt it get sore, but she ignored it at the moment.

The mutant turned on his stomach as he helplessly coughed blood and tried to rise. He groaned and pushed on his hands hard for several moments until he succeeded on rising on his hands and knees. His human opponent, though, was not impressed. She sent a swift kick into his face, decimating whatever strength he had left. His face snapped towards the sky before he crashed back down on his stomach. He lay there bleeding to death as she walked away from him, firearm at the ready for other invaders.

Walking quickly helped warm up the muscles in her legs, which was good because she couldn't afford to stop and stretch at the moment. Sonya's face kept turning incessantly to cover all around her as she did not see anyone, human or invader alike. It was almost as if everyone in the city had vanished into thin air. The uneasy peace and quiet, though, did not last long as she heard what sounded like a human scream from two blocks away. Bending her right elbow in order to aim the pistol in her hand towards the sky, she ran towards the source of the sound, hoping she was not too late...

Upon reaching the scene, Sonya stopped and saw that the origin of the scream was forty yards away. The lieutenant's eyes widened as she found herself staring at a female Shokanite who was engaged in a struggle against a metropolitan policeman. The officer's handgun rested on the ground several yards away from him, so as to be out of his reach. Instead, the human had withdrawn a nightstick which he tried to swing at his larger opponent's head.

"Shokanites now too?", Sonya asked herself, "What is this, a unified freaks strike against Earth?".

Before she was even able to level the Glock towards the four-armed invader, the policeman Sheeva was dueling against delivered a blow to her head with the nightstick. Such a strike would've been enough to knock an ordinary human unconscious, but the Shokanite's bloodied face only snapped to the side. She gripped the edge of the nightstick with her lower left hand before the officer was able to pull it back. Tugging at the weapon, Sheeva pulled it out of the human's hand, but had no idea how to use it herself. Instead of attacking him with it, she held the two opposite ends of the nightstick by using her two lower hands before breaking it in half with ease. The officer's eyes widened in horror as he witnessed the true extent of her strength as Sonya already had her 9mm firearm aimed at the Shokanite's chest.

Before she was able to open fire, though, Sheeva spotted the arrival of the second human and recognized the weapon the female human was using. It was the same kind of weapon which the previous humans had used to kill several Centaurs and mutants, as well injure her. Not wanting to be wounded by such a weapon again, the Shokanite rushed forward and grabbed the smaller human she had been fighting with. Single-handedly lifting the first human into the air, she turned towards the direction of the second human and placed the officer in front of her. Sheeva thus reasoned that, in order to kill her, the second human would have to also kill the first one. She knew very well that if such a case had occurred in the realm of Shokan, then both the hostage and the individual using the hostage would die, but she was now in the Earth realm.

"Use your weapon if you dare!", Sheeva barked as only her head, three arms and feet were visible from behind the police officer.

"Let him go, bitch!", Sonya barked back, aiming the firearm towards the invader but unsure about her abilities to shoot the target in the head from such a distance.

"As you wish", the Shokanite grinned as she placed one of her three free hands around the hostage's head from behind.

Before either Sonya or the first human could react, Sheeva broke her hostage's neck and then released the grip on his body. The officer's corpse fell and lay on the ground as both Sonya and Sheeva screamed at once. The Shokanite jumped up into the air as the human pulled the trigger.

Sheeva was airborne by the time the 9mm bullet hit the area where she formerly stood. Sonya followed her adversary's leap into the air with her face as she ended up having to look upwards very high before realizing the Shokanite was about to land on her. Gasping, the lieutenant blindly jumped backwards and landed on her back three yards away an instant before Sheeva crashed feet-first on the spot where she used to stand. Before the human could stand or point the Glock, the Shokanite rushed ahead and angrily gripped her right wrist with the lower right hand. Sheeva then grabbed the handgun with her upper right hand and tossed the weapon several yards away without letting go of the hold she still had on Sonya's wrist. Once seeing that the firearm was safely out of the human's reach, the Shokanite used her lower right grip on Sonya's wrist to pull the lieutenant up to her feet before tossing her into the air also.

Sonya screamed as she flew in a semicircle before crashing on the hard concrete ten yards away. She felt the painful impact as she believed several of her ribs had been damaged, along with the countless number of cuts and bruises she received. Staggering up to her feet, she saw the lady Shokanite approaching as simple hatred emanated from her opponent's face. Having been used to fighting against opponents who were bigger and stronger, Sonya screamed again as she rushed to meet her adversary. Once close enough, the human twisted to her left and executed an exceptionally high kick with her right leg. Her right ankle collided with Sheeva's jaw, the result of which was almost nonexistent. Grinning a sadistic smile, the Shokanite swung with both her right arms. Sonya somersaulted backwards in time, so the invader's fists met only air. Seeing the bloody flag wrapped around Sheeva's left shoulder for the first time, Sonya then reasoned she might have a vulnerable spot to aim for.

The human stepped towards her opponent and, as Sheeva was about to swing again with an upper right fist, delivered an uppercut into the Shokanite's left armpit. The bullet wound whose bleeding was previously controlled after much hard work tore open as a new explosion of blood emerged from it. Sheeva screamed out in pain, hating the human even more for her actions, as she instinctively pressed her upper right hand against the wound. However, her reaction proved useless, because new green blood soaked the cloth around the wound before falling on the ground next to her left foot. Taking advantage of the distraction, Sonya delivered a powerful front kick into the Shokanite's stomach. As a result, Sheeva bent down, gasping for breath. The human next turned her right hand into a fist as she sent forth a second uppercut, this time aimed for her adversary's face. Sheeva's upper body sharply snapped backwards as her face was momentarily looking at the sky. The pain that officer Pensky had inflicted on her head with a rifle was only worsened.

Enjoying the progress she was making, Sonya executed a swift roundhouse kick as the back of her ankle crashed into the Shokanite's jaw. Her adversary staggered backwards as drops of blood spilled out of her mouth. Roaring, Sheeva ignored all the pain and rushed forward again with four clenched fists. She swung with her upper right fist aimed for the human's head, which Sonya blocked with an alert raising of her own left forearm. As the first fist was blocked, though, the Shokanite's lower right fist slammed into the side of the human's chest, intensifying the pain Sonya felt from her damaged ribs. The human's body was violently pushed upwards and to her right under the massive blow as her legs gave out because of the sudden pain. Sonya involuntarily crashed down on her knees as she saw Sheeva swinging the lower left fist towards her face. The Shokanite's fist landed perfectly on the human's face and knocked Sonya down on her side as she saw blood spilling out of her mouth.

Using her arms to raise her upper body, the human bent her left leg and planted her left knee against the ground. Before the larger Shokanite could capitalize on the advantage that the human's position offered, Sonya swept her extended right leg in a counter-clockwise motion. The human's right ankle met Sheeva's foot and knocked the Shokanite's legs out from under her. Telling herself that she should've been able to avoid the leg sweep, Sheeva crashed down on the ground also. Both human and Shokanite climbed to their feet at the same time. Instead of delivering another punch or kick, though, Sonya turned and ran straight towards the spot where her handgun came to a rest on the ground. Sheeva saw her intended destination and debated whether or not she should try to intercept. She quickly decided against it and jumped upwards and away from the human.

Sonya reached the Glock and swiftly picked it up. Leveling it at arm's length in front of her face with both hands, she aimed in the Shokanite's general direction as the invader was in midair and heading for the opposite direction as hers. The human pulled the trigger once as Sheeva was about to land on the ground about thirty yards away after her first leap. Realizing that she missed, Sonya pulled the trigger four more times as she tried to take more careful aim while the Shokanite was in the middle of her second leap. None of the shots hit their intended target. Sonya swore under her breath as she lowered the handgun.

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Johnny led the three individuals into a seemingly abandoned grocery store. The only people inside other than themselves were two young employees who had been knifed to death and were lying in a pool of blood. As grim as it sounded, the kombatant's reasoning had been that he invaders would probably not return to an area where they had already been. So they were probably safer there than anywhere else. His thoughts were still with his fellow kombatant since he wasn't sure of Liu's fate. As talented as he was, the monk's chances of surviving an encounter with dozens of larger opponents were simply not good. All three people were shaken up, as was perfectly understandable, as they sat huddled in an aisle of the store. The man was even a big fan of Johnny's. He had told the actor that he always hoped to meet him one day, but never thought it would be under the current circumstances. That was before he had broken into tears because two of his friends had been trampled on by the first Centaur on the scene.

Trying to keep himself collected, the actor tried to figure out the right way to tell the trio that he had to leave them. All four of them had been uptight until they had driven by the empty grocery store with the open door. Despite the temporary shelter the store offered, the kombatant simply had to return to the street where he had seen Liu last. He was standing up straight as he looked down towards the trio who were seated on a section of the floor which didn't have any blood nearby.

"I have to leave, guys", the actor flatly stated.

"Huh?", his fan replied.

"I have to go back to where we came from", Johnny clarified.

Both the woman and the child cried again. The man shakily stood up and took two steps towards him. Johnny reasoned that he possibly wanted to talk to him in private, but ended up without being able to keep his thoughts to himself.

"What're you, nuts?", the man spoke his mind.

"I have to find my friend", the actor insisted.

"Look", the man violently scratched his head, "I'm sorry about him. He did something great. But I lost my friends too. You can't save him by going back there, he's already dead".

"Probably", the kombatant agreed, "But I have to make sure".

"Come on, man!", the man exclaimed, "Don't be suicidal!".

"If I find his body, at least then I'll know", the actor pressed before he sighed.

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"But... But...", the man couldn't think of what to say.

"Look", Johnny sighed again, "I'll leave the car. If, in the future, you three need to jump in there and drive because it's no longer safe here, you got my blessing. Here's the keys".

The actor threw the keys to the man before he turned away from the trio and walked out.

"Good luck", was all the man could think of saying.

Johnny turned around and smiled before exiting.

"Thanks, you too", he replied.

And then he was gone.

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It took the actor almost an hour of running before he found the spot where he had last seen Liu. The area wasn't that far, but the problem was that they had been driving down an unknown street at the moment of the attack, so the actor had a problem retracing his steps from the grocery store. The fact that all streets were littered with bodies, of which three out of four were human, only made the search more difficult. Finally, though, he found the street and was careful when he walked down towards the place where the monk was last seen fighting against the Shokanite. To Johnny's surprise, the street was full of dead Centaurs and mutants as the pungent stench of blood overwhelmed his nose. Trying to hold his breath, and knowing Liu couldn't have done all this damage alone, the actor slowly ran down the street. He was carefully surveying every corpse he encountered in search of the monk.

He finally spotted Liu's face lying immobile under the destroyed lower half of a Centaur. Not even curious as to what happened to the dead horseman's upper body, Johnny rushed towards the spot and kneeled next to the monk. Although he feared the worst, he simply had to place his right middle and index fingers on Liu's throat to make sure his fellow kombatant was dead. The actor's eyes and mouth widened from shock as he realized the White Lotus monk still had a pulse.

"Liu!", he called out as he instinctively squeezed the monk's jaw with his hand in an effort to wake him up.

Liu's eyes sprang open and Johnny heard himself laughing out loud.

"What is so funny?", the monk gasped.

"Just glad to see you alive, that's all", the actor replied as he helped his fellow kombatant to his feet.

"I'm glad to see me alive too", Liu grinned.

"Man! When I thought you were dangerous with all that training of yours, I had no idea you were this dangerous!", Johnny happily pointed towards all the bodies of the invaders which surrounded them, though he knew well that the monk wasn't responsible.

"Just do not make me angry, or this will be the consequence", the monk replied in the same tone of voice.

A brief silence followed before Johnny spoke again.

"So what happened here?", the actor asked seriously.

"It was a helicopter", Liu told him, "Military, I think".

"I'm impressed", the actor went on, "A few more scenes like this and we may not get wiped out after all".

Before Liu was able to warn him that a direct counterstrike may not be enough to win this conflict, a bright portal appeared only yards away from them. As both men stared into it, they saw a paper fan which emerged from the portal before it planted itself into the ground a few feet in front of them. Kitana came out of the portal following the fan a few seconds afterwards and the bright light vanished after she was through it.

"Look who it is", Johnny smiled, "Come to join us?".

"Of course", she replied.

"Now we may have a chance", Liu went on, always happy to see her, but especially at the present time.

Those were his last words before all three fighters noticed a blemish high in the sky. Despite the deep blue which had already enveloped the environment, the kombatants still saw that the object above them was much darker than the early morning sky. The unknown visitor came closer to the ground, and thus towards them, as it descended slowly. Fearing the worst, all three individuals tried to be ready. Both Johnny and Liu stepped away from each other and turned into a fighting stance to reduce the risk of being shot at simultaneously. Kitana, in her turn, withdrew a fan and distanced herself from both of them. The trio thus formed an almost perfect triangle as their eyes were set on the winged shade. They soon noticed that it was a bird, perhaps a condor, as it floated down towards them and opened its wings. With a wing span of over fifteen yards across, the humans simply had to be impressed at the awesome size of their latest visitor. Rather than having to take on an animal that big, they decided to hold back and make sure it was hostile before attacking, especially since they were not sure they could not kill it.

Fortunately, the giant condor only landed on the street a few steps away from the three humans without showing any signs of hostility. As it scanned the area with the mild curiosity of a tamed animal, a cloaked figure who was apparently riding on top of the bird stood up. The kombatants did not ease away from their ready stance as the individual then jumped on the ground and began walking towards them. As he came closer, Johnny was the first one to gasp as he saw that the person was only a skeleton dressed in a cloak alone.

"I do not wish to do battle with you humans", Hades raised his arms as a gesture of peace as he came to within ten yards of the triangle, "I am here to give you assistance, in fact".

"Is that so?", the actor spoke first, still tense.

"Yes", the deity added, "I was sent by Rayden, I believe you know him well".

"Well enough", Liu said, "Why isn't he here? We could use him now".

"He was...", Hades picked his words carefully, "Held back for now, so I am his messenger until this invasion is over".

"And your assistance is?", Kitana questioned.

"Rayden asked me to advise you humans that one way to defeat Kahn would be to find the gray warrior who is hiding from the emperor in the wastelands of Outworld", Hades gave them the message.

"The gray warrior?", Johnny repeated, relaxing only a little bit, "Does this guy have a name? You know, like Marc, or Lisa, or Archibald?".

"I am afraid that is the only identity I was given", the deity couldn't clarify.

"Great", the actor sighed, "The wastelands of Outworld. So, that's about seven or eight thousand square miles, right?".

"Maybe not", Kitana looked at him, "Not if we know where to look".

"I hope I was able to help", Hades bowed before turning around and walking back towards the waiting condor.

"Thank you", Liu called after him.

"Yeah, same here", Johnny added, "And nice bird. It beats taking a cab any day".

The deity did not reply as he climbed on the condor and the animal spread its giant wings before flying towards the sky.

"Well, that sure was strange, though I can't say surprising any more", the actor told his two fellow kombatants once they were alone.

"So, what now?", Liu thought out loud, "How do we find this warrior he described?".

"There is only one area of my realm where someone who is trying to hide from Kahn could go", Kitana explained, "We call it the Vexed Land. It is a small plot of land that is protected by the magic of the Living Forest. The magic there is so thick that even Kahn's sorcery may not enter".

"You take it that's where this gray dude will be hiding?", Johnny reasoned.

"Most likely", the princess went on, "Of course, there is a problem".

"What's that?", Liu was the first of the two men to ask.

"No one who has ever ventured into the Living Forest returned to recount the tale", Kitana warned, "There was one individual who was rumored to have come back alive, only to be raving about the live wood. It was from his ranting that the name was given to the mysterious place. Unfortunately, he died before I or any members of the council could talk to him. That was two centuries ago, and no one has visited the area since".

"Great, juuuust great!", the actor turned partly away as he raised his arms into the air, "We don't only get to find this gray guy, but we get to be explorers in the meantime also. Trailblazers, if you will. Maybe we should take a map with us and write down our memoirs while we're there. Who knows? They might name a river down there after us in about a thousand years".

"I agree that it is not a pleasant thought, but do we have any other choice?", Liu told them both.

"Apparently not", Kitana closed the fan in her hand.

"We should head there as soon as possible then", the monk advised.

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Sonya was on her way to the Army base, walking quickly, and angrily, as she headed towards her destination. She held the Glock in her right grip as she proceeded past the bodies which could be found everywhere she looked. She had stopped scanning her surroundings in search of invaders ever since her encounter with the female Shokanite.

"They just don't fucking stop, do they?", she barked out loud as she continued her trek down the street, casually stepping over the corpse of a mutant who had been run over by a car, "They can just leave you the fuck alone, but would they do that? Of course not!".

She heard nothing from her surroundings. It was as if the entire scenery was covered with a blanket of silence which refused to yield any noise as she nearly screamed, not caring who heard. In fact, she was unconsciously trying to attract attention to herself, preferably those from other humans. But that did not happen since everyone she passed by was clearly dead.

"Why can't they just leave this goddamn realm alone?", she asked herself, still only looking ahead, "Isn't life bad enough as it is?".

The walk towards her base was surprisingly uneventful. With pistol held at the ready with both hands ahead of her face, Sonya proceeded past the now-unguarded front gates. She carefully walked towards the section which would've been the cluster of main buildings, but which was now just a large rubble of uneven walls with most of the roofs missing. Columns of smoke emerged from various spots, making it harder for her to comb the setting as she slowly searched for human soldiers.

Her eyes blinked fast as she saw movement out of the corner of her left eye. She gripped the handle of the Glock even tighter while she was nearing the end of a crumbled wall from her right at the moment. She twisted to the left, pointing the weapon in that direction, as she tried to register the image in her mind. It was definitely not a Centaur, and probably not a Shokanite, though she wasn't sure of the latter. Sonya's best guess was that she had spotted either a human survivor or a mutant. Her hopes quickly vanished when she observed the grinning mouth of a mutant staring back at her above the muzzle of the handgun. Desiring to wipe the grin off his face, she tried to squeeze the trigger.

The lieutenant was not able to open fire because a blade shot forth from behind the crumbled wall. The knife impaled her right forearm and stopped after it had been inserted in her left. The sudden pain, followed by an explosion of blood from her forearms, forced an unwanted scream out of her mouth as she saw the Glock slipping out of her fingers and hitting the ground. The razor-sharp weapon was then withdrawn as hastily as it was sent into her flesh. Sonya tried to step backwards and tripped over an unseen obstruction on the ground. Falling on her back, she looked up to see a second mutant as that one emerged from behind the wall. The invader with the bloody right blade wore a sadistic grin, expecting to have fun as he finished his task. Gasping for air to calm herself down, she instinctively wrapped her left hand over the hole in her right forearm, though she was sure such a reaction would not significantly slow down the loss of blood.

Sonya staggered up to her feet, her face burning with anger as she returned his stare. She looked forward to assaulting the mutant with the same kind of determination she had shown against the female Shokanite, which is to say, with only her adversary's demise in mind. Before she was even able to think of what kind of a blow to deliver, though, her eyes caught more movement behind her current enemy. A second mutant showed himself from directly behind the one who had stabbed her, increasing the number of opponents to three as the original invader she had seen approached also. The kombatant withdrew her left hand from the injured forearm, deciding to let the blood flow freely for a short amount of time as she switched into her fighting stance. One mutant was enough of a challenge to deal with, but she didn't know if she could battle against three at once.

Before she found out if she was good enough, though, she heard a soft laughter from behind her. Sonya partly turned her face around while still trying to pay attention to the adversaries who lay ahead only to see half a dozen more mutants standing behind her. She gave a short gasp before swearing under her breath. She looked towards the ground where the pistol had fallen about eight feet away. The human reasoned that at least two of the mutants at the scene would be able to intercept her before she reached the weapon if she had tried to lunge for it. Extending her sound left arm towards the Glock while having two mutants charging upon her was a sure way to get eviscerated on the very spot where she stood. Of course, not reaching for the weapon and trying to challenge nine healthy mutants while her right arm was temporarily useless was a guaranteed death sentence also. She decided to refrain from dashing for the weapon on the ground. At least that way, she was positive she would die fighting and, hopefully, even kill some mutants before she ended up being cut to pieces.

At the decisive moment when all nine mutants were about to attack and Sonya was about to find out just how much endurance she actually possessed, everyone heard a foreign voice. All ten combatants turned their head in surprise towards the source before they saw another human who calmly approached them from twenty steps away. Sonya had no trouble recognizing him as private Ellison, but he was obviously a stranger to the mutants. The invaders turned their blades towards him, ready to attack the new native as well, but Ellison did not even appear worried. As he came closer, Sonya saw that he wore an electric razor with several wires attached to it which was tied around his neck with a piece of string. She wondered what was going on when Ellison addressed the nine invaders, looking as confident as ever.

"Leave, now!", the foot soldier ordered as he exchanged glances with the members of Kahn's army.

The mutants appeared confused, as they had never experienced a time when a smaller human, whom they also outnumbered, saw fit to tell them what to do. Despite their initial confusion, most of the invaders soon raised their blades in an aggressive manner, willing to attack the two natives again.

"This device is connected to my heartbeat!", Ellison spoke up as he gripped the electric razor around his neck, this time with more annoyance in his voice, "If my heartbeat should stop for any reason, like when I'm dead, it will automatically set off an explosion which will turn anything within a half mile radius to ash, including everyone here".

The mutants hesitated for the first time, eyeing both natives cautiously and with a degree of fear now.

"I ask you", Ellison addressed them again, "Are you ready to die? Because that's what will happen if you kill me. And if you try to kill her, I will kill you and you won't be able to strike back because doing so will mean your own deaths".

Sonya reasoned that the invaders must have told themselves that they weren't so loyal to Kahn that they were willing to partake in a suicide mission for him. All nine mutants turned and bolted away from her and Ellison, wanting to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the apparently suicidal human. She saw the footsoldier sigh loudly in relief as he saw them leaving.

"Oh, God!", Ellison exclaimed in relief once the two of them were alone, "I can't believe that worked!".

He tore the useless electric razor off his neck and tossed it on the ground as he approached her. He reached into his torn and bloodied army uniform and withdrew a piece of cloth that was about three inches thick and three feet long.

"Use this for the arm, ma'am", the private offered the piece of cloth as he came near, "I gathered a few of them so this kind of an emergency could be handled".

"Thanks", Sonya took it with her left hand as she eyed the increasingly bloody right forearm.

She first tore the cloth in half from the middle, creating two pieces which were about a foot and a half long each. Then, hissing from the pain but trying not to, she tightly wrapped the first one a few inches above the hole in her forearm, just below the elbow. As she did, Ellison had wandered away, busy scavenging through the rubble which used to be their base. Before she could ask what he was looking for, he returned to where she stood with a half-full bottle of alcohol from a Red Cross packet. The foot soldier opened the cap and handed her the bottle without a word since she obviously knew what had to come next. Pressing her teeth together, Sonya poured some of the alcohol directly on top of the right wound. She gasped and exhaled several times from the pain before she was able to hold the bottle in her right hand to repeat the procedure on the less serious, left wound. The only thing that remained after that was to wrap the second piece of cloth on top of the wound itself, and hope that it was enough to stop the bleeding.

"I owe you one", she whispered as she returned the cap back on the alcohol bottle.

Ellison didn't respond and only returned her glance, so Sonya kept her eyes locked on his for several uneasy seconds until he was finally compelled to speak.

"My pleasure, ma'am", he formally announced.

"Are you OK?", she asked as she came closer.

"Yes ma'am", was his answer.

"And cut the 'ma'am'", she advised, "Call me Sonya".

"Understood", Ellison replied, still standing in a rigid position, as he had been trained to do when addressing a superior officer.

"And thanks, you saved my sorry life for sure", she gave the hint of a smile as she momentarily wrapped her left arm around his shoulder before quickly withdrawing it.

"The craziness is back, isn't it, Sonya?", he asked as he turned his attention away from the base.

"I'm afraid so", she responded, staring in the same direction as him towards the destroyed city which surrounded them.

The lieutenant returned her glance towards the footsoldier who had rescued her. Focusing on his face, she thought she saw dried tear marks under his eyes. She recognized the traces tears usually leave after one tries to dry them in a hurried fashion, as she had done many times before. There was obviously a lot of killing in the last several hours, even though she had been unconscious during most of it, so it was understandable if the footsoldier had gotten emotional. But Sonya ended up asking herself why he would try to cover up the fact that he'd been crying. Ellison noticed her stare and his eyes soon asked her the reason for her interest, so she decided to take a chance.

"You were crying?", she flatly asked him.

"No", he answered with force, indicating to her that he was lying.

"It's OK if you were", she locked eyes with him, sounding surprisingly gentle all of a sudden.

Ellison tried to return her look, but the result was that his eyes blinked before he lost the strength he had been using to keep himself in check. The footsoldier's eyes watered again as he pushed his face aside, as if ashamed of himself.

"Hey, hey, it's OK. It's really OK", she wrapped her right arm around him, understanding his position since there were times she did not want others to know how she felt.

"No, it's not!", he shook his head as he dried his eyes, "I don't deserve to be in this uniform!".

"Why would you say something like that? Sure you do", she still tried to comfort, though she was beginning to realize why he was so distraught.

"I...", Ellison froze.

"What?", she encouraged him to continue.

"Didn't you ask yourself how I was still here when you arrived?", he asked without looking at her as his voice shook, "How I survived those creeps?".

"Not really", she lied.

"I survived 'cause I covered myself with one of the guys who was already dead", his voice broke apart completely and he sobbed again, "They got us by surprise! Nobody was ready for 'em!".

"Listen to me", she was unsure if he heard him, so she spoke up, "Listen to me!".

The footsoldier calmed down slightly, still refusing to look her in the eye.

"It's OK", she whispered into his ear still without taking his arm off his shoulder, "I understand. You didn't do anything wrong. I mean, hell, if you hadn't done that, then you wouldn't have been here to save my life, right?".

He didn't answer, only stared ahead with a numb look on his face.

"Right?", she repeated.

"Yeah, I guess so", he nodded.

"OK, so as long as we're here, what are our plans?", she asked next as she withdrew her arm.

"I dunno", Ellison went on, clearly feeling better after telling her his secret, "I wanted to go to my place, to see if my wife is still alive".

"Sounds like as good of a plan as any", Sonya smiled, "Let's go then".

She reached down towards the ground and gripped the handle of the Glock with her left hand, doing her best to ignore the pain in both forearms.

"Can we drop by one place before, though?", she inquired as if she was asking for his permission.

"Sure", he sighed, still trying to feel something other than the numbing feeling he sensed.

"Great, I'll lead the way", she nodded, intending to pay Chris a visit since she wondered if the orphan from Motaro's invasion had survived also.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Liu, Kitana and Johnny had barely gotten used to the sunlight, but, other than creating a portal to visit Outworld, they didn't know of what decisive course action to follow for the future. The monk was weighing several options, but he seemed to be getting more depressed with time because he kept looking at the corpses which filled the streets. He was glad princess Kitana had decided to come by to give them a helping hand, but having an extra gladiator on their side didn't mean much when they didn't know what to do once the portal was operational. He was still in deep thought, as he was sure the actor and the princess were also, when a bright flash became visible in front of them. The flash expanded, and it was bright enough to even outshine the sun, but it soon faded into a barely glowing luster. Anticipating to see lord Rayden, as they had done before, the kombatants approached it nonchalantly, expecting to hear the voice of the deity who had been their guide several times in the past.

All three fighters were startled and Johnny and Kitana staggered backwards a small number of steps as they ended up facing Shao Kahn himself. The seven-foot tall emperor's facial expression was hidden behind the metal mask, as always, but one could assume that he was enjoying the momentary terror he created. His muscular frame easily surpassed the ones from the three humans as he looked down to stare at his smaller foes.

"IF YOU ARE SMART, YOU WILL SURRENDER WHILE I AM IN A GENEROUS MOOD", Kahn's voice thundered, "I MAY LET YOU AND THE REST OF YOUR PUNY RACE OFF WITH A QUICK DEATH IF YOU DO. IF YOU RESIST, YOU ONLY ADD UNNECESSARY PAIN AND SUFFERING TO A RACE WHO IS DOOMED TO LOSE THIS BATTLE".

"We kicked your ass once, nothing says we won't do it again", Johnny replied first.

Kahn arched his upper body towards the sky and roared at the idea, his laughter echoing for blocks.

"HAVE IT YOUR WAY, HUMAN", he shot back when he was finished giggling, "I HAVE TRIED. WHATEVER ANGUISH FOLLOWS YOUR RACE FROM NOW ON IS ON YOUR HANDS".

"We'll do to you what we did to Motaro, don't worry about us", the actor responded for the trio again.

"That's right", Kitana sternly added.

"AND YOU!", the emperor turned his attention to her, "YOU HAD MUCH MORE THAN THIS TO LIVE FOR! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU GAVE UP BY SIDING WITH THESE PESTS".

The princess shrugged, nonverbally telling him she wasn't interested in his gifts to his servants as he enjoyed the spoils of war.

"YOU MAY NOT BE SO BRAVE ONCE YOU CONCEIVE THE BRUNT OF THE FORCE THAT OPPOSES YOU, INSECTS", the leader of the invaders continued, "MY ARMY CONSISTS OF THREE BILLION WARRIORS, EACH OF WHOM IS FAR SUPERIOR TO ALL THREE OF YOU. MOTARO'S INVASION WILL SEEM TO BE, HOW YOU SAY, A PIECE OF CAKE, WHEN COMPARED TO WHAT YOU FACE NOW. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP MY ARMY FROM DEVASTATING EVERY LAST BIT OF HUMAN RESISTANCE IS TO DEFEAT ITS LEADERS IN A RIGHTEOUS COMBAT, AND THAT, I KNOW, IS IMPOSSIBLE".

"I distinctly remember the sorcerer you harbor having such an overconfidence in the tenth tournament", Liu spoke up, still unimpressed by the emperor's appearance or message.

"Yeah", Johnny added, "And we all know what that got him. Besides, we kicked Motaro's ass once, we can do it again. And whoever is the head of these Shokanites now can't be worse than Goro, who, if I remember, bought the farm in the tenth tournament also".

"FOOL!", Kahn barked, "YOU DID NOT DEFEAT GORO, YOU MERELY GOT LUCKY BY PROPELLING HIM OFF A CLIFF. AS FOR MOTARO, I THINK THE CENTAUR HAS LEARNED HIS LESSON. I DOUBT HE WILL BE DULL-WITTED ENOUGH TO ACCEPT ANOTHER CHALLENGE WHILE EXHAUSTED".

With those words, emperor Kahn laughed out loud again before he vanished. The three fighters exchanged glances, trying not to look worried in fear of scaring the other two even though all three humans felt the same uneasy feeling. But while the kombatants experienced agitation, the emperor was deeply disappointed because he had hoped he could break their spirit by merely flaunting the size of his army. He had failed at his task.

Back in the Earth realm, Kitana was finally able to concentrate enough energy ahead of her to create a portal powerful enough to transport three individuals back to her home realm. All three kombatants stared into the bright gateway, knowing that once they stepped into it, they would find themselves in an area called the Vexed Land.

"Let's do it", Johnny said out loud, wishing he felt more confident.

The three fighters walked inside the portal and vanished.

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Sub-zero was still fatigued when he saw the sun rise. It came as no surprise to him since the amount of talent he had used in the previous few hours was more than he had ever brought forth at once, even when compared to his training with the Lin Kuei. He usually considered himself to be more comfortable at night, but he had to admit that it was a relief to know that one could now see his or her adversaries clearly. He and the other people around him no longer had to worry about a sneaky mutant or a silent Centaur verging upon them in the darkness. The ninja also realized that he hated the idea of seeing a Shokanite leaping through the air with the hopes of crushing him under a body which weighed several hundreds of pounds. The night sky contained an enveloping darkness that had appeared to camouflage the four-armed invaders as they were in the air. Realizing they had to act, since the fact that he could see enemies more easily meant that his enemies could now see him, the Lin Kuei renegade turned to the officers whose lives he had saved.

Pensky appeared tired as he was seated with his back against a wall. Or perhaps the tense expression in his eyes was one of fear, the ninja could not be sure. Detective Olsen was keeping a watch as he stared out of the ravished room they were in. Looking over their surroundings, he knew that, since they were unarmed, they would be helpless if a group of invaders had found them. The retreat from the front of the police station had forced him and the three other officers to run without any weapons in their possessions, so they preferred to avoid a confrontation at all cost. Before Sub-zero could utter his first sentence to the vigilant detective, Olsen quickly whispered to the four other men he was seeking shelter with.

"I hear something!", the detective warned, sending everyone into a state of near-panic.

The ninja prepared to push his already worn abilities to the limit again as all other officers sprang to their feet, none of the men admitting that they were scared. Willing to fight until the end without giving their enemies the satisfaction of hearing them cower in fear, the five humans felt ready.

They suddenly relaxed when the individual who appeared at the door was a mortal born in the Earth realm as well. The man was dressed in jungle camouflage as he held an M-16 rifle at the ready in front of his face. He promptly lowered the muzzle of the weapon towards the floor as he saw the officers. The four officers and the ninja breathed a sigh of relief at the welcome sight.

"Major!", the soldier spoke up, addressing someone who was behind him and thus invisible to the men in the room, "We got more".

At his words, another, bigger soldier appeared at the entrance, gripping a rifle of his own.

"Hi", major Briggs greeted the five survivors, "My name's Jackson Briggs, US Army Special Forces. Please follow me".

"Where we going?", one of the other officers asked, though preferring to tag along with the military than staying unarmed by himself.

"We're scouring the city, at least trying to provide some source of security around here", Jax brought them all up to date, "You'll be safer with us than alone".

Not needing to hear any more, the five survivors followed Jax and the soldier outside to a waiting patrol of three tanks and five military trucks. Each green-colored vehicle was surrounded by over a dozen military personnel and civilians, obviously more survivors of Kahn's onslaught.

"Now, we're not here on anybody's order for an official duty", the major let them know, "We're only doing this on our own, so please, let's have some agreement for everyone's sake. I've been put in charge as the highest-ranking officer here".

Olsen nodded his head, indicating he understood as Jax smiled.

"Sort of like a democratic vote", the major went on, "I actually won the election by a landslide since I got six votes and my nonexistent rival got none".

"Glad to be hear", Sub-zero heard Pensky talking for the first time after the officer had thanked him for saving them the previous night.

"Jake!", Jax turned his attention to a soldier who wore pants painted in the colors of the desert and a red T-shirt, "Get whoever of them's interested a piece".

The major turned back to the survivors.

"Jake will show you how to fire an M-16 if you officers have never handled one before", he assured.

All four officers gladly accepted the rifles, though the ninja did not. Sub-zero believed he would be a more lethal threat with his ice talent once he was fully rested, in contrast with using a firearm he had never even touched before. Jax could not agree with him, perhaps because the major had never seen the extent of the ninja's abilities, but ultimately decided to honor his wishes.

They had been driving down the street at a slow pace for less than ten minutes when they saw the need for assistance. Half a block away, a Shokanite was busy sending his fist into a man's face repeatedly. The human was already unconscious, possibly even dead, but the invader would not cease the punishing blows on his head. Both of the Shokanite's left fists were already smeared with the man's blood when he was spotted by the platoon. Although Sub-zero's initial reaction was to try to use his talent against the invader, he found that one of the soldiers under Jax's command was faster. Though over fifty yards away from the beating, the soldier raised his M-16 rifle and fired once without uttering a word. A round exploded into the back of the head of the four-armed aggressor, dropping the invader dead on the ground. The Shokanite fell on top of the man as soldiers jumped out of the vehicles and rushed over to the scene. They hoped to be able to pull the human out from under the Shokanite since he could've been crushed under the weight. They were, of course, assuming he wasn't dead already.

The ninja soon caught up with the three who first arrived on the scene and tried to pull the human out from under the giant invader's corpse. Only one of the man's arms was visible and the soldiers immediately dropped their rifle and each gripped a section of his forearm in an effort to drag him out. When that method did not produce any results, other than creating exhausted gasps from the three soldiers, the greater number of troops who dashed to the scene decided to try another approach. They began to lift the Shokanite's upper body slightly off the ground so the man under him could easily be freed. Being by far the strongest one among his men, major Briggs dropped his rifle and gripped a side of the invader's body as others joined him. Groaning, they succeeded in lifting the large corpse over two feet off the ground as another soldier quickly pulled the man under it to safety. The Shokanite was then allowed to crash back down on the concrete as the soldier who had pulled the man out eagerly felt for the civilian's pulse. Everyone on the scene was disappointed when he stared at Jax and shook his head, indicating that the man was already dead.

"Allright, boys, it was a nice effort", Jax spoke up as he began to reach for his weapon, which was resting on the ground, "Get back to the tanks".

As the major gripped his M-16 rifle, Sub-zero's eyes enlarged. The ninja caught sight of another giant Shokanite as that one was already in the air, about to land on an unsuspecting soldier. He wanted to freeze the invader so he could give the soldier a chance to get out of the way, but knowing such a feat was impossible, he heard himself screaming out a warning. The four-armed giant landed and crushed the human at the exact time that the ninja yelled out in a late attempt to warn the soldiers. Screams emanated from the soldier's comrades as four of them instinctively raised their rifle and fired into the invader. Several rounds struck the Shokanite in the torso and knocked him backwards as he screamed in pain. He landed on his back, unable to move and bleeding to death at a quick rate.

Before that invader even hit the ground, though, the humans in the street were shocked to see dozens more of Shokanites and Centaurs as the members of Kahn's army seemed to appear out of nowhere. Many charged out of the surrounding buildings which had no activity around them only moments ago. Some Shokanites literally jumped over structures, arriving at the scene from neighboring streets and alleyways. None of the ambushed humans knew or cared at that moment, but both Centaurs and Shokanites were fairly telepathic with members of their race. They could easily hold dialogue between each other when at a close range without speaking verbally and also send a distress signal over a larger distance when hurt. Such was the method that the first Shokanite who was shot had used to summon for help just before he died.

War cries were heard from both the invaders and the Earth natives as Jax ordered his troops to stand in place and fight. The major knew that any soldier who tried to run for the safety of a tank would've been open for an attack from either a Centaur or a Shokanite. If they stood their ground, on the other hand, the soldiers had a chance, however slight, of seeing and then defeating the enemy. Sub-zero heard the loud chorus of gunfire sounding almost at once as everyone in the platoon except for him opened fire. The ninja saw the four officers he had rescued, about a score of civilians and a larger number of soldiers aiming against and successfully hitting Centaurs in the head or Shokanites in the upper body. The four-armed monsters were favorably killed by the bullets while their four-legged counterparts were only stunned by even direct hits to the face.

Turning, the ninja spotted a Centaur who had his lowered horns aimed towards the back of a young soldier as the human did not see the invader galloping towards him from behind. Sub-zero quickly placed his wrists together and sent forth a shower of ice, freezing the aggressive Centaur in his tracks. The young soldier turned around and finally realized that he had been only feet away from being gored by the invader's horns. Not caring how the ninja froze the Centaur, the soldier swiftly aimed his rifle towards his potential executioner's head. One pull of the trigger exploded the frozen Centaur's head in a countless number of ice particles as the decapitated statue fell over on its side.

Seeing detective Olsen to his left and major Briggs to his right as both men now struggled physically against a Shokanite who had reached past the gunfire, the ninja reacted accordingly. He spread his extended arms horizontally away from his upper body at a ninety degree angle from each other, knowing that a frozen burst from one hand could not be as powerful as a burst from both hands. A gust of ice flowed out of each palm, each gust striking one leg on either Shokanite. The ninja jumped aside as he then witnessed a charging Centaur who headed straight for him. The last thing he remembered seeing from Jax's direction was the major taking advantage of his help by executing a leg sweep. The surprised Shokanite who was the major's adversary had gasped as his right leg suddenly turned to ice. He was unable to move as he saw Jax hitting the ground and the major's ankle swung towards his own. The Shokanite screamed as the human's sweep shattered his frozen leg and forced him to crash down on his side as pints of blood emerged from his right hip.

Amid the shouts of victors and losers, as well as the constant sounds of gunfire, the ninja felt a solid blow against his jaw as the Centaur who had charged towards him swung a fist for his head. Sub-zero's upper body snapped to one side as he crashed on the ground. Looking up, he saw the invader rising up on the hind legs and readying to crush him beneath the front legs. With the Centaur still on his hind legs, the ninja gasped as he hastily placed his wrists together and sent forth a blast of ice which was pointed upwards. The ice struck the lower, horse-like section of the invader from underneath him and froze him instantly. Coming back down on his front legs, the Centaur was only a statue. Sub-zero quickly rolled aside as the frozen invader crashed on the ground, smashing to pieces and showering the ninja with fragments of ice.

Standing back up, the former Lin Kuei member heard less screams as he concentrated on the first individual he saw. He felt dread as he caught sight of the giant Shokanite with the shoulder pads whom he had seen several hours earlier. Kintaro easily lifted an unarmed civilian with his right hand before throwing the human against the concrete ground, breaking the native's neck. Cherishing his latest kill, the leader of the Shokanites twisted around as he searched for more victims. He was disappointed since every one of his fellow Shokanites and Centaurs were lying on the ground either dead or dying, mostly from gunshot wounds. Approximately two out of three humans were also deceased. The ninja spotted Pensky on the ground as the officer was busy pressing his right hand on a deep and bloody stomach wound. In the meantime, major Briggs staggered to his feet next to the body of an injured Shokanite and picked up the nearest rifle. Even though the weapon was empty, Jax eagerly swung it downward, crashing the heavier end of the rifle against the invader's head, knocking him unconscious.

Seeing that he was the last member of Kahn's army on his feet while over a dozen injured humans were still healthy enough to hurt him, Kintaro decided to retreat. Before he did so, however, he reached for and gripped the neck of a soldier who was within his grasp. Lifting the human two feet off the ground, the Shokanite reasoned that he could've executed the native and leapt away safely before any retaliatory measures were taken against him. His reasoning proved to be false because Sub-zero reacted from thirty yards away. The ninja sent frozen rain high into the air towards both the invader and his human captive. Seeing the attack, Kintaro groaned with disappointment as he was forced to release the human without killing him. The soldier dropped to the ground and the Shokanite rushed aside. The frozen blast missed both individuals since it flew several feet over the human's head and was too far to the side to hit Kintaro. Seeing his lost opportunity to take another human life, the Shokanite exploded in a rage as he eyed the ice ninja.

"YOU AGAIN!", Kintaro angrily pointed at him.

Before Sub-zero could send a second cold blast against the invader, the Shokanite jumped up and landed several steps ahead of the ninja. Once safely on his feet, Kintaro charged forward as he intended to collide into the human in the blue outfit who had alluded him earlier. Sub-zero tried to dodge to his left as he saw the giant invader getting closer. He wasn't able to get out of the way fast enough because Kintaro's upper right fist met his head as the Shokanite executed an uppercut. The ninja felt an explosion in his mind as he flew ten feet upward into the air before painfully landing on his back. He saw the bright morning sky as he opened his eyes an instant prior to observing Kintaro's face as it then blocked his view of the sun and clouds. Unsure whether he could survive a second blow from the invader, Sub-zero desperately tried to stand, only to be pulled up by his uniform first. The Shokanite gripped his collar with a lower right hand as the upper right fist was ready to deliver a death blow. As the giant pulled that fist back, ready to swing it against the human's head, he felt an annoying pinch at the back of his head. He turned his face around while still retaining his grip on the ninja to see that Pensky had stood up and had thrown an empty rifle at him from behind. The M-16 lay on the ground next to Kintaro's feet as the weapon seemed to be more damaged than the Shokanite's head was.

Groaning furiously, the Shokanite ignored the provoking officer and returned his glance back towards the ninja. Sub-zero raised both forearms on either side of his head as he saw the swift and powerful upper right fist sailing through the air towards his face. The impact felt like an even louder explosion in his mind as Kintaro let him go and he fell on the ground unable to put up a fight.

"ON YOUR FEET, LITTLE PEST!", Kintaro barked as some of the human survivors around him finally found the strength to stand, though they were far enough away that the Shokanite could've killed the ice ninja before any of them could help.

"I TOLD YOU YOUR SUFFERING WOULD BE LINGERED IF YOU REFUSED TO COOPERATE", the Shokanite taunted, "NOW IT IS TOO LATE".

Thinking he could crush the human with a third blow now instead of the first two he had thought he only needed, Kintaro raised his right leg and momentarily stood on his left foot. Sub-zero's eyes widened as he then saw the bottom of the Shokanite's right foot coming down on his face. Lying horizontally on the ground, the ninja gasped and rolled on his side far enough so the invader's foot crashed down on the ground just next to him. The impact was so close to him, in fact, that the human found he was unable to stand because one of the sleeves of his outfit was stuck under Kintaro's foot, thus making it impossible for him to break free. The ninja pulled hard as he witnessed the giant raising his left foot into the air, sure he would not miss the second time since his target was immobile.

With a sharp moan, the ninja tore free as several blue-colored inches from his sleeve remained under Kintaro's weight. He quickly staggered up to his feet as the Shokanite's left foot met the ground in a disappointing crash in its turn. Kintaro swung his two left fists, intending to hit the human's face. The ninja dropped and rolled on the ground, causing both fists to meet air. Seeing the Shokanite rushing towards him from only feet away, Sub-zero decided not to use valuable time by locking his wrists together and aiming his arms against the aggressor. He was already weak and reasoned that a direct hit from such a short distance might not freeze his opponent instantly, thus giving Kintaro a chance to crush him. Instead, the human casually lifted his arms vertically into the air and shot a blast of ice into the sky. The Shokanite grinned since he thought the native had panicked and missed his intended target. He did not know that the frozen particles shot up for about a hundred feet and then dropped back down towards the ground, their momentum increasing as they were pulled by gravity. As he was about to stomp on the smaller native, the speeding gust of ice struck him from above, freezing him on the spot. Kintaro heard himself swearing as he felt his body turn to a statue of ice and then experienced oblivion.

Swaying to his feet, the ninja stood up straight as he looked up into the glacial eyes of the immobile four-armed monster from only two feet away. Bending his right arm at the elbow, Sub-zero withdrew that arm as he groaned softly. A sudden scream followed as the human sent his right fist into the chest of the frozen Shokanite. A small eruption followed the impact as several pounds of ice were shattered from Kintaro's upper body and fell on the ground. With the gaping hole in the invader's massive chest, Sub-zero twisted to his right and sent his left foot towards the Shokanite. The bottom of his foot crashed into the damaged chest and pushed Kintaro's icy statue backwards. The invader's body weight was slowly driven back with his feet used as the center of gravity until he finally tipped over and collapsed on his back, shattering into pieces.

The ninja promptly walked away from Kintaro's frozen carcass, surveying the area around him. Major Briggs was already on his feet as he saw the ice warrior defeating the giant Shokanite. He was no longer worried about the dead invader because he turned his attention to a young soldier who was lying on his back in a pool of blood after having been struck by a Centaur's horns. The same horseman's body rested dead next to the human, having suffered numerous gunshot wounds to the head. Another private was busy holding the injured soldier's wrist as he knelt next to him. Sub-zero and Jax saw the young enlistee shaking uncontrollably from cold as he opened his mouth with difficulty.

"God... God...", the young soldier gasped as he looked up at his comrade and Jax, "I don't wanna die... Don't let me...".

Those were his last words before his eyes closed and he lay still. The soldier who held his wrist lifted it and brought it to rest over his eyes as he himself then stood up. Major Briggs sighed heavily as he reviewed the small number of humans who had emerged without any serious injuries. He had to lead the survivors and the wounded humans out while ignoring his bloody shoulder, stomach and left thigh.

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Emperor Shao Kahn was seated on his throne as he watched and enjoyed the scene on the surface of the magic lake in his room. Although hidden behind the metal mask, his face appeared at be grinning, at least as far as his servants could see. He was taking pleasure from knowing that his forces were slowly but surely defeating the human resistance in the Earth realm. Soon, all the members of Earth's warrior class would be dead and that realm's resources and souls would be his to feast on. One of his human servants turned his face away from watching the emperor, indicating someone had just entered the room. Not caring who the visitor was, the emperor's attention remained fixed on the lake, still intent on watching as much of the slaughter as possible. He reasoned that the many guards who surrounded the palace and his personal room would never have allowed dangerous intruder to simply walk in. He was right because the next sound he heard was the slow gallop of general Motaro as the Centaur approached him from the right. The emperor finally pulled his face away from the lake, thus acknowledging the horseman's presence. Motaro humbly kneeled in front of him as he looked up into the cold, metal mask Kahn wore.

"Yes?", Kahn flatly asked.

"I have a request of you, my emperor", Motaro spoke, never breaking eye contact with his superior.

"You left the battle field for a request?", the slightest hint of annoyance appeared in Kahn's voice as he replied.

"Emperor, it concerns a section of your army", the Centaur told him.

"Go on", the emperor then seemed more interested.

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Sonya and Ellison were each armed with an M-16 rifle as they carefully neared the place of residence that the lieutenant had led the private to. Testing the front door, Sonya found it to be locked. For all she knew, a member of Kahn's army could've been inside beating her confidant to death. Not wishing to open fire in fear of attracting attention to themselves, she decided to find a way inside by using conventional methods. Twisting to the side, she sent her right foot next to the doorknob, causing the lock in the door to break open easily. Hastily pointing the muzzle of her rifle inside, she stepped through the doorway as Ellison followed. The room was dark, as none of the lights were turned on and the two available windows were hidden behind a closed curtain. Combing the furniture with her eyes, she decided to take a chance.

"Chris!", Sonya whispered out loud, "Chris, are you here?".

She simply had to know if the youth was still alive. Sonya had planned to help him after Motaro's invasion was repelled, especially since he was responsible for saving her life during the fighting. Though knowing she could never replace his dead parents, she had told him she'd be there if the need arose. But once she started missing Scott when things began going back to normal, she found that she needed more help than the orphan did in dealing with her feelings. Letting Chris down was one of the many failure Sonya could subjectively remember after she killed Motaro.

There was no response for a few seconds, so she was about to speak up again when the door to an adjacent bedroom opened. Both she and Ellison aimed their weapon in the direction of the movement before they saw a human greeting them in a nervous fashion. Sonya gave the hint of a smile when Chris approached her while trying to keep his figure low so it wouldn't be seen from outside through the windows. He looked scared, as was understandable, though glad to see other humans.

"Make yourself at home", Chris whispered back as he saw the broken door.

"Thanks", she replied, nodding her head, "Just wanted to come by and check on you".

"So what happens now?", Ellison interrupted from behind them, "Do you want to come with us?".

"Yeah, yeah", the youngster answered by nodding his head quickly, "It's better than staying here. I've been curled up in there and not moving since last night. It's death on the muscles. It's only a matter of time before one of those ugly things breaks in here, anyway".

"Great, then", Sonya swiftly withdrew her Glock with her left hand and handed it to him, "I think you know how to use this, considering that 'fun' time we had a few weeks ago in the bar".

Both she and Chris grinned at her recollection, though Ellison had no idea what she was talking about. As the third person slowly gripped the handle of the weapon and truly felt it for the first time, the lieutenant headed back outside, knowing the trio was needed.

Ellison was the first one out the door. As the other two were only feet behind him, he caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his left eye. He partly turned his face in that direction before he spotted a mutant charging towards him. The soldier had no time to scream. Instead, he twisted his M-16 to the left as he charged forward, trying to get out of the way of the rampaging invader. Though propelled ahead, the mutant still found him before he was able to reach safety. The left blade impaled the Special Forces member through the outer edge of his upper back, sending forth a splash of blood as he yelled out and dropped his rifle. He fell forward on the ground under the intense pain, trying to stand back up to grip his rifle at the same time. Sonya was next in line through the doorway as she spotted the enemy. She the muzzle of the rifle, lifted the weapon and swung it towards the mutant's face as he was readying for a second, fatal stab against Ellison. The weapon smashed into the invader's jaw, easily breaking it and sending him staggering backwards. With blood dripping out of his mouth, the enraged mutant began a second charge forward, this time aiming for her. He never got his chance because he ended up staring down the barrel of Sonya's M-16 before he was within striking distance. Her rifle fired once and a bullet entered his chest, dropping him dead on the ground.

Before she was able to approach Ellison to inspect his wound, Sonya spotted four more mutants screaming at once as they dashed towards the three Earth natives. Chris was the first to answer as he aimed the handgun he gripped tightly against the nearest mutant to them. He opened fire four times, missing all shots as bullets passed by the invader without hitting him. Sonya was the second human to open fire against the new attackers. Her reaction was slower, but with a better aim. A single round from her rifle tore through the face of the same mutant, disfiguring him and killing him instantly. As the two dead invaders rested on the ground, almost next to each other, their three comrades leapt over the bodies to reach the armed natives. From only three steps away, Sonya was forced to open fire against three targets simultaneously. Her M-16 hurled bullets towards the mutants as she tried to keep her attention solely on them.

The mutant at the very right was hit in the head and chest, so he went down three steps away. Slightly turning the weapon to the left, she squeezed the trigger again, bullets finding their mark in the second mutant's torso. His dash was cut short as he dropped on his knees and then flat on his stomach in a pool of blood. The tip of the second invader's right blade touched Sonya's foot as that one laid flat on the ground, but he was already dead by that time and thus unable to use it. As she and Chris aimed for the last remaining mutant, though, that one was too close to be stopped effectively. Both her M-16 and his Glock struck him in the upper body as he rushed to meet them, but the mutant managed to swing as he felt himself being pulled to the ground. Whereas the entire scene only took an instant, Sonya saw it as if in slow motion. A ray of sunshine sparkled off the blade as she viewed it sailing horizontally through the air, aimed for Chris. He saw it also and tried to duck, but with no success. The knife came into contact with his throat and decapitated the youngster exactly where he stood. Chris' severed head rolled off his back before the rest of his body collapsed lifelessly on the ground.

Sonya wanted to scream. She then wanted to save Chris. She then wanted to tear the mutant responsible to pieces. As Ellison managed to stand on his feet, she realized she couldn't do any of the things she desired because her throat felt tight, Chris was already dead and the mutant responsible was also dead. She felt her heart sinking in her chest as she looked at Chris' beheaded corpse. She told herself that she had let him down for the last time.

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The feeling was cold, almost frightening. It was the same emotion that Sheeva had felt when she heard of Goro's death for the first time. Because Goro had been on a totally different realm when he was killed, none of the Shokanites were able to feel his death at the moment of his demise. Kintaro, on the other hand, was in the same realm as her and the other members of her race when his body shattered to pieces. She experienced a sharp pain in her stomach which indicated to her that her leader was no longer alive. She bent down, hissing and pressing three forearms into her abdomen. The extremely uncomfortable feeling soon drowned out the pain from the bullet wound and the blows that two annoying survivors had inflicted on her head. Sheeva was forced to endure the displeasure for over a minute before she was finally able to conquer the pain. Groaning, she slowly rose, once again standing vertically as she asked herself how any human could possibly kill her chief, again.

Receiving a telepathic message in her mind, Sheeva temporarily closed her eyes as the remnants of the pain were overcome. The message was from a fellow male Shokanite named Clumai and it only told her what she already knew. Still, she locked the outside world away from her mind and listened intently to the words which were spoken only in her mind.

"Kintaro has been killed", Clumai informed her.

"I know", Sheeva replied telepathically to him, "I have felt it. What happens now?".

"Report to emperor Kahn's throne room in his realm", the other Shokanite let her know, "It is up to him to pick our next leader and Kintaro's successor".

Sheeva swallowed hard, finding it more difficult to keep her eyes closed and concentrate on the telepathy.

"And then?", she added.

"Nothing", Clumai answered in a sharp tone, as if she should already know, "The battle against these humans goes on. Now report to Kahn's castle this instant".

It was all she heard. She opened her eyes and sighed at having to go back to Kahn in disgrace for losing yet another one of her race's leaders. Still though, her duty was clear. Her and her race's allegiance to emperor Kahn was to remain unquestioned no matter how many Shokanites died serving him...

Sheeva was led towards emperor Kahn's private chamber by an escort of four human servants. By far the largest of everyone in the small group, she walked as confidently as possible towards the giant closed metal door. She wondered which male Shokanite would be assigned as Kintaro's successor when they reached the door. One of the servants promptly pulled it open and held it for her as she passed through the doorway without looking at him. The other three servants also followed her inside before the original human closed the door and waited outside.

Once inside the chamber, the lady Shokanite was quick to kneel on her right knee as she spotted emperor Kahn standing in front of his enchanted lake. Kahn spotted her and turned his attention to his new visitor as he extended his left arm towards her, indicating that she could rise.

"And you are?", the emperor asked for her name.

"Sheeva, my master", she bowed her head, speaking softly, "Your loyal servant. I was asked to come here to witness the ceremony where you choose our next leader for the Shokanites".

"Yes", Kahn nodded, indicating she was in the right place for the ceremony, "I was saddened to hear of Kintaro's death. I promise that the assignment of his replacement will be a quick one so you can return to the Earth realm from where you came".

"Thank you, me emperor", Sheeva stood and bowed again.

"It is through there", Kahn casually pointed towards a second set of metal doors which led to another room, "Please wait there for the remaining members of your race to arrive".

Two eight-foot tall Centaurs approached her from behind so as to escort her to the next room, since no one except the emperor traveled anywhere in the castle without an attendant. Sheeva proceeded towards the double doors, glad that the meeting with emperor Kahn went better than she had expected. The emperor hadn't been nearly as angry as she expected him to be. Thinking she could actually relax during the ceremony before she returned to fight against the humans in Earth, she stepped forward as the double doors were held open for her by human servants. Sheeva walked into the second room followed by the two Centaurs before the doors were closed behind them.

Her jaw dropped in shock as she viewed the sight ahead. Sheeva saw over two thousand Shokanites in the gigantic chamber, most of whom were lying on the floor dead. The blood from the deceased four-armed warriors covered the room from wall to wall, and the other end of the chamber could not be seen with the naked eye since the room was too large. A handful of Shokanites in the area were still alive as they were being savagely attacked by a much larger number of Centaurs. The closest individual to her was about thirty yards to her left, so she turned her face in that direction. She recognized that it was Clumai, and the eight-foot tall male Shokanite was lying on the ground as three equally-large Centaurs kicked him incessantly. Further away from Clumai, Sheeva spotted Motaro as the leader of the Centaurs brought his hands together and summoned his talent. A red bolt of lighting appeared from the ceiling of the chamber and shot down towards the floor before striking Clumai fatally. Her fellow Shokanite ceased moving as the lighting tore through him and left his flesh burning and in smoke.

Sheeva was about to turn to the two horsemen as a phrase formed in her mind. Before she was able to utter a word, though, both Centaurs restrained her from behind, each grabbing the pair of arms from either side. She hollered as rage consumed her mind. She struggled and tried to get out of the Centaurs' grip to no avail. Two larger Centaurs working together were simply stronger than her no matter how valiantly she fought back. Temporarily immobile on that spot, Sheeva saw Motaro as he got ready to send forth a second bolt of lightning. The chief Centaur's attention was now turned towards her, indicating that the next red discharge of electricity was about to be aimed at her. She screamed louder, furiously pulling at the inescapable grip of her two restrainers as her imminent doom appeared in the form of a red spark from the ceiling.

Another Shokanite who was on the ground and being battered by four Centaurs saw her predicament from fifty yards away. The four horsemen thought he was already dead, reasoning that no one could've survived the amount of stomping they had inflicted on the four-armed fighter. Surprising them, the Shokanite stood up and leapt past his four-legged executioners as he headed towards Sheeva. He flew into the air and landed on the Centaur who was restraining her from the right, breaking his back under the impact. The horseman screamed as pain engulfed him and he released his grip on her right arms. Half-free, Sheeva pulled herself to the right and dragged the remaining Centaur, who was at her left, along. It was at that instant that Motaro's red lightning bolt struck, hitting the Centaur at her left since he now stood where she used to be. Her second restraining horseman was killed instantly as the four Centaurs whom her rescuer had alluded galloped to the scene and simultaneously attacked him again. All four carelessly turned their rage on that particular Shokanite since he had embarrassed them in front of their leader and thus momentarily forgot about her. Words appeared in Sheeva's mind telepathically as she was about to retaliate against those four attackers to help her fellow Shokanite. That same Shokanite was communicating with her through his mind as he was being beaten to death.

"Leave!", the telepathic message urged her, "You can do no more here".

Those were her rescuer's last words because one of the four Centaurs drove his lowered horns into the Shokanite's back, stabbing him with them. Her rescuer fell on the ground as he made eye contact with her and then stopped moving while lying on his stomach. Motaro was heard screaming to his soldiers as he finally realized that Sheeva was left unguarded.

"FOOLS!", the chief Centaur pointed at her, "DO NOT LET HER ESCAPE!".

Sheeva jumped up and forward in a small semicircle as several Centaurs charged towards her at once. She crashed feet-first into the metal double doors and forced them open. Leaping into the air again, she alluded emperor Kahn, his human servants and all her four-legged pursuers because none of them could jump as high as her. Sheeva was exceptionally fast and agile, even when compared to other Shokanites, and her race of warriors was easily more energetic than any other race in the realms. Thus, she had no difficulty in outrunning her pursuers until she reached the outer wall of the castle. Once there, no one was able to catch up to her as she leapt and cleared the main wall that separated the interior of the castle from the surrounding wasteland of the realm.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So, why is this place called the Vexed Land?", Johnny thought out loud as he and his two fellow kombatants proceeded ahead in Outworld.

"The mutants used it as their stronghold and hideout during their constant raids against the people", Kitana explained, "It has been regarded with anguish ever since the mutants have withdrawn after Qarro's defeat since many Outworlders who were captured during those raids were said to be brought here to be tortured before death".

"What a thought", the actor remarked as they used the light from the sun in the purple sky to guide themselves towards a wooded area.

"Behold the Living Forest", the princess pointed towards the trees about a hundred steps away, "I can only hope the three of us together can withstand the evil that lurks inside".

A cool breeze had overtaken the sight ahead of them as leaves rustled and the small branches touched one another. Proceeding forward, the three kombatants made sure to scan their whole surroundings as they reached the edge of the forest.

Without uttering a word to be able to hear the slightest noise which would indicate a threat, the trio had walked about two hundred yards past the edge without an incident. It was then that a sound was heard, one that did not appear to belong in a natural setting that was full of trees and rodents. They quickly turned towards the perceived source of the noise, making sure to look upwards also to reduce the chances of an animal jumping down on them from the top of a tree.

"I know something's here", the actor whispered as his back was pressed against the nearest tree.

Though scanning the area ahead of him and above with care, none of the three fighters noticed the branch which moved stealthily until it gently wrapped itself around Johnny's chest. Before any of the kombatants could react, the branch squeezed the actor tight and lifted him off the ground. Johnny heard himself screaming as he was turned in midair and forced to face the tree trunk against which his back was previously pressed. The kombatant's jaw dropped as he realized that the tree trunk was staring back at him. The wooden face angrily growled at him while one of its branches held him securely in the air. The three kombatants finally understood the reason the survivor from Outworld was ranting about live wood two centuries ago.

Countering with caution, Kitana withdrew a fan in her right hand before throwing it towards the tree responsible. The branch which restrained the actor was severed at its root from the main tree as the fan flew through it. Johnny fell down and landed on the ground on his left side as the face on the tree trunk screamed in anger and pain. As the fan sailed through the air in a circular path and returned to Kitana's waiting hand, the three kombatants heard additional roars. The dozens of trees which surrounded them suddenly turned towards the humans, each with an enraged face of its own. While in their fighting stance, Liu spotted the first tree which tried to swing a branch towards him and his comrades. The monk jumped up and wrapped his arms around the edge of the branch before the wooden limb reached its intended target. Liu then snapped his body downward as he pulled his arms towards his chest. The result was that the branch broke in half and the tree which had sent it screamed louder than the rest.

Landing on his feet, Liu felt another branch enfolding around his neck. The monk next realized the tree responsible was trying to strangle him since the branch began cutting the flow of air to his lungs. The kombatant gasped as he gripped the edge of the branch which was just next to his head. While still trying to break out of the powerful grip, Liu saw Johnny rushing towards him. The actor bent his right elbow as he reached the branch which was efficiently choking the monk. Lunging forward, Johnny sent his bent elbow crashing into the branch only inches away from Liu's upper body. The limb broke under the impact before the White Lotus member discarded the wooden remains which still clung to his throat.

Before the kombatants were able to respond further, over a dozen different branches rushed towards them at once. The wooden limbs wrapped around their arms, legs and throat as all three fighters struggled in vain to break loose. As the humans viewed the trees' enraged faces, they felt the particular branches around their throat tightening while the rest of the limbs successfully restrained the rest of their body. The trees stopped screaming, desiring to enjoy the death of the three humans who had dared to invade their kingdom and disrupt their peace. Within a few seconds, though, the anger in the faces of the trees was suddenly turned to a combination of fear and pain as they began yelling again. The tree which was holding Kitana burst into flames as its branches released their grip on her. The princess lost her balance and dropped on the ground. Not knowing the cause of the fire, and not caring at the moment, she stood up and rushed towards her fellow kombatants. Before she was able to even try to free them, though, a thick tongue of flame shot out from a beyond the dense shrubs and engulfed the tree which was trying to kill Johnny. That one's wooden face screamed also as the actor was released. Another tongue of flame quickly followed and struck the tree which was adamantly restraining Liu.

As the monk landed on his feet, the three fighters realized that only the trees which had tried to confine them were burning. While those yelled out in distress, with their burning branches swinging wildly above them, other trees seemed eager to take their place. With several new branches sailing through the air towards the humans from intact trees, a figure emerged from the surrounding shrubs. The new person dashed towards the kombatants as the humans were trying to fend off the fresh attack. Liu was the first to examine the appearance of the one who saved all their lives. Though standing on two legs and having two arms, the individual was not human. A gray, metallic and expressionless head was found where his face would've been. The rest of his body consisted of gray-colored metal as well while he pointed his right arm towards the trees. A small flame flickered at the end of his finger as he aimed the arm towards the living wood. Death in the form of flames blasted out of his hand before two more trees were engulfed in the fire. He then bent his left elbow as he lifted that arm and motioned for the humans to come his way.

Seeing that the cyborg was on their side, Liu held on to Johnny and Kitana before compelling them to follow the android. Staggering to their feet, the kombatants raced after the one who had saved their lives. The cyborg then turned around and dashed through the dense forest as he headed towards its edge. Though enraged and screaming, the surrounding trees did not try to thwart him or the three humans in fear that he'd turn his flame-thrower against them next.

"You should not have come here, mortals", the cyborg told them in a mechanical voice once all four were outside the edge of the Living Forest.

"Hey, man, are my eyes playing tricks on me?", Johnny stared at the android as he and the two other kombatants were catching their breath.

Liu and Kitana eyed the cyborg as well.

"Gray", the actor went on, "The gray warrior we were told to find".

"Please stay away", the android advised as he turned to go back into the forest, "This is only my home because it is too indelicate for anyone else to survive here".

"Wait!", Liu called after him.

The cyborg stopped without turning back to face the humans.

"We were sent to find you", the monk continued, "That's why we're here".

"Why would any mortals wish to find me?", the android turned his metallic face towards them.

"We were told you could help against Kahn's invasion of the Earth realm", Kitana joined in.

"Kaaahnnn", the cyborg hissed.

"Yeah, the loser himself", the actor made sure he understood, "We're hoping you could come along?".

"You wish for my company?", the android turned around completely to face the mortals who seemed so eager to talk.

"Yes", Kitana told him.

"That has never occurred before", the cyborg explained his skepticism, "Mortals are always doubtful of my sincerity, at least they were the last time I saw them four decades ago. I cannot say I can blame them, though".

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sonya and Ellison had put together all the bullets from their M-16 rifles and concentrated them in one weapon, since both were more than half-empty. Ellison gripped the remaining rifle as she held on to her Glock, both individuals trying their best to ignore the physical pain they were forced to endure from injuries. The two soldiers were quietly making their way into an alleyway, still hoping to run into others like them, when they stopped and stared. Even after everything that had happened, they were surprised at what they saw ahead.

Approximately thirty Shokanites were scattered along the length of the alley, all of them dead and in a pool of their blood, which was unfortunately beginning to be a common sight for everyone. The first strange sight which caught Sonya's attention was that they were colored blue and purple, instead of the dark brown she had come to expect from the skin color of members of that race. It didn't take her long to remember the condition of human fighters during the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament after they were killed. Shang Tsung had stolen those humans' souls, leaving their corpses stained in a blue color. So the view in front of her indicated that Shao Kahn had delivered the same fate towards those dead Shokanites. While asking herself why the emperor would want to steal the souls of his own soldiers, Sonya approached the closest body and squatted next to it. The Shokanite had been killed by a deep incision in the chest. No bullet she knew of could have done such damage, but she reasoned that a Centaur's horns might. Several different thoughts raced through her mind at once as she realized the possible implications of what she discovered.

As Sonya stood back up and saw Ellison walking closer, they both froze as they believed to be hearing what sounded like someone crying. Eager to investigate, the soldiers raised their weapon in front of them and advanced towards the source of the new noise. They only had to travel for about thirty yards on foot until the end of the alley before the sobs were loud enough to be just around the corner. Twisting around first, Sonya aimed the muzzle of the Glock in front of her face, not wanting to take any chances. She quickly realized that the weapon was aimed too high since the individual around the corner was in a squatted position. Sonya instantly groaned in anger as she saw who the individual was and lowered the handgun until it was aimed at the forehead as planned. Sheeva looked up as her upper back was partly resting against the wall behind her and tried to dry her eyes. Recognizing the human female who still had a firearm, the Shokanite reasoned that she was about to die since the native would never have let her live after what she had done.

Sonya kept the Glock fixed as its muzzle pointed at Sheeva's forehead while Ellison was close behind them both and saw what was occurring. Several tense and quiet moments passed without any of the three moving before the Shokanite finally became tired of staring up into the barrel of the firearm.

"What are you waiting for?", Sheeva snapped, ready to be executed, "Do it! That is what you want!".

Sonya did not remove the handgun away from her opponent's head as she replied.

"You're right, and I will", the lieutenant promised, "But not until I know what's going on here".

"I have been a fool", the Shokanite flatly stated as she stopped staring up into the barrel of the weapon and looked straight ahead instead, "For the last three centuries, nothing but a fool".

"He's turned on the Shokanites, hasn't he?", Sonya asked, "Shao Kahn, I mean".

"How did you know?" Sheeva asked, lifting her head to make eye contact with the human female this time.

"I recognized his handy-work".

"Yes, I suspect as soon as he no longer found us to be of any more use to his cause", Sheeva returned her glance straight ahead, "It is a fitting end for me. End this now".

Sonya momentarily turned her face back to Ellison.

"And I thought companies that laid people off were being cruel", she told her fellow soldier, "This is even better. No retirement plan, no pension".

She chuckled as Ellison appeared uncomfortable with her words. Even after all that happened, he still did not feel like laughing at the expense of thirty dead individuals, whether human or not.

"Well, I'm sorry", Sonya recognized the surprised look on his face, "But whenever I think of these Shokanite types, the only image that comes to mind is a bully who hates us. Maybe that's not fair, but it's just how I feel. No, on second thought, that is fair. Do you have any idea how many nightmares I had about her goddamn brethren after being lured into Tsung's tournament?".

Sheeva didn't seem to be paying attention to her conversation with Ellison before Sonya turned her attention back to the Shokanite. Sonya aimed the muzzle of the Glock towards the invader's forehead again, still debating in her mind whether or not she should execute her.

"Come on!", Sheeva seemed annoyed at the wait as new tears trickled down her eyes and she looked up for the third time, "We're all the same kind of creatures anyway".

"Really? How do you figure that?", Sonya asked with a bit of sarcasm.

"Always greedy, always looking out for our own best interest", the Shokanite replied, "Only helping those who might eventually help us in the future and always happy to fight an opponent when he or she is overmatched against us. We were just born in different realms, that is all".

"Maybe so", the lieutenant went on, "But I still don't see how that's gonna effect all the human souls Kahn has in his possession right now from all the people from this realm who have already died".

"I am sorry about them", the Shokanite said as she stared ahead, still waiting for the bullet that would put her out of her misery.

"YOU'RE SORRY!", Sonya barked back, "Do you know how many of them lost their lives already? Is that what I'm supposed to tell all of their families when this mess is over? If this mess is ever over?".

Sonya bent her elbow so the handgun was pointed towards the sky. Before Sheeva knew that the human wasn't about to put her to death, the kombatant twisted to her own left, delivering a relatively low kick with her right leg. Her right ankle crashed into the Shokanite's jaw while Sheeva was still squatted on the ground and knocked the invader over on her side.

"That was for everybody you helped kill", the human spoke as Sheeva rose on her hands and knees, "Now, if you're done feeling sorry for yourself, I'd like to point out that we're getting our asses kicked here. The only way you can make up for all the humans you wasted would be to help us kill Kahn so all their souls, and those of your friends, will be freed".

As the Shokanite slowly rose to her feet, easily standing a foot taller than Sonya or Ellison, Sonya realized that she was in no position to give the invader a lecture about self pity. The lieutenant knew she was feeling sorry for herself every time she drank at the local bar and became intoxicated. Fortunately, since Sheeva did not know about her past, Sonya was able to scold the Shokanite anyway. Just as Sheeva was about to reply, a portal appeared only yards away from them. All three turned their attention towards it an instant before a dozen mutants charged through it, rushing for the two natives and the Shokanite. Gunfire erupted from the two humans as Sheeva hissed in a cold rage. The first four mutants dropped on the ground as they were hit by bullets. The Shokanite, at the same time, met the first mutant who charged against her. The new invader jabbed his right arm towards her, intending to stab her through the chest. Sheeva twisted her upper body to the left and the blade only cut through air. Before the mutant was able to withdraw his arm, she reached forward and gripped his elbow. With a sharp snap, she broke the elbow and sent forth a shrill scream from the mutant's mouth. It was the only reaction her adversary was allowed because she then gripped his head as he was still bewildered from the pain in his arm. With another sharp snap, she broke his neck and he lifelessly dropped on the ground.

The second mutant who rushed to Sheeva swung his right blade high in front of his face, intending to decapitate her. She ducked out of the way as the knife sailed harmlessly overhead and the mutant's right blade was then pointing towards his left shoulder as a result. The Shokanite quickly stood up and used her upper hands to simultaneously grab her opponent's upper arms. Easily the stronger of the two, she lifted him up into the air as her grip on his upper arms prevented him from using his blades. While he shrieked and attempted to break out of her grip, Sheeva pulled her upper fists apart and away from each other as far as her arms could reach on either side of her. Both the mutant's arms were torn off his shoulders and the rest of his body crashed back down on the ground as the Shokanite still maintained her grip on his severed upper arms. Sheeva then tossed the arms aside as they were now insignificant to her.

Leaping into the air, the Shokanite flew vertically for about forty yards before coming back down on top of a third mutant, instantly crushing him under her weight. The next feeling she sensed was one of pain as a fourth mutant had reached her from behind and sent both his blades into her lower back. The knives stopped short of impaling her from behind, but still significantly damaged her internal organs as well as draining her of more blood. She heard herself screaming as she then felt an upward hoist from behind as well. The mutant responsible was actually trying to lift her up into the air by using the blades which were in her body. Unable to lift the Shokanite with his two arms, since she weighed more than most humans he encountered, the mutant was disappointed as Sheeva remained with her feet on the ground. Still, though, the knives only worsened the damage they had inflicted inside of her as he continuously pulled up on them. Tired of what she saw as his pathetic attempts to prove his strength, Sheeva screamed louder as she intentionally pulled herself forward and his blades withdrew from her back against the mutant's will. Twisting around and ignoring the new pain and the new blood, she gripped his neck with her upper left fist, easily choking him. Before the mutant was able to strike with his green-stained blades again, she turned her upper right hand into a fist and sent a brutal punch into his head. The mutant was dazed after the first punch, but Sheeva did not release her grip on his neck. Instead, her eyes burning with hatred, she roared as she punched him in a similar fashion for at least half a dozen times. Blood exploded out the mutant's mouth, nose and eyes as he was forced to remain on his feet while she delivered the consecutive blows to his head. She only stopped hitting him when she heard the satisfying crack of his neck breaking under the impact of her fist. Sheeva then released the grip on his neck and the fourth mutant dropped dead on the ground.

Ellison, at the same time, saw the first mutant who was able to come close enough whom he knew he could not use the rifle to shoot. The charging mutant screamed as he lifted his right arm over his head, intending to swing it vertically downward towards the human's head. With no other choice, Ellison gripped the M-16 rifle from opposite sides with both hands and lifted the weapon over his head. The mutant's blade crashed into the rifle and sliced it into two pieces, but the impact slowed the blade down enough so that he was able to jump aside and avoid it. Dropping on the ground, the human lifted half of the rifle in each hand before realizing it was now useless. He released his grip on each half of the weapon and let them fall by his feet as he stood. The mutant swung again, this time aiming the right blade for his chest. Ellison pulled his upper body back and the tip of the blade missed his torso by merely inches. The human lunged forward as the knife passed through the air away from him and gripped the mutant's wrist. The invader gasped as he saw the native quickly twisting his right wrist around until the blade was pointed at his heart. With a strong push from Ellison, the knife entered the mutant's own heart and the invader's eyes rolled into the back of his head before he dropped on the ground.

Ellison then spotted a second seven-foot tall mutant charging towards him, but this one was slower since he didn't even hold his blades in an aggressive position. Upon reaching the native, the invader finally lifted his arms in an attempt to strike. The soldier reacted by lifting his own arms and gripping the mutant's wrists. The invader pushed his blades towards the general direction of the human while the human pushed back. The intense and almost motionless scene continued for several instants before the mutant dipped his head low and headbutted Ellison. His forehead crashed into the human's nose, breaking it and loosening several of the native's teeth. The soldier felt his strength being drained after the headbutt and the blades slowly approached his direction.

Sonya dropped the Glock on the ground as soon as the first mutant came too close for her to use it. She flipped upside down and planted her hands on the ground. The invader gasped as he felt her ankles wrapping around his upper chest before he was tossed over her. He wildly swung his arms in the air and then landed painfully on the ground behind her. Ignoring him for the moment because there were others, Sonya returned to her feet just in time to see a second mutant rushing towards her. Lunging forward, she executed a flying kick and met him halfway during his rush. The bottom of her Army boots crashed into his chest and knocked him down backwards. The second mutant landed on his back as the wind was knocked out of him. Not wanting to give him a chance to stand back up, Sonya walked up to him while he was panting and staring up towards the sky. Once next to him, she exhaled as she bent down and delivered a sharp punch between his eyes, knocking him unconscious while he still lay on his back.

Hearing a charging yell, she turned around to see that the first mutant she had leg tossed was on his feet again as he ran back towards her with his blades at the ready. The lieutenant lunged to her left as the invader reached her spot. Unable to stop his frantic forward rush, he dashed past her as she gripped the back of his head. Jumping up and forward, Sonya landed her entire bodyweight on his head, sending the mutant crashing down on his stomach. The invader's face met the ground in a hard impact and knocked him out. Looking around, the kombatant then spotted Ellison struggling with the last standing mutant who had headbutted him. Quickly walking towards the pair, she reached the mutant from behind and turned her right hand into a fist. The last mutant's eyes went blank as she punched him in the back of the head. He saw black and fell limp on the ground without being able to kill the male native. Ellison staggered backwards and fell on his side as he held his fractured jawbone.

As suddenly as it had begun, the attack by the twelve mutants was over as silence overcame the fighting arena. Sonya temporarily looked at the portal from which they had emerged since it had not vanished then. She didn't have long to stare at it, though, because her fellow Special Forces soldier was hurt, the blow against his head having provoked the wound from his upper back. Sheeva was in even worse shape as she gasped and could only remain on her hands and knees while green blood erupted from two injuries in her lower back. Reasoning that the Shokanite needed her help more, the kombatant hastily walked over to where her former enemy was. Sheeva held her lower hand with its palm raised towards the human female as she saw her approaching.

"I am fine", the Shokanite gasped as she only stared down on the ground, "I just need a moment".

"You're not fi...", Sonya began to reply.

"I am fine!", Sheeva snapped back, "I do not need your help".

"OK", the kombatant said, giving up and slightly raising her arms, "But then I can at least help you stand up. It's what teammates do for each other".

Squatting next to the larger figure, Sonya wrapped her arms around the Shokanite's upper back after placing Sheeva's upper right arm around her own shoulders. It was a struggle to help the heavier fighter to her feet. The four-armed warrior did not refuse her help then since she could only stagger to a vertical position even with the human's assistance. As soon as they were standing, another figure emerged from the portal into the Earth realm. Both Sonya and Sheeva moaned in anger independently as they found themselves staring at general Motaro from Kahn's army.

"This is what you have sunk down to?", Motaro grimaced as he addressed Sheeva and recognized Sonya from his previous invasion, "No wonder your race proved so easy to exterminate".

Sheeva hissed in anger as her upper right arm was still wrapped around Sonya's shoulder for support. She tried charging towards the Centaur on her own after she withdrew her arm from the human, but crashed down on her hands and knees before she was able to take a single step forward. Sonya squatted next to the enraged Shokanite, never taking her cold eyes off Motaro. She enfolded Sheeva's upper right arm around her shoulder and helped the larger fighter to her feet again. Both the Shokanite and Ellison were helpless at this moment if the giant Centaur attacked, so the kombatant had to react with them in mind. Knowing her Glock, which was out of her reach anyway, wouldn't do much good against Motaro, she turned her face towards Sheeva to give her instructions.

"I want you to take my friend there and get out of here", the human whispered to her as she indicated Ellison's direction with her head, "I'll finish four-legs here".

"No", Sheeva barked back, "He is mine!".

"You can't even stand on your own", Sonya sharply reminded her, "Being suicidal won't help anyone. I beat him once, I can do it again".

"'Easy to exterminate'!", Sheeva repeated the Centaur's words with spite as she didn't like the idea of having the human fight on her behalf.

"Your race has outlived its usefulness, that is all", Motaro kept grinning, "Nothing personal. There are not many Shokanites while there are almost a billion and a half Centaurs and I am afraid I did not wish to share the spoils of victory with your kind. So we are ridding ourselves of the inconvenience. Kahn agreed to just to please his second-in-command. I should be pleased".

"You will pay!", Sheeva barked back at him.

"Highly unlikely", the Centaur assured as his eyes widened in delight, "Pay at whose hands? Yours? You are practically the last of your kind, especially after my subordinates were through with their task. Just call me the exterminator of Shokanites".

At the mention of his new title, the four-armed fighter tried to rush towards Motaro again, but was easily restrained since Sonya found her weak after she had lost half her blood.

"Go, now", the human kombatant ordered, "He's mine".

Sheeva grudgingly agreed and turned around slowly on her own as she walked back towards where Ellison still lay on the ground. She helped the smaller human to his feet and led him away from the giant Centaur, knowing she needed time to heal and get her strength back before she was able to challenge Motaro.

Having completely forgotten the pain in both her forearms, Sonya felt calm and confident as she approached the Centaur responsible for the first invasion of her realm. Motaro appeared to be even bigger than the last time she had seen him, but she reasoned that her eyes were only seeing more size than she remembered. Once the Shokanite and her fellow soldier were out of the alleyway, the kombatant turned into a fighting stance, ready to kill her opponent for the second time.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Scott felt himself becoming more tense as he looked into the sphere Durak had created and saw Sonya and Motaro standing only a few feet from each other, ready to fight. He had serious doubts about her ability to defeat the Centaur while both fighters were healthy, but she was now hurt while he wasn't. Durak understood the concern on the human's face as he turned from the sphere to the ninja.

"This has to be done", the nine-foot tall Shokanite explained, "The humans are losing, thanks mainly to Kahn's army of Centaurs while the mutants are merely an irritation".

"And the only reason those Centaurs are serving Kahn is because he has Motaro under his command", Scott finished, "No Motaro, no Centaur army".

"Precisely", Durak said.

"She can't beat him", the ninja flatly stated, "There's just no way".

"Perhaps, but she has to try".

"But... But you can!", Scott next pointed up at the Shokanite, "You could take Motaro out, couldn't you?".

"No, I cannot", Durak slowly shook his head.

"Come on, man! He's exterminating us! He almost exterminated you!", the ninja insisted, "You're bigger and stronger than that sonofabitch. You could give us a big hand here. If you came back for Goro, why can't you do the same for the Centaur too?".

"You misunderstand", the Shokanite explained as Kung Lao listened and already understood his reasons for refusing, "It is not a matter of me not wanting to, but me not being allowed to. Once here, one can only go back to the home realm for one purpose, and that is to kill the people responsible for one's death. And that can only be achieved by risking one's soul. Motaro did not kill me, so I am not allowed to visit your realm to defeat him, no matter how badly I desire to. I have to wait until he comes to me".

"There is only one person who can return to Earth", Kung Lao finished the Shokanite's statement.

Scott stood still for a moment before figuring out what the monk meant.

"Me", the ninja sighed, knowing he wasn't a match against the chief Centaur when alive.

"But I am better now than I was when I was alive", Scott then resumed, "I've trained with you guys, right?".

No one answered.

"Right?", he repeated.

"It would not be worth risking your soul", Durak advised, "If you were to fail at killing Motaro, your soul would be lost. And you'd never see your friends and loved ones again".

"But if Motaro stays alive, then Kahn has over a billion Centaurs at his disposal, with which he'll screw up the Earth realm", the ninja countered, "If Kahn wins, he slaves the souls of everyone on Earth and I don't see them then either, right?".

"Correct", the Shokanite had to admit, acknowledging that the ninja was in a tough position.

"Let's just see what happens before you decide", Kung Lao interjected, "Perhaps you will not be forced to make the choice".

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"I have been hoping to find you here", Motaro grinned as he and Sonya paced around an invisible circle, both in their own fighting stance.

Sonya did not respond, she only had blind hatred on her mind, though she knew such emotions only hindered her abilities to fight.

"I was asked by one of the council members to only use as much force as necessary with you if possible", the Centaur continued, "But I suppose that is not possible at the moment. It will take too much self-constraint on my part, and the two who left will be next".

"You can kill them, all you have to do is get past me", she whispered, unsure whether he heard her, "Get ready to hurt, tough guy".

Both fighters screamed.

Her first attack was a standard flying kick into his stomach, knocking his concentration for only an instant as he bent down under the blow. Once she landed on her feet, Motaro swung hard, looking to finish the battle quickly and effectively. He was disappointed when she ducked and his fist met only air. Grunting, the Centaur kicked with his left front leg, but Sonya had already jumped to her own left and out of the way of his second attack. As he was withdrawing his left leg, he felt a sudden jab of pain in the right side of his stomach since she had delivered a sharp kick into that area. The lower half of his human-like body snapped towards his left under the blow as he heard himself gasping in pain. More angry than hurt, Motaro turned to his right towards the kombatant and swung his right fist, aiming for her head. He had reasoned that if she managed to duck to avoid this swing, he could reply with a headbutt before she was able to stand back up. As expected, Sonya ducked towards the ground and his right fist sailed over her head. The Centaur screamed as he pushed his own upper body downward, hoping to land his horns into the top of her head. Looking up, the human only had a fraction of a second to react as she saw horns coming down to crash into her forehead. She blindly lunged to her left as Motaro's lowered head reached hers. While on her way to crash on the ground on her left side, she reached towards her right and managed to grip the Centaur's lowered horns. Sonya surprised herself as she was able to push his horns down further before she landed on the ground next to his head. With the added momentum, Motaro screamed in frustration as he felt his horns crashing on the ground next to her.

The Centaur stood back up, his eyes bulging with hatred against the insignificant human female who was only feet away from him. She had embarrassed him in front of his soldiers during his invasion of her realm, forcing him to accept a lowered position as emperor Kahn's servant as a result. She was now distressing him by getting the best of him even though he knew he was her superior in every way. Roaring, he lowered his head and charged towards her, hoping the ten feet in between them would not be enough to give her the time to get out of the way. His hopes were not realized because the human easily jumped to her left and landed on her back as he lunged forward. He passed the area which was only inches away from her and was slowing down to come to a stop when she pestered him yet again. Before he had reached a full pause from his forward charge, she remained on the ground as she placed her palms against the ground and switched her weight on her hands. As he was next to her, the human kicked out with her right leg and her right foot collided with his right front knee. The blow wasn't strong enough to break the knee, but it sent a jolt of pain shooting through the Centaur's body as Motaro staggered forward for several steps before coming to a full stop.

Turning around and feeling fortunate that one of his legs wasn't broken, he saw her already on her feet and in a stance, smiling and daring him to try his attack again. Motaro galloped towards her again, though more slowly and more carefully this time. He decided to kick and swing at the same time, though such a tactic was never a part of his plans before. He never got a chance because the human stepped to her left and planted her right foot into his midsection again, stopping his forward march and forcing him to bend down yet again. Before the Centaur could pull his upper body back up, Sonya delivered a massive uppercut which sent his head snapping violently towards the sky. Roaring from both pain and annoyance, Motaro turned his right hand into a fist and blindly swung downward. His fist collided with Sonya's head before she had a chance to react and easily knocked her down on the ground.

Finally sensing victory, the invader bent down as he saw the human on her hands and knees while she tried to stand. With his left hand, he delivered a second punch downward, that fist crashing into the back of her head and knocking her flat on her stomach. Sonya heard an explosion in her mind as she lay horizontally on the ground and felt the strength being drained from her body. Before she was able to conceive a plan of action to try to retaliate, she felt a sharp pain in the side of her stomach as Motaro kicked her there. The impact lifted her off the ground and twisted her around in midair before she landed hard on her back. She gasped since the powerful blow had knocked the wind out of her and made it impossible for her to breath. Looking up, she saw the Centaur's grinning face as he bent down again and gripped the right strap of her tank top with his left hand. Pulling the beaten human up to her feet, Motaro pulled his right arm back slowly as he made sure she could see the right fist which was about to be swung against her head.

"This has been long overdue", the Centaur grimaced as he was ready to deliver the final blow while she still hadn't recovered from the already inflicted punishment.

Sonya only closed her eyes as she saw the fist racing towards her face. She wasn't strong enough to break out of his grip, much less being strong enough to block the punch. The only thought in her mind was when she asked herself where she could end up as a result of a defeat at her adversary's hands. It was possible that she would open her eyes and find herself with Scott, which she reasoned wouldn't be so bad. Or she might open her eyes and see that her soul was in Shao Kahn's possession, only to be tortured there for eternity. The second possibility wasn't quiet as alluring as the first, so she simply hoped for the best.

She didn't find either ending for her because the next thing she felt was a hissing scream before Motaro loosened his grip on the strap from her tank top was. Sonya crashed back down on the ground and looked up to see that the Centaur was also lying on his side while Sheeva stood on top of his lower, horse-like body. The Shokanite had returned to the scene after dropping Ellison off some distance away and had stomped on the Centaur's back. Even though Sheeva's weight alone would've been enough to crush an ordinary human or mutant, Motaro stood back up unhurt even though she still stood on his body. Outweighing the Shokanite by hundreds of pounds, he found it easy to regain his balance on his feet as Sheeva was forced to jump off him. Seeing Sonya still on the ground and unable to resist on her own, the four-armed fighter reached down and picked the kombatant up by the strap of the tank top again.

"He is mine!", Sheeva hissed as she lifted the limp human about a foot into the air before tossing her aside.

Sonya flew in a semicircle and landed on the concrete ground about fifteen yards away, receiving numerous more bruises as a result and only worsening the wounds in her forearms and ribs. Lying on her stomach, she couldn't raise her head to see Sheeva as the Shokanite incessantly attacked Motaro to avenge the near-extermination of her race. Her hisses and his screams were still in her ears even after it took her over a minute to rise on her hands and knees. The human then shakily rose to her feet before turning her attention back to the battle scene. Her vision was blurry, so she only saw two blemishes fighting against each other. The kombatant considered helping Sheeva, but soon decided that her assistance would not be needed nor welcome. She had failed miserably at trying to avenge Scott's death or at killing the leader of the most lethal division of Kahn's army. Telling herself that she was worthless, Sonya turned away from the scene, lowered her head and limped home.

She was swearing and screaming out loud a few minutes later as she found herself about one block away from her home. The empty feeling in her heart had returned as Sonya walked down the middle of the road, not even trying to be silent since she no longer thought about the invaders.

"Stupid... Stupid... Stupid... STUPID!", she repeated to herself as she came closer to the front door, "What the hell made you think you could take Motaro, huh? Who the hell did you think you were, coming in here with a pair of busted arms and thinking you were gonna beat this stupid, four-legged piece of shit who obviously doesn't have a job? Just because you got lucky once? AAAAAAgggggggggggghhhhhhh!".

The kombatant finally reached the front door and quieted as she twisted the knob. She met resistance because the knob did not turn as she had expected since the door was locked from the inside. Swearing at herself for not having a key on her possession, Sonya turned around while still standing and looked out towards the empty street. She wanted to go inside but didn't know how. Sighing, she began to think about the dilemma. She soon smiled as she figured out her solution.

Turning back around to face the door, Sonya delivered a left front kick next the door knob, breaking the wooden door with ease. Once finished, she limped through the living room and headed straight for the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a chilled pack of six beer bottles, of which she had three more stored. She then angrily marched back to the living room with it after she left the refrigerator door open. Seated on the first couch, she rested the pack next to her and withdrew the first bottle before the bottlecap was twisted off. She felt better as soon as she arched her head back, pressed the top of the bottle against her lips and tasted the beer.

The first bottle was emptied with two long gulps. Not yet drunk, she tossed the empty glass bottle on the floor and quickly pulled a second full one out of the pack. She was still swearing at every person she could think of, mainly herself or members of the invasion army, as she began swallowing the contents of the next bottle.

The pattern continued until she was busy drinking the fifth bottle of beer while the four previous ones rested on the floor by her feet. She was more than halfway finished with the fifth bottle when she saw darkness and finally passed out. The back of her head crashed on the sofa as the remaining beer in the bottle spilled over her black uniform. Her grip on the bottle then loosened and the fifth empty bottle slipped out of her hand and rested next to her on the couch, but she did not know that.

While that occurred, Sheeva hissed as a fist crashed into her jaw and sent her staggering backwards. She told herself that she should have perhaps taken the human female's advice and not have fought against Motaro in her current condition. It would've been easy to just carry the human on her shoulder as she leapt away from the Centaur, but doing so would've meant that Motaro would not have been challenged. So, she had decided with her pride instead of with her common sense and stayed to confront the larger Centaur even though she was extremely hurt and he wasn't. Despite her past bravery, the Shokanite thought that she might've made a mistake since Motaro clearly had the upper hand in the fight.

She saw him charging towards her, intending to stab her in the head with his horns, so she stepped to her left and sent both her right arms forward. Her lower right fist collided with his stomach while her upper right fist crashed into his chest. Motaro staggered backwards under the forceful blows, still surprised that his opponent could've put up such resistance after all the beating she had been forced to endure. Before giving him a chance to recuperate, Sheeva sent her upper left fist into his jaw, snapping the Centaur's head to his own left. Despite the viciousness behind her fists, Motaro simply would not go down in defeat. On the contrary, the Centaur recovered more quickly than any male Shokanite she knew of and responded with a fist of his own aimed for her head. Her head snapped back as blood erupted from her mouth and nose and she involuntarily staggered to the right.

Motaro stepped towards her and delivered a severe pair of blows simultaneously. He swung with his left fist as the same time that he kicked out with his right front leg. The fist impacted with Sheeva's jaw, breaking it, while the Centaur's leg collided with her stomach at the same time. The Shokanite bent down, gasping and spitting out blood as Motaro was ready to swing again. He never got the chance because his opponent used whatever strength she had left to reach up and grip his shoulders with her upper hands. She then pulled his upper, human-like body down as she lifted herself into the air while bending her right knee. The knee smashed into the Centaur's stomach and knocked the wind out of him as he bent down under the impact. Sheeva leg go of his shoulders as she finally saw blood, however slight, flowing out of his mouth.

The sight was all she got to see, though, because Motaro then stood up straight as he roared and gripped her throat with his left hand. Sheeva hissed as she struggled to get out of his grasp by first pulling at his left forearm and then trying to punch at the Centaur directly. The first method did not work because his single arm was still larger and stronger than several of her arms combined. The second method failed because, since Motaro's arms were longer than hers and his left arm was currently extended straight, none of her swings impacted with his flesh. The Centaur replied by sending his right fist into her head twice as the Shokanite heard an explosion each time before he sent a second kick into her stomach. He then released her throat and gripped each of Sheeva's upper arms. Lifting her up into the air while she was dazed, Motaro tossed her backwards. The Shokanite sailed horizontally through the air before her back collided with a brick wall about thirty yards away. She remained on her feet while her upper body swung back and forth as if she was drunk since her concentration was destroyed. She thus didn't see her adversary as he lowered his horns and charged towards her from thirty yards away, looking forward to delivering the last, fatal blow.

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From a different place, Scott bit his lower lip as he saw Motaro gripping the throat of the smaller female Shokanite. Durak, Kung Lao and Richards only had a pessimistic expression on their face about the outcome of the fight and the ninja could see why.

"She's losing, isn't she?", Scott asked out loud, meaning the new Shokanite who had saved Sonya's life.

"I'm afraid so", Kung Lao replied when no one else would.

"That son of a bitch has to be stopped, or the Earth doesn't stand a chance as long as his army is still serving Kahn", the ninja thought out loud.

"What you're thinking is nuts!", Richards let him know, "If no one there could beat that jackass, what makes you think you can? This is serious, man! It's not just your life at stake any more".

"I know, I know", Scott turned away from the ball of gas he had been staring into ever since the invasion began, "But I can teleport while they can't".

There was silence for a few instants as the ninja exchanged glances with the others.

"I'm going back", he finally stated, "Durak, help me out".

"Understood, youngster", the Shokanite replied, knowing he could not change the human's mind, "But remember that you can only stay in the Earth realm for a few minutes. I will teleport you through the portal to exactly where your opponent is, and...".

Durak stopped.

"And, when you finish him, come back immediately", he added, "The portal between this realm and the realm of the living is always unstable. So no stopping off afterward to visit any friends, understood?".

"Wait, how can that be?", the ninja reasoned, "What about how Goro stuck around for Rayden knows how long to torment my allies? And what about the ninja called Scorpion that Johnny told me about? He was serving Shang Tsung for a long time just to get his shot at the iceman".

"True", Durak admitted, "But the portal between a living realm and this one is never stable. I cannot tell you how the Scorpion ninja or my brother managed to stay in the realm of the living for as long as they did because I do not know. No doubt their services with the sorcerer Tsung provided them with the knowledge to bend the laws of the universe for their own purposes. But I do not have that knowledge, so I can only help you pay an extremely short visit to Earth, one that could last no longer than a few minutes. You will be able to feel the whereabouts of your enemy and will also be able to teleport there with the speed of thought".

"Oh, fine", Scott sighed as he turned to Richards.

"I don't like this", his former commanding officer whispered only loud enough for him to hear, "You're risking your very existence by going back".

"I know", the ninja replied in his regular voice as he extended his right hand.

Richards didn't try to discourage him further as he gripped the ninja's hand hard.

"One last thing", Kung Lao remarked in the silence.

The ninja and the others turned their face to the hatted monk to see him standing a few steps away with his arms crossed.

"Perhaps there is an aspect from this realm you can take with you other than merely the power of teleportation", the monk went on.

"Such as?", the ninja asked, turning away from the Richards and towards him.

"The art of the shadows from the realm of the deceased", Kung Lao added, "Also known as noob saibot in this realm's mother tongue".

"Noob what?", Scott repeated as Durak already knew what the monk was talking about, "What kind of a moronic name is that?".

"Noob saibot", the monk repeated, not wishing to hear him criticize the tongue he did not understand.

Kung Lao placed his palms together in front of his chest for an instant before separating them slowly. A bright blue pearl appeared between his palms before it headed straight for the spot where the ninja stood his ground.

"This will heighten your senses and your physical capabilities", the monk advised as the pearl approached Scott, "Thus making you as limber as a shadow. I have used it at times before in this realm, but I cannot truly say how much it will supplement your own capabilities once you leave here and return to the realm of the living".

"Hey, every little helps, right?", the ninja replied just before the pearl reached his chest and then dispersed as soon as it came into contact with his figure.

Scott gasped as a cold feeling overwhelmed him, though it only lasted for an instant. He felt himself becoming lighter before looking down at his hands and seeing them turning from the color of his skin to a nearly-transparent shadow. His entire body transformed immediately to one which comprised of a black shadow that could stand on its own. The only part of his body which was not the basic color of black were his eyes, which were now a glowing blue just as the pearl had been before it had reached him.

"Cool! Let's do it", the ninja exclaimed with a smile, though the others could not tell what his facial expression was.

"I cannot say if your heightened senses and reflexes will be enough to defeat your enemy, though, I'm afraid", Kung Lao continued, "But if you should decide not to use the noob saibot art, simply wish so and it will leave you".

"You mean like this?", Scott asked.

As soon as he had finished his short statement, the shadow-like figured disappeared and the ninja's body returned to its usual self.

"Neat, but I'd rather have it on, at least when I'm facing the horseman", Scott added, and his figured returned to being a shadow with blue eyes.

"Good luck, youngster", Durak told him.

"Thanks, I'll see you back here", Scott said as a bright portal appeared behind him.

The ninja presented his right palm towards Richards at a slightly higher level than his stomach. His former superior slapped the upraised palm with his own hand. Turning around, Scott then nodded to Kung Lao and Durak before walking into the portal and vanishing out of their sight.

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Scott teleported into the Earth realm and looked ahead. He temporarily turned from the shadow self to his usual appearance since he did not wish his identity to remain a mystery if he ran into some human allies. The first individual he saw just next to him was the Shokanite as she was still dazed. Turning his attention elsewhere, the human also saw Motaro as the Centaur was rushing to meet his adversary with his lowered horns. With the horseman approaching at an accelerated speed, Scott quickly gripped the Shokanite's lower hand and teleported away, taking her with him. They both disappeared as Motaro was only three steps away. The Centaur saw the entire scene but couldn't stop himself in time, so his horns collided with the brick wall and loosened several bricks from it. Pulling himself back, the invader rubbed his head after the impact, though the pain was nothing he couldn't handle. He smiled as he realized the human ninja was back as a specter, risking his very soul to challenge him. This was going to be more fun than he expected.

Scott and Sheeva reappeared several blocks away from the fight scene as he had her upper left arm wrapped around his shoulder for support since she could not stand on her own. While she bled from the face and the stomach, he eased her towards the ground until the Shokanite was seated on the concrete.

"Just relax", the ninja said, glad to have her weight off his shoulders, "You've been hurt, take it easy".

Sheeva's weary eyes suddenly bulged open.

"No!", she snapped as more blood erupted from her mouth, "I have to go back! I have to finish him!".

Scott pressed his hands downward on her shoulders to keep her from standing.

"HE TRIED TO EXTERMINATE US!", she was screaming now, "I HAVE TO KILL HIM!".

"Getting yourself killed won't do any good!", the ninja countered, "I know he has to die, that's what I'm here for. I promise you, he won't hurt anyone else".

Sheeva calmed down after hearing his words, but was still unconvinced.

"Look at yourself, human", she advised while looking up at him, "I am smaller than Motaro and you are smaller than me, and you want to challenge him?".

"Yes", Scott snapped, feeling strangely confident about his mission.

There was an uneasy silence between the two before the human spoke again.

"Stay here", Scott advised before he teleported away.

He reappeared within a few seconds as he carried several clean towels in his hands. Squatting next to her, he pressed one of the towels against the bleeding wound on her stomach as he set the rest on the ground.

"You should keep a constant pressure on it", he pointed to her stomach with his eyes, "And the same for your head".

She pulled away, refusing the towel that was slowing down the flow of blood from her midsection.

"I am fine", Sheeva replied with a cold stare, "Shokanites do not worry about minor injuries".

The bleeding was serious. In truth, she knew the reason she turned his offer down was because she couldn't handle the thought of a human helping her since she had seen the entire race as an enemy for the last three centuries.

"Well, it's here", Scott got the hint and stood back up, "You know, Motaro's main problem is that he doesn't know how to treat a lady".

Sheeva did not respond, she only maintained a steady eye contact with him as he teleported away from her for good. The ninja appeared back where he had first landed on the Earth realm and saw Motaro standing about thirty steps away. The Centaur grinned as he easily recognized the human he had killed in single combat during his previous invasion of the realm. Steadily approaching the four-legged intruder, the human heard heavy metal music flooding his mind, as he had gotten used to ever since he had joined with the clone. He stopped after he came to within five yards of his opponent.

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"You were the head of the resistance", Motaro smirked, "You also proved to be pathetic against me. Small surprise your race is losing the battle as we speak".

"Well, you were the head of the invasion force last time", Scott replied, undaunted by the statement, "I guess you're not any more, huh? I hear you're just a demoted servant now".

The Centaur ceased smiling and groaned, the human's words having bruised his ego.

"But I guess that's why you gave yourself a new title. The exterminator of Shokanites?", the ninja continued, already in his fighting stance, "What is that, a new title? Your previous title of being 'the great one' got old already?".

"I always wondered if you would come back for me", the Centaur answered, "What? Are you going to attack me after I have been exhausted like that human bitch had done?".

"No, I wouldn't dream of doing that", Scott let him know, "I'll wait. You may attack when ready, and I'm gonna make sure your death is an exceptionally painful one".

Motaro roared in response, thundering with such force that he was sure any of his students would've cowered under the noise alone. To his disappointment, Scott still seemed unshaken.

"Ooooh", the human spoke with sarcasm, "Look at the little booooy, pretending to be a maaaan".

Though Motaro was his superior in every way imaginable, the ninja knew that the stakes in the fight were different. Scott was fighting for his very soul, and those of everyone else if Shao Kahn had his way, while Motaro was only fighting for his life. The ninja could also teleport at will, since he was currently a specter and not restricted to having to rely on physical movement to reach a destination. Whether or not the motivation and the ability to teleport were enough to compensate for the disadvantages the human faced still remained to be seen. Having almost forgotten, Scott also finally remembered the shadow ability Kung Lao had presented him with. As soon as he wished for it, his body instantly turned into a pitch-black shadow with a pair of glowing blue eyes. His new appearance did not even seem to surprise his giant adversary, though. Standing tall and confident, the Centaur appeared just as relaxed as his human opponent while his muscular arms hung down on either side of his torso with the forearms facing forward. Not needing much of a rest since neither the human nor the Shokanite who preceded the ninja had been much of a challenge, Motaro opened his mouth.

"Begin!", the Centaur ordered, anger flooding his attention.

Scott exhaled and lunged forward on his left foot in a perfect flying kick as soon as the invader had given the word. His extended right leg smashed into Motaro's chest, knocking the Centaur three steps backwards under the surprisingly strong blow. The invader gasped involuntarily as pain shot through his torso and he quickly realized that two of his ribs had been bruised. The human was tougher than Motaro had expected as the ninja gracefully landed on his own feet. Before the Centaur could even think of a proper response, Scott turned his right hand into a fist and twisted to his left. He sent his right foot into Motaro's stomach and knocked the wind out of the Centaur with apparent ease. As the invader's human upper body bent down, gasping for breath, the ninja delivered a brutal uppercut with his right fist. Motaro's face shot upward towards the sky as he felt several of his teeth loosening. A pain even more intense than the one in his chest invaded his forehead.

Looking down, the Centaur's suddenly damaged face met the ninja's shadowy and expressionless features. Unknown to Motaro, Scott was wearing the coldest grin he could ever remember. Still, though, from behind the expressionless face, the human seemed to be nonverbally teasing the invader, asking the Centaur how it was possible that he was hurt while the human was fine. Roaring in both pain and anger, Motaro kicked out with his front right leg. Anticipating the strike, Scott simply vanished and the Centaur's leg sailed into the area where he had been standing a fraction of a second ago. Before Motaro realized what had just happened, the ninja reappeared next to his right side, but behind his human-like upper body, between his front and rear legs. The Centaur only had enough time to turn his face over his own right shoulder before he was hit again. Scott delivered a front kick into his lower horse-like body, the human's foot colliding severely with the tough muscles of his flesh. Motaro raised his face towards the sky and roared again, this time only because of pain, as his upper body arched backwards.

The Centaur twisted around to his left and away from the human. He sent his tail sweeping towards Scott's feet, accelerating the tail end to knock the ninja's feet out from under him. Scott jumped up and the invader's tail passed harmlessly under him while he was still in the air. Turning back to face the human, Motaro readied to headbutt the pesky native who was getting to be more of a threat. As his horns rushed down towards the ninja, though, the human vanished again. Alarmed, the Centaur twisted in his place in an excited manner to spot his opponent when that one decided to show. Despite his efforts, he was still unprepared when Scott appeared to his left and next to his human-like upper body.

"DIE, HORSEMAN!", was the only scream the Centaur heard as the ninja acted.

Scott delivered a quick uppercut with his left fist, sending Motaro's chin snapping back as a result of the impact. Immediately following that, the human then hurled a jab with his right fist, the strike smashing into the Centaur's face while that one still hadn't recovered from the uppercut. To end the blitz, the ninja sent his right elbow into Motaro's face, all three consecutive attacks having been delivered within an instant before the Centaur could swing even once. While Motaro screamed as he felt his head snapping to three different sides, Scott didn't give him a chance to recover because the ninja executed a roundhouse punch with his right arm. His right fist smashed into Motaro's face and knocked the larger invader down on his side. The Centaur saw drops of his own blood staining the ground under his face. His eyes looked up and locked with Scott's shiny blue ones. The four-legged fighter sensed that his own eyes were full of fear while he saw that the ninja's eyes were only occupied with relaxed anger.

"You can't be this good!", Motaro gasped as Scott calmly moved towards him for the kill.

"ON YOUR FEET, HORSEMAN!", the human ordered as he kicked the Centaur in the head.

The invader managed to stand back up despite the latest blow. As he did, though, he received another sharp kick to the chest, one that only intensified the effects of his bruised ribs. Screaming from the sudden and more vicious pain, the Centaur blindly swung ahead of him. The ninja was easily able to jump to his left just enough to be out of the way of the swing before he leapt up into the air. The bottom of Scott's right foot met the invader's chin and decimated all the vigor and stamina Motaro had just moments ago. He was unable to even try a retaliatory move when the ninja landed back on his feet. The Centaur only had enough strength left to stand still, and he staggered in place to succeed at that. Seeing his chance, Scott bent his right elbow and pulled his right arm past his shoulder as the hand was already a fist.

"This is for killingmy friendsduring your first invasion", Scott said in an ominous tone even though Motaro could not see any movement on his darkened face, "I never did get to know how many you butchered".

He delivered a massive punch into the invader's head, snapping Motaro's upper body to the side, though the Centaur still managed to remain on his feet. As long as the invader was not lying on the ground and completely decimated, Scott thought that his job wasn't completed. So the ninja pulled his right arm back again, ready to strike as many times as needed.

"This is for killing Lee", the human remarked.

The statement was followed by a second punch in between Motaro's eyes. The Centaur's upper body snapped aside again as green blood exploded out of his nose and mouth. The invader staggered two steps backwards and almost lost his balance, but still managed to stay on his feet. The human quickly walked after him, eager to finish the fight.

"This is for killing me!", Scott's voice became more enraged.

Motaro felt a third punch crashing into his already bloodied nose, easily breaking it. He roared as an explosion appeared in his mind and his view of the Earth realm became dimmer.

"This is for hurting Johnny!", the ninja continued as he saw the Centaur's eyes rolling into the back of his own head.

A fist impacted with Motaro's head for the fourth time, though the invader had already stopped feeling the pain and only felt a crippling numbness all over his body. For an instant, the Centaur thought he had already fallen on the ground, but he then knew he hadn't when he opened his weary eyes and saw the silhouette of a human standing in front of him. He wanted to stop the native. He wanted to destroy the smaller pest who had just defeated him in a fair fight, but his body just wouldn't respond to his desperate commands to strike back. He felt himself getting more frantic as the strength in his arms and legs was already gone and the human still appeared to be in prime condition.

"You... you...cccan't be... thiss... good", Motaro managed to whisper as the ninja's shiny blue eyes bore through him while the human was getting closer to delivering a fatal blow.

"This is for separating me from Sonya!", Scott barked as his fist delivered a fifth devastating blow against the invader, knocking that one's senses to near-oblivion.

Disappointed to still see the Centaur on his feet, and thus still alive, the human tightened his bruised right fist even more. Pulling his right arm back, Scott's bright eyes locked with Motaro's while the Centaur's eyes were only half open. The ninja hoped he was delivering what would be the last blow. Desperate, the invader screamed and blindly swung his left fist as Scott pulled his upper body back. The fist sailed harmlessly in front of his face before the ninja adjusted his torso in its proper position again.

"And this is for being born!", Scott snarled as he struck.

An uppercut slammed into Motaro's chin and violently snapped the Centaur's body backward. The invader heard a deafening whistle in his mind and only saw black as his body crashed on the ground to never move again. Seeing the leader of the Centaurs lying on the earth, immobile, Scott snapped forth a sharp kick into that one's head. He was satisfied when he spotted no reaction to it. The ninja smiled for an instant before a sharp pain engulfed the side of his stomach, as he had expected. He had been ignoring the signs of weariness as he proceeded against his opponent, but the consequences of his fast and violent actions caught up to him once adrenaline was no longer rushing through him. Finding no more need for it, he wished the noob saibot talent away, so his body turned from the shadowy figure to its usual appearance. Bending down and gasping while he waited for the pain to subside, he heard a telepathic message in his mind as he pressed his right forearm into his stomach.

"Good work, youngster", the ninja heard Durak's voice in his mind, "Get ready to come back. I will teleport you myself since the portal has gotten unstable".

"Wait!", Scott snapped out loud, still feeling pain in his midsection, "Don't bring me back! I can find her, she's nearby!".

"The portal is unstable", Durak repeated to him telepathically, "The sooner we do this, the better it will be".

"I have to see her, man!", the human replied out loud.

The Shokanite instantly understood that he was referring to Sonya as his reason for wanting to remain in the Earth realm longer.

"This is not wise. The...", Durak began to protest.

"Give me five minutes. That's all I'm asking", the ninja interrupted, "Just five minutes!".

Durak could sense from his tone of voice that he wasn't about to agree to anything less, so the Shokanite thought about the choices available for a few moments. He could've teleported the human back against that one's will, but that might've been even more dangerous than waiting the desired amount of time with an unstable portal. So the Shokanite groaned as he spoke to Scott next.

"Five minutes", Durak telepathically warned him, "Not an instant more".

"Thanks", the ninja responded as stood up straight and then he teleported away.

xxxxxxxxxx

Back in the realm of the dead, Durak turned his attention at Kung Lao, trying to read the expression on the monk's face. As usual, he could not.

"I knew he would do this", the Shokanite complained, referring to Scott.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Scott reappeared in the living room where he used to reside for quiet some time before his death. He turned his attention to a few feet away where he spotted Sonya lying unconscious on the sofa with an empty bottle next to her. Once having approached her, the ninja noticed that her uniform was wet, so he slightly bent down and shook the kombatant's right shoulder. She did not respond. Sighing, Scott shook her again, this time with more force. The lack of a response was the same on her part, she remained immobile and out cold. Worried, the ninja gasped at the thought that she might be hurt. He slapped her on the left cheek, hoping to snap her awake.

"Sonya?", he slapped her for the second time, getting the same result as before and becoming more anxious.

"Sonya", he barked as if giving an order and slapped her harder for the third time.

On this occasion, fortunately, he saw a reaction. The kombatant's eyes snapped open while she instinctively shoved away whoever was in front of her.

"CAN IT!", she yelled as the ninja staggered two steps backwards.

Her eyes took a moment to focus on the person who had woken her up as she lay on the couch. Sonya lifted her head as she finally recognized who she was looking at. Contrary to Scott's expectations, her head then crashed back on the couch as she looked up at the ceiling and rested her left palm on her forehead.

"Just great", she told herself, "I'm hallucinating now".

"Sonya, it's me!", the ninja reached forward and gripped her right shoulder again, "I'm really here".

She lifted her head with a dull look in her eyes as she heard his voice. The ninja, in his turn, was anxious because he knew his time was limited. Her eyes widened as she realized she was actually staring at him and he was not simply a figment of her imagination.

"Oh my God", she whispered as she shakily stood up and he stepped back to give her the room.

Warily sending her right arm forward, she lightly poked her hand into the chest to make sure that he was in front of her. When her hand felt flesh, she smiled and gasped.

"Oh my God!", she repeated, louder this time, "You're here!".

Scott didn't give her a chance to say anything else because he grabbed her face with both his hands and pressed his lips against hers. He pulled his face back after a passionate kiss and looked her in the eyes.

"I can't even tell you...", he said before he kissed her again.

He pulled back again, never taking his hands off her head.

"...how long I've waited...", he kissed her a third time.

He pulled back a third time.

"...for this", he passionately kissed her for the fourth time.

The ninja let go of her head then. Sonya sat back down on the couch while staring at him as she still gasped in surprise with a smile on her face.

"How is this possible?", she finally asked as he sat down next to her to the left.

"I only have less than five minutes", the ninja informed as she wrapped her left arm around his shoulder.

"Wait a sec", Sonya went on, "You risked your soul by coming here, didn't you?".

"Yeah, Motaro had to die", Scott replied, "And nobody here seemed to be able to do it".

"Are you crazy!", she pulled her arm off his shoulder, "What if you lose? You can't challenge him! If you lose, it'll mean losing your soul! If no one else could beat him, what makes you think you can?".

"I don't think I can, I know" he added, "I already finished him off".

"But... But how?", she was understandably confused.

"I'm a ghost", he explained, "I can teleport. How do you think I came in here without you knowing it?".

"I dunno", Sonya simply answered, "I figured you used the front door".

"How could I use the front door when I don't even have a key on m..." Scott turned his face towards the doorway and froze in midsentence as he saw the door broken from the outside, "Oh, I guess I could".

"Do you have to leave now?", she tugged at his arm, "We could stay if you want".

"I can't, believe me when I tell you it's not a choice", he hated having to say, "I don't have much time. Just came back to finish Motaro and I did, but I wanted to drop by and say 'hi' and ask a favor".

Sonya curiously widened her eyes to ask him what the favor was.

"I need you to destroy Motaro's corpse", the ninja explained, "If his body is not fucked up, Shao Kahn will be able to bring him back to life just like he did after you killed him during the first invasion and this whole thing will be for nothing. If Motaro stays dead, all his Centaurs won't follow Kahn any more because they're only doing this invasion because Motaro is telling them to".

"But... How am I supposed to do that?", her head still ached.

"I don't really know", he spoke fast, "Just be creative, I guess".

There was a short silence as they locked eyes without saying anything.

"With three minutes left, anything on your mind?", the ninja spoke first.

"Yeah", Sonya held his hand while bringing her face closer to his, "I always hated how you died. I never got to hold you. I mean, that was the way things were done, people were not supposed to die alone. I always made sure to be with people when they were dying, to always hold'em in my arms. It happened before, happened a lot that particular night. But after all that, you, the most important person to me, you died alone".

Her voice shook as she finished the last statement since her throat tightened and she fought to hold back tears.

"It's OK", Scott smiled, holding the back of her head and touching his forehead with hers, "It really ain't that bad up there".

"I wanna be with you!", she blurted out.

"I know, I know. I wanna be with you too", he whispered into her ear.

"There's just nothing to believe in any more, Scotty", the kombatant pulled her head back so she could stare into his eyes as she dried her own eyes, "These people aren't worth fighting over, they're not worth getting hurt over. I don't believe in anything any more, not even myself!".

"You remember what you told me after those two Army sergeants had visited and told me that I was through with the military?", he asked, silently cursing the conditions of nature which required him to only have a few minutes in the Earth realm, "I never forgot it when you told me I shouldn't feel sorry for myself".

She tried to answer, perhaps to tell him that it was easier when he was around, but words in her mind only came out of her mouth as incoherent babble. Scott gripped the hand she had previously offered as he made the best of the remaining time left.

"Sonya, you have to trust yourself", he whispered, hoping not to sound like an idiot when he was needed, "If you lower your self-worth, the world isn't gonna try to raise it for you".

"I knooow", she managed to answer.

"I mean, you didn't drink before", he reminded her, "No matter how bad things got, you always believed they would get better. And they will, for now too".

The kombatant stared into the specter's eyes, waiting for him to finish his statement.

"I'll see you for good sooner or later, so don't change", he advised with a slight smile, "I want you to be the same way as you were before".

The ninja leaned forward and kissed her on the lips again. As he pulled back, Sonya's face was calmer as she had her eyes locked with his and was getting ready to say something else. Scott waited until she opened her mouth and spoke. She froze for a few seconds before he heard anything.

"I need to go to the bathroom, I'm gonna be sick", she finally blurted out.

She staggered off the couch and hurried away. Scott remained in a surprised state on the couch as he saw her disappear through the door of the bathroom before he heard her throwing up. The ninja stood and followed, stopping only when he reached door also and looked inside. The kombatant was in a squatted position as she threw up inside the lavatory. It took her at least a minute and a half to empty the contents of her entire stomach before she was able to stand up straight.

"Well, that felt good", Sonya addressed him with a much more sober expression, "I needed it".

"I'm glad", Scott smiled, "So the old Sonya is back, huh?".

"With a vengeance", she smiled back.

Her smile faded when she remembered the few minutes he had told her he was allowed.

"I need you to do something", he continued, speaking in a hurry.

"For you, sure", she replied.

"Not just for me, for everybody", the ninja advised, pointing upwards with his right index finger, "We've been talking, me and some friends up there. There's a weapon thingy that might give you guys an edge in this battle".

"I'm listening", she assured, making sure every instant was put to good use.

"You need to grab whoever you can find and go to Shang Tsung's island", Scott instructed fast, "Get Johnny and Liu to come along".

"Can't", was her only answer.

"Come again?".

"I don't even know where they are now", she clarified.

"Then go alone, but this has to get done", the ninja kept directing, "In a temple on the island, there are scrolls named the secrets of nature or natural or something like that. It's been on the island for Rayden knows how many centuries now. Read it".

"And then?", she was getting curious.

"That's it, just read it", Scott repeated what he had heard from Kung Lao, "The rest should fall into place like a puzzle, or so I've been told".

"You've been told?", she repeated, "Told by who? And how do you know they even know what they're talking about, whoever it is?".

"Somebody up there", he repeated, referring to the Shaolin monk as he pointed towards the ceiling again, "And they know what they're talking about, trust me on that".

"Hold on", she lifted her left hand ahead of her chest, "I don't even know where the...".

"Island is?", he finished.

"Yeah".

"You don't have to know, I can take you there".

"Huh?".

Before she could utter another word, Scott gripped her left hand. Sonya saw her surroundings vanish for a fraction of a second before the bright, blue sky replaced the walls from the room she was previously in. The kombatant opened and closed her eyes several times to make sure she wasn't seeing a mirage as she then found herself standing in the middle of Shang Tsung's island. Scott could easily tell how surprised she was as she first looked at the sky, then the statues which surrounded them both, and then finally at him.

"I'll be damned", Sonya giggled, "You can do this? I thought Rayden was the only one".

"Well, being dead does have its advantages", the ninja grinned back.

Having been brought back to the reality of the current situation, the small smile on her face quickly faded when she heard his words.

"Great", she added in a more somber tone.

Before the ninja could reply, he heard Durak's voice in his mind communicating telepathically.

"Your five minutes are up, youngster", the Shokanite informed, "I am bringing you back".

"Hold on", Scott answered his mentor out loud.

"Say again?", she had heard him as well.

Scott looked first towards the ground by his feet, then around him, as if carefully examining the picturesque statues. He was looking everywhere he could think of since he didn't want to have to look her in the eyes with what he had to say.

"It's time for me to get back", he finally let her know.

"But what about me, then?", the kombatant pressed her left palm on her chest.

"Good point", he hurried, "I thought about this too. Do you remember the portal that Tsung had used when he forced you off this island and into Outworld during your tournament here?".

"Yeah, sure", she scratched the top of her head, trying to recall the exact location of the portal.

"That's not just a portal to Outworld, it's a portal to everywhere", the ninja advised, "It reads a person's thoughts and takes them to the destination they're thinking of. Use it".

"Oh, sounds easy enough", she rubbed her forehead again, gentler this time, "I still wish you hadn't brought me here in beer-stained clothes, though. You could've waited until I had changed".

"Sorry about that", he countered, "It was a choice between your image and the fate of the world. You came second".

They both giggled at the same time as they locked eyes.

"I still think about you every day", she added in a more serious tone, her eyes still set on his.

The ninja wanted to take his time to respond to Sonya by saying a thousand different things, but he didn't have time to set off on a deep speech that could take hours, or even minutes. Feeling his presence in the Earth realm weakening, he held her right hand and pulled it towards his face.

"Same here", he managed to whisper loud enough to be heard before he kissed it.

The ninja then vanished into thin air and she was left alone.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"My operational name was Smoke", the android recounted as the three kombatants listened with interest, "I remember existing for almost three centuries now, though I might have been around for long before then".

"How's that?", Johnny was finally confused.

"My kind was never meant to develop a consciousness or be able to think independently", Smoke explained, "Our sole task was to be sent into a realm if Kahn tried to conquer it but failed. Once Kahn's armies were withdrawn, our mission was to activate our internal detonator and destroy everyone in that realm".

"Huh, if he can't have it, no one can", the actor grinned.

"Precisely", the cyborg went on, "Of course, we are only insurance. Kahn has never been forced to use any one of us since his armies have always decimated any realm he wished to own".

"Until now", Johnny finished.

"So how is it that you are here and not serving the emperor?", Kitana asked.

"I became capable of independent thought, something that was believed impossible", Smoke added, "My inventor never imagined that a weapon would be able to think and feel, but I do. I do not even know how that is possible, but it is".

There was a brief silence before he continued.

"That was three centuries ago, and that was when I escaped from Kahn's realm", the android went on, "He has been searching for me ever since. This forest behind us is the one placethat his soldiers areafraid to venture into. I am safe since the trees do not have a taste for metal, only a taste for flesh".

"Ugh", Johnny felt his stomach getting ill.

"A deity informed us that you could prove valuable to our side", Liu said out loud, "Would you be willing to fight for us?".

The android did not reply for a moment.

"I realize we're asking for much, but we do need an answer soon", the monk pressed, "We'd understand if you chose to turn us down, but the invasion of my home realm is under way as we speak. We need to return to it, either with or without you".

"I have never encountered mortals who were not afraid to see me before", Smoke finally answered, "You three are the first to treat me with such respect. To treat me as a human being, I suppose".

Kitana smiled at his remarks as all kombatants' eyes were set on the cyborg.

"I appreciate it", Smoke bowed his head slightly, "And you can count me in".

"Great!", Johnny grinned as he clapped his hands together, "Let's see how far mister ugly Kahn lasts now".

The android, Kitana and Liu momentarily stared at him.

"What?", the actor kept grinning, "He has to be ugly to wanna hide behind a mask all the time".

"Probably", Liu grinned next.

"Kahn is the brains behind the invasion of your realm", Smoke advised, staring randomly at Kitana as he spoke, "Your first objection should be to assassinate him".

"It's not my realm", the princess placed her right palm below her throat, "I am from the Outworld".

"Impressive", the cyborg replied, "But you are still fighting Kahn".

"Should we return to Earth, then?", the monk addressed the two other kombatants.

"Negative", Smoke flatly stated, "My experience indicates Kahn usually stays in his own realm until an invasion is complete. He can be found in his home realm".

"Take us there", Liu immediately countered, "He is mine".

"I am not sure you can defeat him", the cyborg's reply was blunt.

"I'm the best", the monk responded without showing any emotion, "Unless you have a better candidate, I plan to do this".

"Look, Liu, I know you're good, but nobody's that good", Johnny warned, "Mister ugly has, like, ages of experience and only God knows how many souls increasing his power".

"Any better ideas?", Liu asked.

"How about you?", the actor pointed towards Smoke.

"I am afraid I am not qualified", the android shook his head, feeling regret, "If Kahn were to see me coming for him, all he would have to do is to give one verbal command to power up the scores of cyborgs he has in storage to counter me. If I am not threatening his personal life and only those of his soldiers, he will not think enough of them to use the cyborgs then".

"So that leaves Liu?", Johnny pointed at the monk, not liking what he heard.

"I am afraid so", the cyborg told him.

"Do not worry about me", the monk crashed his right fist into his left palm, "I am ready for Kahn. The only thing left for us is to devise a second plan in the event that we should all fail and Kahn should emerge unharmed".

None of his comrades understood what the monk was talking about, so the White Lotus member was forced to clarify.

"How were you programmed to destroy an entire realm if Kahn ordered you to?", Liu addressed the cyborg.

"By activating my internal detonator", Smoke explained, knowing the mortals would not understand if he became too specific, "The suicide mission creates a chain effect which annihilates all life within an entire realm in a matter of moments".

"Can you activate it if we lose?", the monk questioned next.

"Not in Kahn's own realm", the android clarified, "It was a safeguard put in at the time of my original creation. No cyborg may activate an internal detonator in Kahn's home realm, only in foreign realms".

"You sure?", Johnny pressed.

"Certainly", Smoke countered, "I am not afraid of my own termination, if that is what you are infering. My life has had no purpose so far, except to serve the desires of a madman. I have been alone ever since I escaped from Kahn. It has reached a time that I will not resist my termination once it is at hand".

"I'm sorry", the actor sighed, "I didn't mean...".

He stopped before looking away in frustration. The stress of the latest attack from the emperor was finally beginning to effect him, and having to explain his feelings to a machine didn't make things easier.

"So the internal detonator cannot be used againt Kahn's realm", Kitana interjected instead.

"But that was before you began thinking on your own, correct?", Liu pointed out.

"Correct", Smoke nodded.

"So could you override that safeguard now?", the monk smiled despite the gravity of the situation he was discussing.

Smoke considered the possibility.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sonya assumed that the scrolls would be kept in the temple she was approaching. Her main reason for believing in such a way was because it was the only structure on the entire island which did not possess a haunted, evil appearance. She thought it was a cozy-looking temple as she reached the gate which surrounded it. The gate was not meant to keep anyone out, as Shang Tsung could have had scores of guards surrounding the place had he chosen to when he was in power on the island. Instead, the temple gate was filled with large, peaceful statues of stone which appeared approximately every twenty yards. As the cool breeze brushed through her hair, the kombatant noticed the distant hills which were situated behind the temple for the first time. It was impossible for her to guess how far those hills were, but the distance was great enough so as to put them beyond the reach of someone who spent an entire day walking towards them. The sight forced her to realize that she had underestimated the size of the island ever since the first time she had seen it.

Coming closer to the front door, the kombatant combed the area just to make sure there were no other people around her even though she knew she was alone. She then took several more steps forward and was finally able to touch the front, and probably only, door. Pushing ahead with both hands and trying to ignore the pain caused from the knife wounds there, Sonya was glad when she felt the massive door opening with ease. The daylight from outside quickly illuminated the pitch-black darkness inside. Inching towards the dim center of the room and careful not to trip over her own feet, she set her eyes on a box which was resting on the floor. The box was made out of stone and even had a horizontal stone cover. Once there, she knelt down in front of the box and gripped the edge of the cover with both hands.

With a groan, the kombatant pushed the stone cover aside. It fell on the ground next to the box with a massive thud and amid an explosion of dust. Sonya coughed twice as the dust reached her face, but she soon wiped it away with her right hand and then sent her left hand inside the box itself. Her left thumb and index fingers wrapped around what felt like a large piece of paper which was wrapped as a cylinder. Hoping it was the scrolls she was told about, she gripped it and withdrew the wrapped paper from the box. While still on her knees, she turned around away from the box so as to have more access to the small amount of sunlight which had interfered with the total darkness of the room. Pulling the paper open with both hands, which proved to be over four feet long, Sonya brought her face to within a few inches of its contents.

"Huh", she remarked out loud, surprised that the paper could have lasted in such good quality after having been in the box for centuries.

She told herself that it would be just another incident in life for which she would have no explanation. After everything she had witnessed so far, though, it came as no surprise. Squinting her eyes, Sonya began to interpret the contents on the paper to the best of her abilities. There were no written words, the entire paper was covered with roughly-drawn pictures of animals. She easily recognized a hawk, a jaguar, a bear, a shark, a scorpion and a bull. There were some other figures, but she would need more light to recognize their precise meaning.

The kombatant then visually combed the entire paper from top to bottom and on both sides as she searched for written words, but she found none. Feeling disappointed and surprised, she roughly rewrapped the paper back into the shape of a cylinder. Still holding on to it with her right hand, Sonya then stood up as her attention was set back to the door and the sunlight from outside.

"That's it?", she asked herself out loud, "Just a bunch of animal pictures? That's what Tsung was keeping all this time?".

As she took her first step towards the door to leave the inside of the temple, the kombatant froze because a paralyzing feeling overtook her body. The piece of paper slipped out from between her right fingers and landed gently on the floor. She saw crystal sparks appearing out of the darkness and surrounding her from head to toe. Before she could react, Sonya heard herself screaming as she closed her eyes. She knew she was not in pain, but she also could not stop screaming. She then noticed her voice changing into a sharper shriek, one that she had never heard emanating from her own vocal chords before.

Feeling a strange sensation in her arms, Sonya twisted her head towards her right hand while she was still crying out. Her eyes widened as she saw that her right arm could no longer be seen. Instead of five fingers, a hand and a forearm, the kombatant saw a giant blue-green wing where her right arm used to be. Though strangely not feeling fear, she roughly twisted her head to her left to see that another wing had replaced her left arm as well. Sonya's clothes were then absorbed by the massive blue-green feathers that rose out of body as she felt her blond hair retracting back into her skin. Within another instant, her legs were replaced by shorter, stronger limbs and her head was turned into one which belonged to a bird of prey. Then, the once-human kombatant felt different as she remained standing in the middle of the room. She felt stronger and more agile even though she remembered everything about who she was and where she came from. Sonya's mind had remained unchanged, but instead of a human body, a giant hawk stood in the spot where she had been only an instant ago.

Opening her beak, she shrieked and flapped her wings. The hawk smoothly glided through the air until she reached the door, when she turned towards a vertical position while still in midair. She easily flew out of the opening in the doorway and was then outside the temple and soaring towards the sky, unrestrained by the walls. The rush of adrenaline was unlike anything she had experienced after years of training in the martial arts. The wind struck against her wings as she gained altitude at an accelerating speed until she was at least half a mile over the surface of the island. She then changed course and began flying horizontally, though traveling almost as fast. Looking down, she could see the entire island without even having to move her head. The entire place looked extremely peaceful as it was surrounded by a calm ocean. Nothing but water could be spotted around the island as far as the eye could see, even from as high up a position as hers.

It took Sonya several minutes to come back down to the solid ground on the island below. If she had a choice, she would've remained as a hawk for as long as possible. However, she knew the invasion of her realm was still proceeding while she was airborne, so she had to stop flying through the air, no matter how pleasurable it felt. She also knew she had to find Liu and Johnny to tell them about the secret she had found. Descending towards the ground, her feet gently landed on the stone which was just ahead of the open temple door. Once her feet were firmly supporting her body, she mentally decided to revert back to a human form. Abiding with her wishes, her body changed dramatically just as it had done a short while ago inside the temple. The wings retracted and her human arms appeared in place along with her legs. Her commando outfit with the beer stains on it reappeared as her blond hair grew back out of the top of her head.

Sonya gasped and exhaled as the sudden stop of adrenaline forced her down on her hands and knees. She smiled and gasped for about a minute before having caught her breath. It was only then that she was able to stand back up on her feet. In an excited frenzy, she turned towards the open doorway which led back to the inside of the temple and rushed through it. She almost ended up impacting into the way because she was in an enthusiastic hurry, but she ultimately made it back inside. Making her way through the relative darkness, she found the wrapped paper that had slipped out of her hand and picked it back up. She then rushed back out, intending on sharing the news with her fellow kombatants, once she found them back home.

"It's how the paper is read", she told herself as she quickly walked towards the same spot where Shang Tsung had stood when he had kidnapped her during the tenth tournament, "The reader can become whatever animal she sees first on the paper at will. I saw the hawk".

Once standing on the portal, she did her best to clear her mind so she could think of home. She visualized her room and it was soon afterwards that the bright mist overtook her. The mist vanished within seconds and left her alone. Looking around, Sonya exhaled, having calmed down considerably. She was back inside the bathroom of her home.

Sonya pressed forward with all her strength as the chainsaw resisted her push against it. Once back home from the island, she had made sure to straighten her concentration by taking a great amount of frustration out on her punching bag. What had followed next was a quick shower and a switch from the beer-soaked black commando outfit to the neon-green sweatpants and halter she had kept from Motaro's first invasion. She had made sure to keep the Glock and the switchblade knife which was still strapped next to her left ankle. The large scrolls with the animal illustrations was wrapped several times and currently rested inside the left pocket of the green sweatpants. With the blond hair pulled smoothly away from her face in a tail at the back of her head, she squeezed her teeth together as she incessantly drove the chainsaw downward.

Once in prime shape, the kombatant had left her home and walked around for about half an hour until she finally found an abandoned construction sight. There, she didn't have to look far before she spotted a chainsaw sitting idly by several other pieces of equipment. It was this chainsaw which she had gotten a hold of and brought to the exact area where she had previously lost the fight against the now-deceased Motaro. Following Scott's wishes, Sonya was now busy cutting the corpse of the Centaur chief to pieces. All four of Motaro's legs and his right arm were already truncated from the rest of his body and were now lying in a green pool of blood as she was vigorously cutting through his left arm at the shoulders. The chainsaw protested and coughed at having to cut through such a hard substance as the Centaur's flesh, but she didn't pay any attention to it. The chainsaw then began emanating smoke as drops of green blood were constantly splattering her face and chest before the Centaur's second arm was finally cut off.

Happy to see the sixth body part now lying on the ground away from the main body, Sonya knew she only had one more spot to aim for. Lifting the still-energetic chainsaw, she held it in the air for an instant before swinging it downward into Motaro's neck. The machine's friction with the invader's neck sent forth an explosion of new blood as she pressed downward. She was pleasantly surprised when the neck proved to be easier to cut through than the rest of his parts as the chainsaw was able to slice through it in a matter of seconds. As Motaro's decapitated head rolled off his shoulders, Sonya finally dropped the exhausted chainsaw next to her feet and stepped away from the gory scene. She reached into her bright green sweatpants and withdrew the towel she had brought along for the task. She used it to wipe the Centaur's blood off her face, arms and stomach without worrying about the many drops which covered the halter since her clothes and his blood were the same color.

Dropping the bloody towel on the ground also, the kombatant next turned and walked towards her gold-colored jacket and the holstered Glock which waited several steps away. Wearing the holstered weapon around her torso before putting the jacket on, she next heard heavy footsteps approaching. She instinctively reached for the handle of the pistol before she realized who the other individual was. Her right hand relaxed as it was a few inches from the weapon when she saw Sheeva approaching her while the Shokanite wore a bewildered expression on her face.

"It was the most incredible event", the Shokanite recalled out loud as she came closer to the human, "A male native appeared out of nowhere and saved my life. He said he was here to kill Motaro. He apparently succeeded".

"I know", Sonya smiled, "He was my soulmate, he paid me a visit too".

"What is the meaning of that?", Sheeva pointed past her towards the Centaur's severed carcass.

"It's something he said I should do", the kombatant explained, still feeling proud of her creativity, "This wasn't the first time four-legs here had been killed, but Kahn brought him back to life before. This was a way to make sure that it doesn't happen again since you can't resurrect someone you can't find".

"We just leave him then?", the four-armed fighter questioned perplexed.

"No, we should separate the parts", the kombatant walked back to the Centaur's remains.

"Since you've got four arms, I guess you shouldn't have a problem carrying his legs away", the human told Sheeva as she bent down and placed both Motaro's arms in her right arm before gripping his horns with her left hand.

"It would be a pleasure", the Shokanite hissed, glad to see her enemy in pieces and even happier to hear that he would remain that way.

"Listen", Sonya stopped before she was about to leave the scene, "If you wanna stick with me, I guess that'll be OK, at least until all this invasion stuff is over. I'm willing to try to start over. Hell, a Shokanite will be an asset when she's on my side".

"Thank you", Sheeva placed her lower hands together and bowed as she outstretched her higher arms horizontally, "But I am needed elsewhere, I will fight the emperor's forces here until he leaves this realm. After that, I have to return to my home".

There was a short silence as the Shokanite then locked eyes with the human.

"I have three hundred years of foolishness to atone for", she somberly whispered, "I can never forgive myself for my actions in this realm. My race needs to regain the respect it lost while serving Kahn for the past five centuries".

"OK, good luck", Sonya nodded her head, "And look, no matter what you do after this, you did something good here when you switched sides".

Sheeva shook her head in disagreement.

"You saved my life", the kombatant insisted, "That doesn't make up for what you did before, but I'll always owe you for that. If you need to find me for any reason, just ask Rayden the deity, he'll know how to find me".

"I will remember", the Shokanite extended her lower right hand, indicating she knew about some human customs, "Thank you again".

Surprised, Sonya smiled as she dropped Motaro's two arms and gripped the Shokanite's palm with her own right hand.

"Here is a piece of information which may prove useful", Sheeva continued, "If you wish to find the emperor, the portal to his realm is situated in an area in this city, I believe it was called Frontclane Rad. I have already used it to visit his castle, you may desire to do the same. This invasion cannot last if the emperor is defeated".

"Rad?", Sonya repeated, feeling confused.

"Frontclane and...", the Shokanite stopped, trying to clarify, "It was two letters after the word. How does one say, Rid, Red?".

"You mean road!", the kombatant finally understood that she was trying to pronunciate FRONTCLANE RD but didn't know what RD stood for, "Frontclane Road!".

"Yes, obviously", the Shokanite was relieved the human interpreted correctly.

Sheeva said nothing more as she stepped away from her and picked up Motaro's four legs. Seeing it, the kombatant bent down and acquired the Centaur's two arms again before she and the Shokanite walked towards opposite sides, looking to separate the Centaur's parts. Walking away from the four-legged invader's truncated corpse with his head and arms in her possession, Sonya partly turned her face and smiled.

"I'd like to see Kahn bring that back to life", she snickered to herself.

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Motaro snapped his eyes open as he felt pain leaving his body. He looked up to see a bright sky which was as pure as snow, though his surroundings were exceptionally dark. Wondering where he was, the Centaur spotted the first nearby figure and recognized him to be a human.

"Hey, look what the cat dragged in", Scott grinned as he stood at ease, "Do you know where you are, horseman? You're dead, I killed you".

Motaro roared in anger as he set eyes on the ninja, but Scott retained his grin and seemed unshaken. The reason the ninja was not worried was because he was not the only individual to be waiting for the chief Centaur to arrive. He stared into Motaro's eyes as the larger warrior slowly approached him in a menacing fashion.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you", the ninja warned, still wearing the grin which annoyed the Centaur, "You have bigger problems than me, and I do mean bigger".

The human casually pointed past Motaro with his right index finger. Feeling curious, the eight and a half-foot tall Centaur turned around and his eyes widened as he realized he had to look up to make eye contact with the person behind him. Motaro had never been forced to look up to stare into anyone's eyes before, this was the very first time. He hadn't even known that it was possible for a nine-foot tall individual to exist.

"The exterminator of Shokanites, huh?", Durak whispered as his red eyes shone in the darkness.

Motaro cursed under his breath as he saw the larger Shokanite turning the upper right hand into a fist. Durak swung his upper right arm and his fist smashed into the Centaur's face, sending Motaro staggering away in pain. His four-armed opponent quickly followed him before landing a second punch into his stomach with the lower left fist. The Centaur bent down in more pain before the Shokanite sent his upper right fist crashing down into the back of his adversary's head. Motaro lost his balance as he felt an explosion in his head and fell on the dark ground. He turned his face to look up at his opponent as he couldn't believe there existed a warrior who possessed more raw strength than him.

"That is only a taste of things to come, Centaur!", Durak barked, "From now on, you are at my mercy".

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Sub-zero was busy creating a small amount of ice so one of the soldiers could apply it to his own aching forehead. It was then that major Briggs gave the alarm that he had spotted more invaders. Soldiers instantly grabbed firearms as the ninja saw Olsen and Pensky doing the same. Expecting to send forth more of his ice talent, Sub-zero leapt out of the back of the military truck before he stopped because none of the soldiers were opening fire. His attention was diverted towards the same direction as theirs since they saw dozens of Centaurs marching quietly down the street from about fifty yards away. Instead of paying any attention to the humans, though, the four-legged invaders only stared ahead as a bright portal appeared in front of them. They all quietly stepped through it and were soon gone.

"Again?", one of Jax's soldiers asked out loud, obviously remembering the Centaurs' exit during the first invasion.

"What the hell was that?", major Briggs himself turned and asked the ninja, though he knew Sub-zero probably did not know either, "I thought they were winning".

"I do not know", the ninja shook his head, "I seriously doubt Kahn called them off, so they must have stopped serving him".

"Hey, who cares why they're leaving as long they are?", Pensky added, "Those were the toughest ones of the bunch. Without 'em, we only have the four-arms to worry about, and there aren't a lot of them around here, and those blade-carriers, who are nobody".

No one in the makeshift platoon knew that most of the small number of Shokanites who survived Kahn's attempt to wipe them out had already returned back home and were no longer in Earth.

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"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE CENTAURS HAVE DESERTED?", emperor Kahn thundered at the news.

The human servant who had delivered the message knelt in front of him, trying not to quiver. Shang Tsung eyed his emperor with a cautious look, telling himself that a temper tantrum would not serve any purpose, except to deplete the already-shrinking force they seemed to have.

"My lord, I am sure we can fix this situation", the sorcerer spoke up, "The reason is clearly because Motaro has again been defeated in single combat".

"Yes, that fool probably did not last his first encounter with the natives", the emperor calmed considerably, turning back to the human servant in front of him and ignoring the sorcerer.

"Reptile's telepathic sense could track his cadaver down and our servants could then transport him back here so you can resurrect him", the sorcerer added.

"I know how to solve the problem", Kahn went on, addressing the smaller servant who was still on his knees, "Get Reptile to find the fool's remains and have it brought before me so I can bring the fool back to life. We can then get the Centaurs' loyalty back".

"An excellent idea, my lord", Shang Tsung grimaced.

The human servant quickly stood up and, thankful for not being on the receiving end of the emperor's temper, dashed out of the room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It wasn't long before Shang Tsung entered the emperor's private chamber with new reports of their progress while Kahn was seated on his throne. The sorcerer bowed before Kahn allowed him to speak.

"My lord", he began, "We have found Motaro's remains, but we have a problem".

"FINALLY!", Kahn impatiently raised his arms, "It is about time! Have his body teleported before me at once!".

"But my lord, we do have a problem", the sorcerer repeated with more urgency in his voice.

"IT IS NO MATTER!", Kahn barked from behind his steel mask, "ONCE THE FOOL IS RESURRECTED, THE CENTAURS WILL BE OURS AGAIN, AND SO WILL THE EARTH REALM SOON AFTERWARD. NOW DO NOT CONTRADICT ME AGAIN!".

"Yes, my lord", Shang Tsung sighed and bowed again.

An instant after he issued the telepathic order to Reptile, the emperor's servants in the Earth realm teleported Motaro's remains to Kahn's private chamber. The emperor stood up slowly while he viewed the truncated corpse which was missing arms, legs and a head as it appeared in front of him. Shang Tsung sighed again, shaking his head in disapproval. The plan in the sorcerer's mind was not going very well. His main objective for participating in the invasion of the Earth realm would not be achieved if the realm wasn't conquered. And without the Centaurs, the mutants might not be able to defeat the Earth natives alone. Feeling disappointed, the sorcerer excused himself and left the room as Kahn was speechless for the first time since Shang Tsung had known him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Having buried the two arms and severed head to the best of her abilities in the short amount of time allowed, Sonya had the Glock held with both hands as she proceeded forward. She remembered thinking that the jacket felt surprisingly comfortable as she spotted movement while walking back to the area where she had left the main bulk of Motaro's carcass. The kombatant was surprised to see that the primary trunk of the Centaur's corpse was already missing. In its place remained several pools of green blood and the chainsaw she had used. Confident that Kahn would not be able to achieve anything with the body he currently possessed, she turned her attention to the movement she had spotted. She had hoped to be able to make her way towards Frontclane Road, so she tensed up when she noticed there might be an earlier challenge. Though she wished she could've brought her fellow kombatants along, she didn't know their current whereabouts, or even if they were still alive. Sonya knew that Sheeva probably would not have returned in her direction, so she lifted her arms until the handgun was aimed in front of her face. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Ellison trying hard to retain his grip on an M-16 rifle as another man accompanied him.

"Lieutenant", Ellison greeted her formally.

"Private", she smiled and nodded in response, "Good to see you again, especially since you're in one piece".

"Talking about that, what the hell is this?", Ellison pointed at the chainsaw and the green blood as he limped towards her.

"Let's just call it an insurance policy", she let him know as she eyed the man who was with him.

"This is Nelson", the soldier pointed at the man.

"Hi", she addressed the stranger.

"This is lieutenant Blade", Ellison turned to Nelson, "You can call her Sonya".

"Oh, is that so?", she asked him with a smile, "You're getting a little too comfortable with this, I see".

"Nah, just glad to see somebody here alive other than me", Ellison added.

"Don't worry about it, you'll be addressed as lieutenant until this is all over", Nelson reassured, appearing glad to have some company himself.

"I think the tide has already begun turning in our favor", she advised them both, "The death of four-legs reassures that we won't see any more Centaurs around here, and with the Shokanites turning on Kahn, the mutants are the only ones left to worry about".

"No kidding?", Ellison questioned, "Why would all the Centaurs leave because one of them left behind pints of green blood?".

Sonya was about to tell him that Motaro wasn't dead and not merely missing. Before she could answer, she spotted more movement out of the corner of her left eye. As she was turning her face in that direction, an exceptionally large mutant emerged from about forty yards away and rushed for the three humans. She and Baraka locked eyes for an instant as he bolted towards the three natives with his blades held ahead of him. The invader was extremely agile for someone his size because he covered the distance between himself and the humans within the time it took Sonya to twist the Glock towards him. Ellison didn't even have time to raise the rifle he was holding as he saw the mutant charging towards him first and heard Nelson screaming out of fear. Baraka's left blade entered Ellison's upper chest as the human felt a paralyzing numbness overcoming him. His vision blurred soon after and then he only saw black as he felt himself falling on the ground. Somewhere from a far distance, he heard Nelson still screaming and Sonya opening fire four times.

Sonya, on the other hand, had already trained the Glock on the seven-foot tall mutant as she saw him swinging his left arm towards her partner. Unfortunately for her and for Ellison, Baraka had proven to be the fastest individual on the scene since he had stabbed the soldier before she had been able to react. Once the mutant's bloody left blade was withdrawn from Ellison's torso, though, Baraka had found himself staring down the barrel of her 9mm semiautomatic. The kombatant had pulled the trigger four times as her partner from the military fell down on his stomach on top of his own rifle and no longer moved. The mutant howled as his chest was pierced by the four rounds from her handgun and he was pushed backwards as a result. In his own turn, Baraka fell on the ground and landed on his back merely feet away from the last native he had assaulted. Both he and Ellison were lying in a pool of their own blood, except that the native was facing towards the ground and was unconscious while the invader was facing the sky and was still awake as he moaned.

Looking up helplessly, Baraka saw Sonya roughly holstering the handgun she had used to critically wound him. Her action appeared strange since she could have fired one more shot to his head and killed him for sure. Breathing heavily, as with anger, she ignored Nelson's ceaseless yells while she walked over to where Ellison lay. Bending down, the kombatant gripped the muzzle of his rifle as it was the only part of the weapon which was not covered by his upper body. She pulled as she stood back up, lifting the rifle with her. Then, holding the rifle like a baseball bat, she approached Baraka, feeling glad that the mutant was still alive to witness the events. Her eyes seemed to be on fire as her furious face looked down towards him.

"I bet you think you're tough", she snarled at him as she came closer.

She finally stopped advancing when her feet were touching the mutant's knees.

"I bet you think you have a serious bloodlust and that makes you special", she angrily added as she still stared down into his eyes.

Baraka did not possess the strength to reply, he could only lay down and return her glance as he felt himself bleeding to death.

"I bet you think you're bad!", she barked.

Then, she suddenly calmed down. There was a moment of silence as Sonya and the mutant kept locking eyes, with him wondering what his fate held for him.

"Well, I'm worse", she finally concluded in a relaxed tone.

Without another word, the kombatant tightened her grip around the muzzle of the rifle with both hands and raised it over her head before swinging it down towards Baraka's head. The heavier handle of the M-16 rifle crashed into the mutant's face and an explosion of blood erupted from his eyes, nose and mouth. Seeing him still awake, she grunted as she angrily lifted the rifle over her head again. With another grunt, she swung it towards his head for the second time. The second impact landed the edge of the rifle in between his eyes and the mutant ceased moving. Unsure whether he was dead or only unconscious, she decided to be certain.

Nelson appeared to be getting more hysterical as he mumbled in a frightened fashion while watching her beat the mutant to death. He saw her lifting the rifle and swinging it down towards the invader's head over a dozen times after he had stopped moving altogether. She grunted with every violent impact which generated between the handle of the rifle and the mutant's damaged head. Nelson actually felt relieved when she finally halted the brutal assault when she noticed that the invader's skull had been crushed. Satisfied and panting, the kombatant then indifferently dropped the bloodied rifle on the ground next to her feet. Nelson thought she was finished, but he was mistaken. Sonya then withdrew the Glock from her shoulder holster and aimed the muzzle of the handgun down towards the dead mutant's pulverized head. She calmly pulled the trigger twice, sending two more bullets into his face even though she knew he was already deceased.

Ellison expected to see an angel or some other heavenly being when he slowly opened his eyes. Instead, he recognized Sonya's face as the kombatant was seated next to him on the ground while still holding the 9mm Glock in her right hand, which in turn rested on her lap. Nelson was seated a few feet away from them both as a fire had been started and was burning between the three individuals. The private felt like he was lying on the ground on his back as he asked himself what had happened. Wondering the reason for the fire, Ellison lifted his head and soon realized that his upper back protested against any movement at all. He saw that Sonya's jacket was loosely wrapped around his torso while she was only dressed in the halter and empty shoulder holster above the waistline. The kombatant turned her head towards him when she heard movement from his direction.

"How do you feel?", she asked.

"Like I look", Ellison answered as he groaned from the pain, "And I can't fucking move!".

"I know", she sighed, "You're gonna need quite a while to adjust to the wound. I wouldn't move if I were you".

"What happened?", the soldier asked next.

"I had to burn the knife wound to stop the bleeding and kill the infections", she let him know, "It was needed to save you".

"Great", he groaned again.

"Lie back down", she rested the handgun on the ground and patted him on the chest with her right hand, "I've got both the pieces. Nobody's gonna annoy us without me seeing them".

Ellison would've liked to protest, but he felt like he had been staying awake for three days straight without a minute of sleep. The new injury had drained him of all energy and he knew it well. He lay back down on the ground as he caught sight of Baraka's corpse lying nearby. The mutant had been shot several times in the torso and didn't even seem to possess a face any longer, so the soldier knew he was no longer a threat. Ellison then wondered how long he had been unconscious, but later thought he didn't need to ask. It was still daytime outside, that's all he needed to know. He felt himself slipping back into unconsciousness when he heard a human voice, one that was spoken in a whisper as if the person behind it didn't want him to hear the words. The soldier had been trained to recognize and be alert about the smallest detail, so he still recognized Nelson's voice despite the other man's attempt to be quiet while talking.

"He's gonna slow you down", Nelson whispered to Sonya.

"I don't care", the lieutenant replied in a louder tone.

"You have to take advantage of the fact that you're still healthy", Nelson whispered back, "You and I still have a chance of getting out alive, but...".

"I don't care!", Sonya interrupted him with more force in her voice, "We're not leaving anybody behind! If you want to go ahead, that's fine, but you'll have to do it without me since I'm staying here".

Ellison lifted his head and stared at the pair, disliking the fact that they were talking about him and he wasn't being asked to contribute to the conversation. He saw Sonya swearing to herself under her breath in an annoyed fashion as she then stared partly towards the sky. Ellison opened his mouth to talk, but heard no words. He gasped for several seconds before he uttered a fraction of a phrase.

"Lieutenant", he looked at his superior officer as she turned her face to return his glance when she realized he had heard everything, "I...".

He never got to finish because he passed out again. He remembered thinking to himself that his lieutenant was as attractive on the inside as she was on the outside, but he was currently in an inanimate state. The kombatant, on the other hand, turned away from him and exchanged an irritated glance with Nelson.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The sun eventually descended in the sky as the kombatant spent several uneasy hours gripping the handle of the pistol and paying attention to her surroundings. She didn't speak to Nelson about that incident afterwards, or about any other, since he didn't say anything else. The silence was enervating her as time went by and her grip on the Glock tightened with every passing minute. Ellison finally woke up again during the last hour of the afternoon before the evening rolled in. She turned to him and stood up as she realized her right knuckles had turned as white as snow after all the pressure she had used to grip the weapon. Holstering the pistol, Sonya squatted next to him and brought her face closer to his as her thighs protested the new movement.

"Can you travel?", she simply asked.

Ellison's eyes needed several moments before they adjusted to the brightness of the daylight.

"Yeah, yeah", he nodded, not wanting to remain lying down and helpless, "And you can take the jacket off".

"Fine, you try to help and this is what you get?", she gave a slim smile as she gripped the jacket with her left hand and placed her right forearm under his neck.

He needed to rely on her more than he would've liked as he struggled to stand back on his feet. With one of his arms wrapped around her shoulders and one of her arms supporting his upper back, he knew he couldn't carry a rifle and walk at the same time. It was then that he saw Nelson carrying his rifle while the other man was eager to move away.

"Not that the scenery isn't great, but we have to leave", the civilian reminded them from ten yards away as he pointed down at the corpse of the mutant who had attacked Ellison, "We can't expect to stay in one area all this time and not get spotted by one of those things".

"Absolutely", she agreed as she locked eyes with Ellison, nonverbally asking him if he could manage without her support.

He nodded and she slowly withdrew her arm from his upper back as he retracted his own arm from her shoulders. He was thankful when he found he could walk by himself, though the fact that several areas on his body hurt was something that he had to ignore at the time. Equally glad to see the soldier on his feet, the kombatant swiftly slipped her jacket on while still being watchful about the surroundings. Before they were able to proceed forward, though, Ellison's eyes widened as his eyes caught the sight of a handful of more mutants rushing at them and screaming out a warcry. Sonya was quick to withdraw the holstered Glock and open fire, dropping a mutant with every shot which exited the weapon. Nelson pointed in the general direction of the aggressors and fired also, though he missed his targets. Seeing the first mutant who was about to impact into Nelson with his blades lifted, Sonya shifted away from the invaders who were headed for her and aimed for that particular one. She fired twice and two rounds exploded into that mutant's chest, stopping him while he was just one step away from impaling Nelson. As she turned her attention back in front of her, she spotted another mutant who was heading straight for her and who was only three steps away. Not having enough time to twist the arm which held the pistol and take a good aim, the kombatant twisted her body to the right and raised her left leg in the process. The bottom of her left foot impacted into the mutant's stomach and stopped him cold in his tracks, giving her enough time to level the handgun and press it into his chest before pulling the trigger once. As that invader dropped to the ground with a moan, Sonya heard a human scream and once again turned her face back towards Nelson's direction. She didn't have time to react as she saw him closely surrounded by five mutants before an explosion of blood emanated from that area. Her heart sank as she knew she couldn't do anything for him, so she turned to address Ellison since the soldier was still alive.

"RUN, ELLISON", she yelled at him, "THAT'S AN ORDER".

Many thoughts raced through Ellison's mind as he heard her and saw more mutants rushing for the both of them. On the one hand, he did not want to abandon her and have to live with a guilty conscious later because he might've been able to save her if he stayed and fought. On the other hand, he knew that if he stayed while in his physical condition, he might do more harm than good because she'd have to worry about his safety as well as her own and be slowed down by it. With only an instant to make up his mind, the soldier decided to follow orders and ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction, hoping the entire time that he wasn't making a mistake.

Sonya, in the meanwhile, holstered the Glock and somersaulted backwards as eight remaining mutants were charging towards her. She put a comfortable distance between herself and them within about ten seconds before she stopped and landed on her feet. With the invaders rushing forward from twenty yards away, she had more than enough time to withdraw the pistol and lay forth a wall of ammunition against them. The mutants screamed and ran ahead, thinking they could get to their target before they were hit, but they were mistaken. All eight mutants were shot as she emptied the handgun and still kept squeezing the trigger long after she was hearing the clicks of an empty clip. The last mutant hit had already dropped dead about five yards away from her by the time she finally stopped pulling on the trigger.

Her heart was racing and her hands shook as she ejected the empty clip out of the Glock and inserted a fresh one from her shoulder holster into it. Then, turning around, she ran towards the direction where she had seen Ellison retreating, hoping she could catch up to him and they wouldn't be separated. With the screams from the mutants having suddenly quieted, she heard her footsteps impacting against the street. Sonya was running for less than a minute when she spotted him at the front entrance of an apartment building. Ellison signaled her with his arm and she eagerly followed him through the main entrance and into an empty hallway.

"I think it's safe here", the soldier advised once she was inside the darkened hallway with him.

He abruptly rested his back against the wall before slipping down towards the floor in a seated position. The trauma to his torso and the loss of blood still forbade any vigorous amount of energy to be used by the soldier as he saw Sonya shakily taking a seat on the concrete floorboards also. She looked in almost as bad a shape as him while she crossed her legs while resting her back against the wall across the short hallway from him.

"Nelson didn't make it?", he asked, still trying to catch his breath.

She only shook her head, wondering to herself whether she should've checked on his condition before running away from the scene. Though mutants were never known to leave behind survivors once they ganged up on victims, she still thought it had been wrong to simply assume that Nelson was killed. They both remained seated on the floor for several more minutes without saying a word or making eye contact as the eerie silence from outside the building indicated nothing to them. Ellison finally decided to break the silence as he thought to himself that talking might relax them both, especially her since she still firmly gripped the pistol.

"Something on your mind?", the soldier asked as he stared at the kombatant.

Sonya didn't return his glance since her head was tilted upward and she was looking at the dark ceiling as the back of her head rested against the wall behind her.

"Nah", she shook her head slightly without looking down, "Just wondering how all our guys are doing, if they're all OK. We barely ended up identifying all the dead from Motaro's invasion and now another loser started messing with us".

Ellison sighed, indicating he shared her concern about the well-being of their comrades. The kombatant's eyes remained fixed on the ceiling as she continued talking even though she hadn't originally expected to.

"I mean, you'd think Kahn's realm was enough for him to...", she was interrupted by Ellison as the soldier suddenly lifted his right palm towards her as a sign to be quiet.

"Sssshhhh", he whispered, looking towards the main entrance of the building, "You hear that?".

"Hear what?", Sonya leveled her head and followed his stare towards the door also.

"It... It sounded like...", the soldier stopped, "Like someone crying".

They both involuntarily held their breath as they listened more carefully. Sure enough, the kombatant heard what he was referring to as the sobs of what sounded like a small child came from outside.

"It's a kid!", she exclaimed as she jumped to her feet with the Glock at the ready.

She didn't have to ask him to stand up, he was already on his feet as she took her first step towards the door with the pistol held at the ready in front of her face. Once standing in the doorway, she warily scanned the seemingly deserted street outside with the sight of the firearm before she realized that the sound was coming from behind a parked car. With Ellison following and wishing he had a weapon of his own, Sonya approached the vehicle from the opposite end as she still kept the muzzle of the firearm aimed towards it. She soon reached the hood and twisted around to face the side which was invisible to her. The kombatant bent her elbow and quickly aimed the weapon towards the sky as she saw a boy who couldn't have been more than eight years old crouching behind the car. The child seemed terrified of both of them as he sobbed and tears ran down his cheeks.

"Don't be afraid", the kombatant holstered the weapon to indicate she wasn't going to hurt him, "You're safe".

The child seemed unconvinced and stepped backwards and away from her.

"Don't go, don't go!", Sonya held out her right hand, knowing he didn't have a chance of surviving if he ran into a mutant, "Stay with us, we're just like you".

The boy stopped moving backwards and stared into her eyes, still unsure whether she could be trusted.

"Do you know where your parents are?", she asked him by using the softest tone of voice she could come up with under the present circumstances.

"I don't know", his voice shook as he answered.

"OK", Sonya replied as she pointed behind her towards Ellison, "My friend here and I are gonna make sure you remain safe until you find 'em. You'll be safe with us".

Before the boy could've answered, the footsteps of a small army of mutants was heard down the street. Both Sonya and Ellison froze momentarily as they spotted approximately fifty mutants appearing at the end of the street. Once seeing the three humans, the large number of invaders roared, held up their blades and charged towards them. Even with a fresh clip in the Glock, the two soldiers would've been suicidal if they challenged so many adversaries at once.

"This way!", Ellison pointed behind him towards the direction opposite from where the mutants were coming.

Sonya lunged forward and picked the boy up in her arms as the child cried louder before she twisted around and bolted after Ellison. The soldier ran first while making sure the kombatant could keep up as she dashed after him from a few feet away. Neither one of them bothered looking behind them, since they knew doing so would only take valuable time, but they could hear the loud footsteps as the mutants could at least run as fast as the natives. Ellison suddenly turned to the right, hoping a smaller street would make it harder for their pursuers to give chase. The kombatant ran after him, hoping they weren't worsening their situation. Both soldiers stopped cold in their tracks as they saw the end of an alley about thirty yards ahead which was blocked off by a twenty-foot high wall. The invaders were only seconds away now, so it was out of the question to turn around and head back towards the street.

"There's an opening at the end of the path!", Ellison pointed ahead, "We might be able to go through it!".

Knowing they had no other choice, the soldiers ran towards it. Both their hearts were racing and Sonya wished very much that the kid she held on to would quiet down as they reached the end of the alleyway. It was only then that they realized the opening which Ellison had spotted in the wall was at least fifteen feet high in the air. Neither soldier had noticed that fact since they were anxious at the moment they ran into the alley. As the fifty mutants reached the entrance of the alleyway and saw that the human targets were trapped, they slowed down to a walk towards them. Sonya turned to Ellison as she set the child on the ground. She knew that, with her help, the wounded soldier would be able to reach the opening above and could then pull her up, but the boy would have to be left behind since he could'nt possibly jump very high.

"If I give you a push, you might be able to reach it", she pointed up as the mutants came ever closer, "You could get to safety".

"Can you jump high enough once I'm there?", Ellison spoke what he had been thinking, indicating the same idea was in both their minds.

"Me, yeah, but not him. He can't jump that high", Sonya paused as she pointed at the child who was still sobbing.

Both soldiers locked eyes as she shook her head.

"I can't leave him behind", she finally added as the mutants were slowly approaching from twenty yards away.

"It's suicide", Ellison blurted out, "Suicide for the sole purpose of postponing the inevitable for him by a matter of a few minutes".

"No, for the purpose of me dying with a clean conscience", she corrected.

"Then I ain't leaving either", he replied.

Sonya understood his reasons and didn't object. With the menacing invaders less than fifteen steps away, the kombatant bent her right arm at a ninety degree angle. Sonya then offered the right arm ahead of her chest so that her right hand was directly several inches in front of her face. Ellison bent his own right arm in a similar fashion and gripped her right hand with his own. She reached forward, past their two hands, and kissed him on the cheek before they separated, him in a fighting stance and her withdrawing the holstered pistol. As the legion of mutants came closer, looking forward to a certain victory, the child next to the two soldiers suddenly stopped crying, although neither Sonya nor Ellison noticed. Then, in a voice much thicker than before, the boy spoke.

"Stop!", he addressed the mutants in front of him and the invaders froze where they stood.

Sonya's head instinctively snapped back since she recognized the new voice. She turned her face down towards the child as her Glock was still aimed at the group of approaching mutants. Before she could say anything, the child grinned as he slowly grew in height.

"What the...?", Ellison couldn't believe his eyes as the child's height kept increasing.

The boy finally stopped expanding in size when he became as tall as Sonya and his face changed until she found herself staring at Shang Tsung. The sorcerer turned his attention towards the mutants and spoke again, carrying the influence of his emperor in his words.

"Leave", Shang Tsung simply ordered before the mutants quietly turned around and left the alley.

Seeing the result of his command, the sorcerer proudly turned back to Sonya.

"You!", the kombatant snapped at him, "It was you all along? Do I need a restraining order to keep you from bothering me nowadays?".

"Who the hell is he?", Ellison wondered out loud as he looked at his lieutenant, "Or maybe I should say what is he?".

"I have been attempting to test your limits, to see when you would be willing to sacrifice someone else to save yourself", the sorcerer flatly stated with a confident grin on his face, "I am sorry to say you have disappointed me so far".

"Nelson! That was you!", Sonya's eyes widened, "You were Nelson!".

"Precisely", Shang Tsung bowed as the grin was erased off his face and he showed no emotions whatsoever.

"Don't you have anything better to do with your time?", the kombatant asked with an annoyed tone of voice as she holstered the weapon.

"Not when it comes to testing the personality of my future queen", the sorcerer calmly replied.

"I am not your queen!", she snapped, "And I won't be, ever! Get that through your thick head!".

"Yes, you will", the sorcerer's confident smile returned, "You will join our side sooner or later. I have not found it yet, but you do have a side that can be corrupted. No one is pure, that I am sure of".

"This was just a test?", she barked next.

"Yes", he slightly bowed his head again in response, "You showed much potential from the method you used to slay the mutant who speared your friend, but I am afraid you still failed the test by refusing to abandon him when he was slowing us down".

"I'll join Scott and Danny before I join you or Kahn, you can tell your boss that for me", she took the first step away from him and indicated Ellison to follow, "And warn him to be careful of letting you out all by yourself again. There are leash laws in this city for dogs, after all".

Shang Tsung laughed lightly, unaffected by what he perceived as a poor insult.

"You will be treated much better than the rest of these mortals once we overtake the Earth realm", the sorcerer continued when he stopped laughing, "It was my condition to lord Kahn that he agreed to when it was time to make Motaro his second-in-command instead of me. I stated - 'my lord, there are over five billion mortals in that realm, and you can have all of them except for one. The entire realm, all of its inhabitants and resources are at your disposal, but the blonde is mine'".

The sorcerer laughed again at his own words as Sonya stopped walking away and turned to face him again, feeling more annoyed than ever. Shang Tsung placed his right palm over his heart as he addressed her again with a smile.

"It is going to be a pleasure taming you, my most beloved one", he stated.

"Taming me", the kombatant repeated, "What am I, a housepet? You might as well keep fantasizing because that's all it's ever gonna be, just a fantasy. I'm too strong, too talented. I can't be corrupted and I can't be scared. The sooner you come down to earth, the sooner you'll realize it".

"Is that so?", Shang Tsung asked.

The sorcerer shapeshifted into Goro and spoke in Goro's voice as Ellison stared at the spectacle with his eyes and mouth open. Pseudo-Goro addressed the kombatant at once as she looked up into his eyes with an angry expression.

"That is not what I recall seeing when the Prince of Shokan paid you and the others a visit as a specter", the four-armed figure said.

Pseudo-Goro then shrank into a human's size and Shang Tsung shapeshifted into Sonya's exact twin. The kombatant pressed her teeth together as she was staring into the eyes of her double image. Pseudo-Sonya was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a long-sleeved cotton blouse as the sorcerer spoke in her voice.

"What's going on with me?", Pseudo-Sonya complained, "I can't believe what I did when Johnny was here. I was so scared when he decided to fight that freak!".

Pseudo-Sonya paused briefly and then resumed, smiling and staring into Sonya's face with a pair of bright eyes.

"Sooooooo scaaaaaaaared", Pseudo-Sonya repeated before the sorcerer returned to his usual form.

Shang Tsung was still smiling, although Sonya wasn't since she clearly remembered the time when she had that conversation with Scott after her nightmare about Goro.

"So you've sunk down to eavesdropping on people's private dialogue now?", she shot back, trying hard to resist the temptation of attacking the sorcerer in a fit of anger.

Before Shang Tsung replied, she turned away from him and walked towards the entrance of the alleyway.

"Come on, Ellison, we're outta here", she indicated before the soldier eagerly followed.

They were out of the alley and in the street within moments since she had been walking exceptionally fast. Ellison had to jog for a few instants to keep up with her.

"So where're we going?", the private questioned, noticing she was upset.

"Frontclane Road", she flatly stated, "This bullshit is going to end once and for all and I'm gonna see to it".

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Frontclane Road looked no different as Sonya and Ellison scanned it for any unusual activity. They had been searching for the last twenty minutes without seeing anything unusual when the first thoughts of doubt entered their mind. The private stared blankly at his lieutenant's face, indicating he felt that the search was a waste of time.

"Tell me again how you learned of this place", Ellison sighed in frustration.

"The Shokanite told me about it", Sonya justified her actions.

"And you believed her", he added.

"She was on our side", she reminded him.

"Yeah, but couldn't she have been mist...", he was interrupted as a red flash of light appeared only yards away from them.

The light expanded until it became a portal large enough to transport even the largest Shokanite or Centaur through. A human figure emerged from it as Sonya was quick to level the pistol towards him. Shao Kahn's human servant was carrying a spear with him as both soldiers wondered how much power he thought he had because of it. The kombatant didn't want to take any chances, though, as she approached him and spoke in a voice loud enough to be heard by her entire surroundings.

"Put it down, tough guy", she ordered, "I won't warn you again".

Instead of obeying, Kahn's servant lifted the spear so its tip pointed towards Ellison. He was still at least ten steps away from Sonya and another twenty steps from Ellison, so neither soldier suspected what he was about to do. Reacting to the servant's thoughts, a yellow bolt of electricity shot out of the spear and hit Ellison in the chest. The soldier instantly fell on his back without a sound as the servant then turned the spear to aim the tip towards the kombatant. Gasping at the ability the spear seemed to have, Sonya pulled on the trigger as her pistol was still aimed at Kahn's servant. A round exploded in the man's head and he was thrown backwards as he dropped his spear before he landed dead on his back.

The lieutenant's first reaction was to rush back to where Ellison was lying to check for his vital signs. She had no idea what the effects of the seemingly magical spear were, so she didn't know what to expect from the soldier. Before she was able to reach him, though, she heard more noise from the direction of the portal. Over twenty more human servants who were pledged to emperor Kahn stepped through it and entered the Earth realm within moments of each other. The kombatant sighed since she had not been expecting any more visitors as the new adversaries walked over the body of the first servant and aimed their own spears at her. She lifted the Glock ahead of her face with both hands, knowing no one was fast enough to take down twenty opponents before being hit. She was right because several servants fired their spears at once and a number of yellow bolts shot into the pistol she held. Sonya screamed as her hands received burn marks and the destroyed firearm flew out of her grasp.

Whatever remained of the Glock landed on the ground about five yards away. The twenty humans from Kahn's realm simply dropped the spears and rushed forward, apparently eager to subdue her themselves. As she lifted her eyes off her burned hands, she realized she was standing in the middle of a rough circle, surrounded by twenty unfriendly men. Sonya's first reaction was to vertically raise her forearms in front of her chest, indicating she surrendered since she knew she had no chance of escaping alive if she fought back. Unfortunately, she realized that Kahn's servants were not interested in seeing her surrender. Even though they had apparently wanted her alive, or they would've opened fire with their spears, they still wanted a fight.

"Oh, great", she whispered as she saw all twenty opponents charging towards her at once.

The first servant she saw received a high front kick to his chin before she twisted to her right and landed a roundhouse punch against the face of a second opponent. That was all she managed because she then felt a sharp blow into the back of her head which knocked her down. The servants closed in, kicking her at will and enjoying it, as she knew she was beaten and started feeling the overwhelming numbness which precedes a state of unconsciousness. It was only a few seconds afterwards that she only saw black.

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Sonya opened her eyes halfway as she felt the uneven and rough ground bruising her bare stomach. The majority of the skin had already been torn from her midsection which wasn't covered by the halter. She looked up as she felt herself being dragged forward and saw both her arms extended upward while she lay flat on her stomach. Two of Kahn's servants had gripped each of her wrists and she was being pulled towards a waiting prison cell. The servants obviously thought she was still unconscious as they were dragging her towards the destination, so the kombatant wondered if she could the situation to her advantage. Though she would've tried to pull away from them at any other time, she could feel that her body was extremely weakened after the beating which had knocked her out. Before she knew it, she was thrown into the large cell and left there as the two servants closed the steel door behind her and locked it. She placed her two palms on the ground as she coughed and tried to rise on her hands and knees.

Cursing herself for barely having enough energy to stand, Sonya needed several instants before she shakily rose on her feet. Looking down, she saw that she was right; the skin had been scraped from her stomach while she was being dragged to the cell. She knew the light wound would heal within days, though, and had bigger problems to worry about at the present time. The first concern was private Ellison's condition, she wondered to herself if he was still alive. The second was the debilitating pain which crippled her lower back, face and arms. Before she was even able to examine the cell she was held in, someone opened the door from outside and stepped towards her. It was one of Kahn's human servants as he wore a satisfied grin on his face while coming inside.

"You're already awake", he began, "I'm impressed. I guess you're very proud of yourself".

"Go fuck yourself", she replied in a tired tone, still trying to inhale completely.

"Such language!", the servant sarcastically addressed another man who was behind him, "Where do these Earth dwellers learn it?".

He turned his attention back to her as he resumed talking.

"It's just too bad we were required to bring you back alive", he grinned, "Because it would've been a pleasure to erase that stuck up attitude of yours".

"Sorry to disappoint you", Sonya countered, "I won't be able to sleep tonight because of it".

Instead of answering with words, the angry servant turned his right hand into a fist and delivered a right jab into her chin, snapping her head back before she staggered backwards. The kombatant stopped when her back crashed into the wall of the prison cell. She gathered her concentration as she saw the same servant approaching her with five more men following him.

"Fuck the orders", he cracked his knuckles, "Just imagine all the fun we can have with her. Tsung doesn't have to know, we'll just tell him she resisted and gave us no choice".

That was all he got to say because the kombatant twisted to her left and sent her right leg sailing downward. The bottom of her right foot crashed into his left knee and broke his leg by bending it in the direction opposite its natural angle. The servant yelled out in pain as he fell on the floor and instinctively grabbed his broken knee. The man behind him, however, was quick as he withdrew a large stone hammer. Sonya's eyes widened as she saw the hammer being swung horizontally towards her face. The heavy stone edge of the hammer crashed into the left side of her face and she heard an explosion in her mind as she twisted around under the impact and landed on her stomach. She lifted her head and looked up in time to see the man lifting the hammer over his own head with both hands as he was ready to swing it down towards her face. A second blow might've killed her and she didn't have the space to get out of the way or the energy to leg sweep him. As the hammer was about to be swung towards her head, though, the kombatant heard an enraged scream from the open cell door.

"You were only to use as much force as was absolutely necessary!", the new person in the cell barked at the servants.

Sonya saw Motaro galloping inside and heading for the servant who had assaulted her with the hammer. Her mouth dropped open as the Centaur easily grabbed both of the servant's wrists with his left hand. Motaro lifted the screaming man with the hammer two feet into the air before tossing him aside. The servant crashed into the opposite cell wall about twenty feet away, dropped on the ground and didn't try to get back up, though he was still conscious. The Centaur then bent down and lifted the servant with the broken knee vertically into the air before slamming his head into the ceiling. The man screamed as Motaro released him and he fell several feet before landing on the floor on his broken leg.

Motaro then turned into Goro as the four remaining servants screamed and panicked. The giant Shokanite gripped each servant by the throat, one in each hand, before lifting all four into the air. He then tossed one person after another outside of the cell. All four servants flew out of the open doorway and landed on top of each other outside. Goro turned to the servant with the broken leg and the servant who had previously withdrawn the hammer.

"Leave!", the Shokanite ordered.

The servant who had assaulted her with the hammer staggered towards the other one and helped him to his feet without saying another word. The man with the broken leg wrapped his left arm around the first servant's shoulders before they limped out of the cell. Seeing the result, Goro shrank until Shang Tsung stood there alone. The sorcerer bent down and helped Sonya up to her feet as he examined her injuries. A giant black mark covered most of the left side of her face and her left eye was forced shut as a result of the blow by the hammer. Once on her feet, the kombatant was quick to pull away from him and put as much distance as possible between them.

"I am sorry about this", Shang Tsung started, "They were supposed to exercise more self-control than...".

"SHUT UP!", she screamed, pointing towards the open doorway, "GET THE HELL OUT!".

She saw him enough to recognize who it was, though her vision was now blurred because of her obliterated left eye. Seeing her reaction, the sorcerer sighed and proceeded out of the cell as she became slightly calmer.

"I do not know how you obtained the scrolls on the secrets of the natural forces, but you can forget about using that knowledge against the emperor", Shang Tsung told her as he was leaving the cell, "The scrolls have been confiscated along with your other possessions and no one else will be reading them. All I need to know for now is that your are safe and relatively unharmed".

"A torturer with principles, I'm impressed", she sarcastically said after him.

The sorcerer stopped and turned towards her as she sat down on the floor with her back to the wall.

"I just saved your life", Shang Tsung pointed at her with an annoyed expression on his face, "The least you could do is be polite".

The kombatant didn't feel like being polite as she looked up at him, but she had to admit to herself that the sorcerer wasn't lying when he claimed that he saved her life. Instead of replying with more sarcasm, she remained silent as he walked back out.

"One thing I can't figure", she broke the silence when he had reached the doorway.

Shang Tsung stopped and turned around again before stepping back into the cell.

"Why are you doing this?", she asked, looking up into his face, "I mean, I'll be dead and buried in half a century at most. You're a thousand years old. I can't be with you much. Aren't there any thousand-year old women from where you come from that you can chase?".

The sorcerer only returned her stare without answering.

"We're from opposite sides", she added, "Reason says that we'll hate each other's guts".

"Do you always do what reason demands?", Shang Tsung asked her in return.

She didn't answer him, knowing the answer was a negative one.

"Either way, I was sorry to hear about the death of your friend Scott", the sorcerer changed the subject.

"Why?", she questioned, "You wanted him for a sparring partner?".

"Yes", Shang Tsung flatly said as he turned back around.

"I guess I should be flattered, huh?", the kombatant asked with sarcasm to his back.

"Yes, you should", the sorcerer told her as he headed back outside, "And I think you are. But you are too proud to admit it".

"Your boss is gonna fail", she called after him, "Either we beat him or we'll die trying, even if I have to fight you myself in the process".

The sorcerer gripped the edge of the cell door to close it after he was outside.

"I'm never gonna be yours, Shang", she added as she saw the door closing behind him.

"Yes, I know", he replied as he left the cell, "But do not say that I never did anything for you".

Sonya wanted to thank him, but she couldn't bring herself to do it as he vanished behind the closed door.

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"I am encountering an obstacle", Kitana sounded angry with her ineffectiveness as she, Johnny, Liu and Smoke stood within the portal she had brought forth.

Bright, silent flashes surrounded the fighters as they eagerly waited for their chance to go through.

"He must have created another hurdle for any who wished to enter his realm using a portal", the princess reasoned out loud.

"It's OK", the actor reassured, "Just take your time".

Smoke was quiet as usual since he only spoke when spoken to first. Liu, on the other hand, was not watching the princess as she tried to provide the team an exit from inside the portal. The monk's attention was fixed straight ahead, but no one else had noticed the blank expression on his face. Liu didn't know what was going on because he was having a vision.

The monk saw himself standing on a flat ground as mountains covered the scenery behind him. A few yards ahead, he could see Shao Kahn as the emperor stood tall and proud. Liu felt the desire to attack, but, for an unknown reason, he did not rush towards his larger opponent. Instead, the kombatant lifted his right arm in a vertical position and then aimed it towards Kahn. Within an instant, a fireball emerged from the air in front of his right hand and was hurled towards the emperor. Kahn was struck in the chest by the projectile before he staggered backwards. Reacting with controlled anger, Liu threw a second fireball towards his enemy, with the same result. Even though the monk had no idea how he was able to launch the apparently magical projectiles, he felt confident with his skill. As he was ready to hurl a third fireball, Liu's eyes popped open.

The monk's face snapped back as he was shaken awake. His eyes caught the sight of Johnny as the actor had gripped the monk's shoulders and was shaking him while the Outworld princess and the cyborg watched. Finding himself back inside the portal, Liu remembered where he was once he saw the worried look in Kitana's eyes.

"Say something!", Johnny exclaimed, still shaking him.

"You can stop that now", Liu advised.

Realizing his fellow kombatant had been brought out of his frozen status, the actor ceased shaking him and released the grip on his shoulders.

"We thought we had lost you for a sec, Liu", Johnny told him.

"How long was I unresponsive?", the monk asked, curious.

"About ten minutes now", Kitana replied, "What happened?".

"I...", Liu tried to recall, "I was having a vision. I saw myself. Myself and Kahn, fighting".

"And?", Johnny waited.

"And that was all", the monk said as he rubbed his forehead, "I do not understand its meaning".

"Are you worried about this?", Kitana whispered, almost as if anxiety was something to be ashamed of.

The princess was carefull about her tone of voice because she knew Liu had spent the majority of his life trying to control his emotions. She thought to herself that it might've been unkind to hint that he had failed in that mission.

"Yes", Liu did not indicate any sign of being insulted, "More for my realm than for myself".

"Well, don't worry about it", Johnny shrugged, realizing that his advice couldn't be followed because he wasn't able to follow it himself.

"What if I cannot defeat him?", the monk whispered to himself, though the other fighters heard.

The kombatants only locked eyes, knowing what must be done. The Earth realm had to be protected from Kahn's evil at all cost.

"You humans should not be afraid", Smoke finally spoke, "Do you not know that good always triumphs over evil?".

The cyborg's seeminly innocent comment prompted Johnny to laugh out loud for a moment as he turned to the android.

"Huh?", the actor addressed Smoke with a wide smile on his face, "I guess you really didn't have a lot of human contact in your lifetime".

Liu just wished he could understand the meaning of his vision.

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Sonya was definitely glad to see Ellison alive as the private was seated on the bare floor of the large holding cell among over a dozen other human prisoners. The blast he was previously struck with was apparently manipulated to only stun the target instead of killing it. The kombatant was unceremoniously shoved through the doorway and into the new cell herself as two guards stood behind her without closing the door. Both servants pointed the tip of their spear at her lower back, ignoring the other prisoners who were around since they did not view them as a threat. Turning her face around, she wondered what they were waiting for as she eyed one of the guards. She was thankful when she didn't have long to think about it because her answer soon arrived.

Shao Kahn's heavy footsteps were heard on the stone floor only moments before the seven-foot tall emperor appeared at the doorway behind his two servants. Both men instantly pointed their spear towards the ceiling and moved aside, letting the emperor approach the prisoners. Though she couldn't see his facial expression because of his steel mask, Sonya guessed that he must've been feeling proud as he surveyed the people in the cell.

"Welcome to my castle, kombatant", Kahn addressed her first, pretending the other prisoners didn't even exist.

"I wish I could say it was nice to be here, but I'd be lying", she kept a calm composure as she stared up into his face.

"After I destroy the rest of your so-called warrior class, your realm will fall", the emperor replied with glee in his voice as he folded his massive arms, "You were only spared because my sorcerer preferred to have you alive. Far be it for me to understand his motives, since he is obviously lowering his standards, but I agreed nonetheless. I like to keep my servants happy".

"Really?", Sonya asked with apparent sarcasm, "The Shokanites don't think so".

The emperor chuckled at her response.

"Oh yes, the Shokanites", Kahn continued, "Such hard workers. They were the ones who transported Shang Tsung's piked-floored pit over from his island to my castle after my sorcerer's embarrassing defeat in the tenth tournament. And they did it one stone block at a time. Such hard workers".

The emperor pointed his right index finger towards the only barred window of the cell.

"You can see it even from here", he sounded proud, "I liked that pit so much that I had my servants take it apart one stone at a time and the Shokanites transfer it here. They proved to be of good use back then. It is a pity now for them".

"Sure is", the kombatant said with a cold face.

"Well, enough of this delightful conversation", the emperor placed his palms together as he stepped backwards, "Do look outside the window every once in a while, my entertainment is about to begin. Who knows? You might enjoy it as well. Though I must admit some of these prisoners are such terrible fighters that I am forced to put them in two at a time against my performer".

"Entertainment? Performer?", she asked, feeling confused.

"Until later", Kahn turned around and walked out of the cell.

The two armed guards followed him outside and bolted the door from their side. With nothing left to do, Sonya turned back and proceeded towards Ellison as the soldier shakily stood up.

"How are you?", was her first question.

"OK, I guess", he rubbed the back of his head, "That thing they did knocked me out pretty good. I just woke up a little while ago with a damn headache".

Before she was able to reply, a loud horn was heard from outside. Wondering, both soldiers looked out the window even though the other prisoners did not bother to. Sonya could tell the others were not curious about the occurrences outside since they already knew the reason for the horn. But since she did not, she felt compelled to satisfy her curiosity. The first thing she saw was a bridge which was about a yard wide as it hung about fifty feet over the castle ground with the help of several stone columns. The kombatant heard herself gasping as she next spotted dozens of spikes which covered the ground below the bridge. Each spike was about three inches in diameter and approximately three feet long. Even the columns which supported the bridge were fitted with several spikes which protruded out of them at a 45 degree angle, obviously to ensure that no one who fell off the bridge could embrace a column and survive. Sonya eyed Ellison, asking herself what was planned to take place next, when she spotted a movement at the edge of the bridge. A confident ninja dressed in a green outfit stepped towards the middle of the bridge, patiently waiting for his adversary.

"The lord Kahn's servant Reptile will now accept the challenge of any volunteers for the emperor's enjoyment", an announcer was heard yelling from the base of the bridge.

As both soldiers warily watched, a man, who appeared to be a prisoner much like the people who they shared the cell with, was pushed towards the green ninja from the base of the bridge. Several guards pointed their spear at his back, warning him that he would be shot if he turned away from the ninja. Trying hard not to shiver, the prisoner walked towards the middle of the bridge also. It was then that the ninja grabbed his own chin and pulled upwards, revealing a lizard-like head underneath the human disguise. Sonya and Ellison gasped at the same time as the prisoner who was on the bridge with Reptile screamed out of fear.

Reptile didn't give the man a chance to concentrate. The ninja with a human body but a green lizard's head instantly executed a flying kick towards the prisoner. The bottom of his right foot slammed into the man's chest and knocked that one hard on his back. Reptile landed on his feet while his adversary gasped with pain and remained lying on the bridge, unable to stand. The ninja bent down and gripped his overmatched opponent's throat with his left hand before pulling the prisoner up to a standing position. The man was quickly yanked up to his feet as Reptile then turned his own right hand into a fist.

The prisoner's vision then blurred as the ninja began beating him mercilessly with the right fist while the left grip remained on the man's throat. The adversary's head snapped towards all sides as blood erupted from his mouth and nose. Reptile did not stop punching him in the face until it was made certain that the man had a broken jaw as well as a fractured skull. The ninja then finally released his left grip on the prisoner's throat and the man lifelessly fell on the bridge. Wanting to ensure his victory, Kahn's entertainer lifted his right leg into the air by bending the right knee and then brought it down on the immobile man's throat, breaking it with ease.

"Neeeext!", Reptile hissed as he turned his attention towards the base of the bridge.

A second prisoner was shoved towards him. This man actually tried to swing towards the ninja's lizard-like face, but had no success since he had never trained before. Reptile rushed towards him, dodged his attempted punch, and kneed the man in the stomach. As the prisoner bent down, pressing his forearm into his midsection and gasping for breath, the ninja gripped the back of his neck and pulled him back up to a vertical position. Reptile headbutted him, breaking his nose and snapping his head backwards. The prisoner was already out of energy after the second blow and couldn't continue fighting, but the ninja didn't care. Still retaining his grasp on the back of the man's neck, Reptile stared into the prisoner's eyes before spitting out of his mouth. A shot of acid exited the ninja's lips and struck the man in the face as the prisoner screamed and tried to break away from him. Reptile retained his grip on the man, though, and forced that one to remain standing as he watched the prisoner's flesh boiling. The man's face melted before the ninja let go of his neck and the prisoner instinctively staggered backwards, still screaming from the pain and clutching at what used to be his face.

Reptile calmly walked up to the man and sent a smooth front kick into his stomach, sending him staggering to the side. Sonya and Ellison watched from their cell as the prisoner screamed louder and was hurled over the side of the narrow bridge. The man's yell followed him down before he landed on the ground below and was impaled through the chest and the left thigh. He convulsed once as his screams were transformed to a short, desperate gasp before he stopped moving completely. On top of the bridge, Reptile raised his arms towards the sky in victory as Shao Kahn's servants and monks cheered below. Without having even broken a sweat, the ninja then bent down and gripped the neck of the first prisoner he had killed. Lifting the man's upper body off the bridge, Reptile's tongue shot out of his mouth and wrapped around the corpse's head. The ninja let go of the prisoner's neck and pulled his own head backwards, snapping the corpse's head off its shoulders. Ellison groaned as he and Sonya then watched Reptile swallowing the first man's head and enjoying it. Ellison pulled away from the window first as he rested his right palm on his stomach.

"I swear I will never eat meat again if I get out of here", the soldier told his lieutenant.

Instead of hearing her reply, he detected someone crying in the cell. He and Sonya turned simultaneously towards the source of the noise and saw a man about Ellison's age as that one sat in the corner of the cell and sobbed alone.

"What's the problem?", the kombatant was the first to ask.

"He is next", one of the man's fellow prisoners answered with a sad face, "He is scheduled to fight the ninja in one hour as part of the emperor's feast. The guards are coming to take him over the pit".

The kombatant remained quiet as she surveyed Reptile's next adversary. The man was about her height but seemed to weigh less than she did, probably from the malnutrition the emperor had forced on his prisoners. Sending him against the ninja was a sure death sentence and everyone in the cell knew it. Although she didn't see it, Ellison was watching her face as she debated her options in her mind. She finally noticed his stare after he walked closer and whispered only loud enough for her to hear.

"I know that look", the soldier murmured quietly, "What are you thinking?".

He was actually afraid to hear the answer, but knew he had to. Instead of replying as expected, Sonya removed the yellow jacket she wore over her green outfit and handed it to him.

"Hang on to that", she whispered back with a smile, "I'll be back for it after I send the lizard there over the edge".

"What?", his reaction was understandable.

"He's aggressive, and brutally efficient", she pointed out, referring to Reptile, "But he's also overconfident, and that'll be his downfall. So relax, I can take him. Besides, I really wanna see how proud and confident he appears when he's lying on his back with a severed spine while choking on his own blood and vomit".

"This is hardly a fair fight", the soldier warned, "He's in peak condition and you're a mess".

"Well, so are you", the kombatant flatly replied with a smile.

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"My lord, I must protest!", Shang Tsung exclaimed as he saw her calmly climbing the stairs towards the base of the bridge, "She cannot take the prisoner's place against Reptile!".

"It is a fair deal", the emperor dismissed the sorcerer as he kept his attention set on the kombatant who had offered to fight his ninja, "Reptile will have to do his best to defeat her".

Shao Kahn finally thought to himself that he would get a battle worth watching instead of the quick slaughters that Reptile has been able to provide for him ever since the ninja had been resurrected. Shang Tsung, on the other hand, cursed under his breath as he realized Sonya could die against the ninja after all the effort he had put forth to bring her safely to his emperor's realm. Though the sorcerer hated seeing her reach the base of the bridge, he also knew he had no control over the fight which was about to follow.

Staring straight ahead and showing as little emotion as possible, Sonya walked towards the middle of the bridge where Reptile waited. The ninja's unmasked lizard-like face was contorted into an apparent smile as he anticipated his next victim. The kombatant stood in a fighting stance about fifteen feet away as the eyes of everyone in the audience as well as the prison cell were on her. In the same fashion, Reptile turned into his own stance and both fighters were ready as the kombatant stood her ground and waited for him to attack first. With her left eye still forced shut as a result of the hammer blow, she could only see him by using her right eye as she anticipated his move

Contrary to the action that Sonya expected, the green ninja did not rush forward or execute a flying kick. Instead, he quickly looked down towards his feet as he lifted his right arm over his own head and appeared to be throwing an invisible potion on the ground. The kombatant only had an instant to ask herself what he was doing before Reptile turned invisible in front of her eyes. Sonya gasped and instinctively stepped backwards as Ellison's eyes widened in his cell while he was watching the battle. Before being able to organize a plan of action, the kombatant saw a shot of acid appearing out of nowhere and discharging towards her face. She jumped down and to her left, making sure not to go beyond the narrow width of the bridge. Though her reaction saved her life, it wasn't fast enough to bring her out of the acid's path completely. The projectile from the invisible ninja's mouth impacted into her right shoulder and she heard her flesh sizzling as she rolled on the bridge.

Sonya stood back up, hissing in pain and trying to ignore the latest injury as she made sure not to touch her right injured shoulder with her left hand since nothing could be done at the present time for it. Her opponent felt confident enough when he saw her in the current condition that he didn't bother spitting acid towards her again. Instead, Reptile decided to please his emperor by delivering the entertainment he was expected to. He rushed forward while still invisible and stopped merely inches away from the kombatant. Sonya screamed as she felt a punch landing on her stomach and she bent down after the impact. She was still trying to catch her breath when his invisible hand grabbed the hair which was in a tail at the back of her head and pulled her up to a standing position. The human felt herself being yanked up until she stood vertically before a second punch crashed into her face, knocking her head backwards.

Groaning with pain and frustration, she took one step backwards on purpose and swung her right arm ahead, hoping for a good result. Her fist only met air as the ninja had already stepped away. Realizing she had to try a new tactic, the kombatant somersaulted backwards once before landing gracefully on her feet. Deciding to gamble on using her new abilities, she concentrated her mind on altering her physical body. Within an instant, a crystal glow surrounded her and wings and a beak replaced her arms and mouth. Emperor Kahn seemed delighted with the new event while Shang Tsung was disappointed. The sorcerer had previously been looking forward to teaching her that particular art after she had agreed to become his queen. Back in the jail cell, Ellison's jaw dropped open as he viewed his lieutenant turning into a blue-green hawk.

Sonya soared vertically into the sky, thus putting valuable distance between herself and the invisible Reptile. She thought to herself that, at least this way, the green ninja would not be able to spit his acid towards her. While hovering about two hundred yards above the bridge, the kombatant looked down and surveyed the area below her. All the spectators could be seen with more clarity than if she had been in human form. Carefully, staring at the bridge, she also spotted traces of a silhouette standing at the area where her opponent had been before. Even though Reptile's magic had rendered him invisible to the human eye, a hawk's eyes were much more sensitive than a human's and Sonya could still see some minor fragments of his outline.

From two hundred yards in the air, the hawk turned her head downward and soared towards the bridge below at a 45 degree angle and an accelerating speed. Sonya intended to level her body horizontally with the bridge as soon as she was a few feet off its surface and then fly straight into the faint outline of the ninja. Unfortunately, she had misjudged her speed of descent and failed to adjust her position as she neared the top of the bridge. Panicking, the hawk tried to pull back, but ended up crashing down on the bridge anyway. Feeling dazed, Sonya shakily stood up on the bridge as laughter generated from the audience. Kahn's servants and guards were roaring hysterically, and even the emperor himself appeared amused. Shang Tsung, on the other hand, still wore a serious expression and just wished the fight would be stopped.

The hawk kombatant did not find anything amusing about her situation as her head ached even more than when she had fought against Motaro. Feeling enraged at being ridiculed by the audience, and probably also by her invisible opponent if she could see his facial expression, she screamed through her beak. The hawk flapped her giant wings and rose about a yard in the air over the bridge. Sonya then hurled herself in a horizontal position, aiming directly into the midsection of the faint silhouette who was still a fair distance in front of her. Up until that point, Reptile had not bothered to attack her, reasoning that his opponent's blunders were more entertaining for Kahn than his own attacks could ever be. But when the green ninja saw the hawk flying right for him, he knew his position had been spotted and he panicked. He only had enough time to shoot the acid from his mouth once, and he had not aimed properly. The acid projectile flew several inches over the hawk's body an instant before Sonya slammed into her adversary.

Reptile was forced to become visible again as he was hurled several yards back before he landed hard on his left side. The hawk, in the meantime, landed her feet gracefully on the bridge and Sonya appeared in her human form again within an instant afterwards. The kombatant rushed towards the ninja, intending to take advantage of his temporary failure.

From ten feet away from him, she lunged forward on her left foot while twisting her body to the left and extending her right leg. Sonya sailed through the air in a flying kick as she reached him. The bottom of her right foot crashed into the green ninja's left shoulder as he was standing up and he was spun around because of the impact. He still managed to remain standing, though, and did not fall down again. Liking the result and landing on her feet, the kombatant sent a front kick into Reptile's midsection as the ninja turned to face her. He bent down groaning and hissing as she attacked again. Sonya flipped upside down on her hands and wrapped her ankles around either side of his upper chest. Reptile screamed as he was tossed over her in a semicircle and landed on his back behind her before the kombatant returned back to a standing position.

The ninja stood up with a moan as he felt pain for the first time while on this bridge. He spotted his opponent rushing towards him as he was on his feet. Once she was close enough, he executed a roundhouse kick aimed for her head. Unfortunately for him, it was at the same time that Sonya had executed a leg sweep of her own. The back of the ninja's ankle sailed harmlessly in the air as she dropped to the ground and knocked his remaining leg out from under him. Reptile crashed back down on the hard bridge again as the kombatant jumped back on her feet. Looking down at him, she quickly gripped his throat with her left hand and pulled him up to his feet just as he had done to his previous opponents. The ninja didn't have a chance to react as she sent her right fist into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him again. As he bent down under the punch, she gripped the back of his head with her left hand to keep him from being able to stand back up too soon. She then aimed her right fist towards his lowered face and got ready to deliver a final blow.

"See you downstairs", she whispered as she uppercut the ninja in the chin and released the back of his head simultaneously.

Reptile staggered backwards until he went beyond the width of the bridge and was thrown past it. He fell over the edge and Sonya asked herself why he did not scream as he dropped closer towards the waiting spikes below. His body crashed into the ground and was impaled only a few feet away from the prisoner who had fallen off the bridge only a short time ago. Unknown to her, the ninja did not yell out because he was sure Shao Kahn would bring him back to life very soon; the emperor would not be able to imagine life without his personal entertainer.

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It was while Sonya was being roughly escorted back to the cell that the distortion in the fabric of Shao Kahn's realm occurred. She was still feeling proud of her actions against Reptile, since she had clearly saved some innocent prisoners' lives, when the mutilation of the sky caught her eyes. Random lightning bolts appeared out of nowhere as worried guards and monks alike stared towards the changing sky. The kombatant then turned her face towards Kahn himself, seeing the emperor as he stood up and seemed perplexed by the invasion his realm was experiencing. The two guards on either side of her as well as the third one who stood behind her forgot about the kombatant they were supposed to watch over and turned their attention away as well.

A large and bright portal began to form only yards away from the spikes at the bottom of the bridge and figures emerged from it as soon as it was large enough to grant passage. Liu rushed out first, scanning the entire scenery as soon as possible. The monk spotted Sonya in the distance as she was being dragged towards the waiting cell and recognized his fellow kombatant instantly. Johnny and Kitana followed him from inside the portal only seconds afterwards, ready to engage anyone they saw on the other side who decided to challenge them. As Sonya's guards were momentarily distracted by the appearance of the unexpected portal, she squinted her right eye as she viewed a gray android which emerged out of the portal also. Smoke stood his ground, surveying the area much like Liu had done and keeping his arms at the ready as fumes rose out of his metallic body. Seeing his team there, Liu pointed towards Shao Kahn as Shang Tsung and the emperor's servants quietly watched.

"SHAO KAHN!", the monk yelled, "I CHALLENGE YOU TO MORTAL KOMBAT. WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?".

Johnny pointed at the emperor after he waited only an instant and didn't hear Kahn's response.

"ANSWER THE MAN, UGLY!", the actor added.

Emperor Kahn pointed back towards the four intruders with his right index finger before finally replying.

"Destroy them!", Kahn ordered his servants, showing more anger than usual in his voice.

It was then that all hell broke loose.

Sonya sent her right elbow into the chin of the guard who stood at her right side, knocking him backwards as he yelled out. Still preoccupied after seeing the three other human kombatants and especially Smoke, the remaining two guards proved to be fortunately unprepared for her reaction. She turned around and swiftly kicked the man behind her in the stomach. As he bent down and dropped his spear, gasping for breath, Sonya saw the last escort on her left as that one finally tried to counterattack. He began raising the tip of his spear, aiming for her chest, while the kombatant grabbed the back of the head of the watchman she had just kicked, preventing that one from standing. She wrapped both her hands around his head and groaned as she roughly shoved him towards her left. The head of the guard behind her impacted with the hands of the watchman at her left, forcing the latter to drop his grip on the spear.

The man from her left turned his right hand into a fist as the guard who was previously behind her fell on the ground, temporarily incapacitated. The reaction of the guard from the left was too slow, though, because Sonya already impacted her own fist into his jaw as he was still swinging his right arm. She felt his teeth shattering under the impact as his head snapped back and blood erupted out of his mouth. Instead of remaining at that spot to finish her three adversaries, the kombatant decided to take advantage of their momentary injuries to bolt away. She ran as fast as she could towards the cell where her fellow Special Forces soldier was being held with the other prisoners. Dashing away, she did not see the two servants who were busy removing Reptile's impaled corpse from the pit under the bridge. Her adrenaline level was driving her forward with such force that she totally forgot about the acid wound in her right shoulder as dozens of the emperor's human guards rushed past her to get to the new intruders. Once standing outside the prison cell door, Sonya rested the left side of her face against it to warn the individuals inside of her planned actions.

"ELLISON, I'M COMING IN!", she screamed, "STAY AWAY FROM THE DOOR!".

Inside the cell, Ellison wondered to himself how she hoped to come inside since the only way was to go through a locked steel door. Before he was able to ask out loud what she was plotting, he heard the kombatant screaming from outside. The heavy steel door broke down as Sonya's two feet impacted against it while she was executing a forward somersault. The door crashed horizontally on the ground amid an explosion of dust before she landed on it feet first.

"We got help", Sonya smiled as she pointed behind her, referring to her fellow kombatants and the strange cyborg she had seen.

"Great!", Ellison exclaimed as suddenly-energized prisoners rushed out of the cell, eager to either try to escape or fight against the guards while Kahn's troops were distracted.

Both soldiers were the last to leave through the doorway since they had waited for everyone else to get out first. They then dashed out of the cell, zealously anticipating to contribute to the battle outside. Once away from the prison cell, Sonya turned to Ellison and was about to advise him of a plan. She thought they should stay together and proceed towards the three kombatants and the cyborg to create a unified stronghold against Kahn's guards. She never got the chance to utter her first word because she suddenly saw his body convulsing violently. Ellison's eyes opened wide as his torso shot upwards. The kombatant gasped as she then spotted blood gushing out of his mouth. Not knowing the reason for what happened, she gripped one of his hands, unsure as to which one it was. Her fellow soldier then gasped once before he closed his eyes and died right away. His body fell backwards and would've hit the ground, but she rushed forth and placed her arms under his back and shoulders, thus easing him towards the ground instead.

Still confused, Sonya felt his blood on her hands. She was wondering why he bled from the back when she saw a triangular-shaped blade being pulled out of her dead comrade's upper back. She rested Ellison's corpse on the ground as she followed the path of the retreating blade, ignoring the sounds from around her and anxious to see its origin. The bloodied blade was about three inches wide and eight inches long as it was attached to a cord. The kombatant trailed it with her eyes for a few moments as it quickly traveled about forty steps backwards before reaching its origin. Sonya heard herself screaming in rage as she saw the blade being withdrawn into Reptile's right sleeve. The ninja with the lizard-like head stood his ground, smiling menacingly at her as he realized she was surprised to see him alive. The kombatant quickly understood that Shao Kahn's action had resurrected him in the few seconds between the appearance of the portal and her breaking down of the cell door.

Pushing his green head forward ahead of the rest of his body, Reptile spat forth a thick tongue of flame which was aimed at her. Sonya quickly somersaulted backwards just in time as the flame reached the spot where she had stood. She felt the intense heat from it as she retreated from the burst of fire since she was only a fraction of a second ahead of it. The kombatant kept somersaulting backwards while the tongue of flame stopped since it reached about sixty steps ahead of Reptile and could not continued further. Sonya finally stopped sailing backwards through the air and landed on her feet as she was safely out of the fire's range. Seeing her safe, the green ninja extended his right arm towards her even though they were both about seventy steps apart.

"THE BEST FROM MY RACE AND THE BEST FROM THE SORCERER'S ASSASSINS!", Reptile screamed.

The bloody blade shot out of his sleeve again, racing towards the only human opponent who had defeated him on the bridge over the pit. With her left eye still beaten shut, Sonya jumped to her left and rolled on the ground as the blade rushed past above her. The cord attached to the bloody knife was still racing past as she quickly stood back up. Hoping for the best, the kombatant grabbed the cord with both hands as it was rushing away from her. As a result, she felt the burn in her hands as the friction from the rope lacerated the skin on her palms. Reptile swiftly pulled the cord back and yanked her towards him as she persistently retained her grip on it. Although she tried to run back with it, she stumbled towards the green ninja because the cord was being withdrawn too fast. As she got to within fifteen steps from him, Sonya's right eye widened as she saw the ninja spitting out acid. It would've been hard for him to miss from such a close proximity.

She released the rope and involuntarily dropped to the ground since she lost her balance. Despite her instinctive reaction, the acid shot out of the ninja's mouth and impacted with the right half of her throat. Sonya panicked as she smelled her flesh burning and couldn't breath. She remained on the ground and bent down while she gripped her throat in a futile attempt that only melted the edge of her fingers too. She then looked up and saw Reptile approaching her in a casual manner. Stifling, the kombatant pulled herself up to her feet as the green ninja came closer. Reptile was about five steps away when he became invisible and rushed forward. Her current condition forbade her from being able to strike back as she could only remain on her feet, bent down slightly and still with her hands wrapped around her throat. Sonya felt a sharp punch in her face as her head snapped backwards, tearing the sections of her throat which weren't already destroyed by the acid. Much to Reptile's disappointment, she managed to remain standing as she staggered back. As she heard him laughing, the green ninja delivered a second punch, this time aimed for her stomach. Sonya's body violently snapped forward under the blow before she saw drops of blood and flesh from her throat falling on the ground by her feet.

The kombatant stood up straight, adamant to die while fighting. Gasping for the air which didn't reach her lungs, she swung a right fist. Her strike only met air as Reptile continued his annoying laughter. Sonya felt drops of sweat coming down her face as she became more frustrated, desperate to kill the green ninja before she died herself. Before she was able to swing again, she felt a powerful kick slamming into her torso. Several of the kombatant's ribs broke under the impact as the wind was knocked out of her. She fell on her back, landing hard on the ground as she lost even the ability to gasp for air.

Sonya looked up and saw only the sky even though she knew the green ninja stood over her. She told herself that she had failed. Reptile had won the fight and she was lying on the ground, unable to stand up, much less fight back and defeat him. She was wondering how Kahn's ninja would finish her when she spotted a paper fan gliding vertically through the air towards her. An explosion of blood appeared in mid-air about three steps away from her as a scream followed. Reptile became visible as Sonya saw his severed right arm falling off his shoulder and dropping towards the ground by his feet. The ninja gripped the bloody shoulder socket with his left hand as he fell down on his knees, still screaming. From the ground, Sonya followed the paper fan with her eyes as it followed a circular path in the air and returned to the direction from which it had arrived. Off in the distance, Kitana held her right hand out and the fan gently rested between her thumb and index fingers. The Outworld princess closed the fan with a click of her fingers and it vanished. She saw Sonya hurt in the distance and would've liked to help her fellow kombatant, but a swarm of guards quickly approached her before she could take her first step. She knew that her team of four fighters was already in trouble.

Seeing her opponent injured and bleeding, Sonya moaned as she rose to her feet. The crippling fire in her chest and neck threatened to force her back down, but she groaned without making any sounds as she staggered back to a standing position. Reptile, in the meantime, fell on his left side, still trying vainly to stop the bleeding from his right shoulder as he heard the screams of his emperor's guards in the background. With her vision blurred, the human kombatant swayed as she approached him. She bent down, looking at his lizard-like face as he returned her glance, while she reached into her left boot. Fortunately for her, Kahn's guards had not thoroughly searched her while she was unconscious after having been brought to this new realm. She felt the handle of her five-inch switchblade knife before she pulled it out with her right hand. Snapping the razor-sharp blade open, Sonya brought her face closer to Reptile's as her fiery right eye met both his eyes.

"Guess what, tough guy", she surprised herself as she managed to speak, "Your boss is about to die. And once he does, no one is bringing you back this time".

Without another word, and before the green ninja could raise his left arm to shield himself, she sent the knife into his stubby throat. Reptile's body convulsed as he spat blood and his long tongue wildly shot out of his mouth with no particular aim. Sonya violently pulled the bloody knife out of his throat as he roared in pain. The ninja's spasms lasted for only a few seconds before he stopped moving and lay completely still. The human then thrust the blade into his closed right eye just to make sure he was dead and was satisfied when the ninja's body did not stir. Leaving the blade in his eye, Sonya's right eye rolled into the back of her head as she let go of the knife handle and collapsed next the dead ninja.

She was calmly waiting for death when she sensed movement from a few feet away. Assuming that it was one of Kahn's guards or monks, the kombatant knew that her mission was complete with Reptile's demise and she was ready to accept her own death in peace. She was lying on her back with her eyes closed and decided not to open them since the surrounding darkness was eerily comfortable. As she sensed the person near her stopping, and didn't feel a fatal blow being delivered against her, she swore quietly as her curiosity forced her to open her eye. Once she felt the agony of prying her right eye open, the human kombatant saw Shang Tsung as the sorcerer was kneeling next to her, wondering if she was still alive. It was possible that the vision in her only useful eye was distorted from the heavy trauma her body had received up to this point, but she thought that he appeared sad as he touched her forehead.

"Get lost, Tsung", she gasped, not bothering to lift her head off the ground.

The sorcerer turned his attention away from her and towards the ensuing battle between his master's guards and the other kombatants. He knew that the warriors from the Earth realm were doomed, even if they had the cyborg Smoke on their side. They were outnumbered by about a hundred to one, and many more guards and servants were scattered throughout the entire castle. With thousands of human soldiers and billions of mutants serving the emperor in his realm, the three kombatants and their cyborg ally simply did not have a chance. Even if one of them had managed to fight against the emperor personally, the sorcerer was sure that his emperor would tear that mortal to pieces within moments. Despite her debilitated condition, Sonya amazed herself when she was able to read what was on his mind, as she knew Johnny, Liu and Kitana were destined to lose as well.

"Help them", she managed to gasp next, locking her useful eye with him as he returned his attention to her.

"I cannot", the sorcerer shook his head, "Shao Kahn is my lord. I cannot".

"If you love me, then be on my side for a change", she whispered as she reached up with her right hand and touched his right wrist.

She spat out blood, staining her throat and halter red, as the remnants of her neck began to melt towards the ground under her. Sonya felt herself passing out, probably for the last time, as she saw the sorcerer being mentally torn between his allegiance to his emperor and his desire to help her. He was still struggling with the decision when she felt the darkness engulfing her. She told herself that Shang Tsung might've loved her, but he would always be Kahn's sorcerer. His identity could not be denied, and his feelings for her simply were not strong enough to overcome his personality as Kahn's soldier.

"I thought so", she said out loud with as much strength as possible so he could hear her.

Sonya closed her right eye and felt nothing else. The sorcerer remained on his knees next to her as his mournful eyes stared at her face. The sadness he felt at that moment was unlike anything he had ever experienced before as he knew he would never acquire this human kombatant as his queen. Shang Tsung felt a single tear crawling down from his left eye and he swiftly dried it with his left index finger. But Sonya never knew the extent of his sorrow because she was already dead.

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"Distract them!", Liu exclaimed as Johnny, Kitana and Smoke were already busy fending off the guards.

The monk leapt high into the air, looking to reach Shao Kahn without getting hurt so he could battle and hopefully defeat the emperor himself. While he had turned his body into a ball and was about five yards off the ground, one of the guards aimed a spear towards him, readying to fire with it. Kahn's servant never got the chance because Smoke gripped him by the neck from behind. His windpipe was compressed with such strength that he was unable to breath as he gasped and dropped the weapon. The guard's body shook like a fish out of water as he desperately turned his face as far around as possible. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the gray cyborg as that one held a metallic arm rigidly extended and retained the grip on his neck. Kahn's soldier reacted instinctively, swinging his right fist against the cyborg. His fist landed on Smoke's left shoulder and he instantly felt pain as he broke his right knuckles as a result. Completely unaffected, the cyborg lifted him into the air before tossing him in a semi-circular path into the air with ease.

Liu, in the meantime, was on his feet again and absorbed in his rush as he ran past guards faster than Kahn's servants thought was possible. His attention was set on the raised pedestal where the large emperor stood, quietly watching the guards' response to the four intruders. The monk ignored all outside distractions, such as the warcries of the guards and even the screams of the battle between his comrades and the realm natives. He knew he could not afford to think about anything other than the task at hand if he was to have a chance against Shao Kahn. Dashing ahead with all his energy, his face happened to turn slightly to the left and he spotted Sonya's corpse lying in the distance. The sorcerer Shang Tsung was also nearby as he was now standing next to her and looking down at her face. The White Lotus member rigidly forced his face back ahead of him as he told himself he could not allow to mourn over the death of one of his friends. Kahn was responsible for Sonya's death and the emperor would pay now. And if Shang Tsung had a hand in his fellow kombatant's death, then the sorcerer would also pay afterwards.

A guard holding a sword over his own head rushed forward as he was running in an intercept course with Liu. According to their speed on foot as they ran towards each other, the two men were to collide in only two more seconds. The monk slowed his rush slightly as Kahn's soldier reached him and lifted the sword to strike. Liu roared as he angrily delivered a right uppercut into the man's chin before the guard was able to bring the sword down into his head. The emperor's servant dropped his weapon as his teeth shattered and blood exploded out of his nose and mouth. He then fell on his back and landed on the ground unconscious as Liu swiftly resumed the dash towards the emperor.

While that occured, Johnny sent a roundhouse kick into the head of the first guard who was near him. The actor spun around and leg swept a second native as the first one fell down oblivious to his surroundings. As the kombatant knocked the second guard's legs out from under him, he viewed Smoke while the cyborg lifted two watchmen, on in each hand, into the air. The gray android abruptly banged both men's heads together, knocking them out simultaneously, before he released his grip on them. As both men landed on the ground next to each other, a yellow bolt shot out of another guard's spear and struck Smoke in the back of the head. Unscathed, the android turned around and stared at the man who had fired the shot as the watchman responsible held the spear from ten yards away. The guard's eyes were widened with shock as he saw the lack of effect the enchanted spear had on the target. Smoke rushed towards him as he instinctively screamed and tried to raise his arms to protect himself. The android headbutted the guard and knocked him down before he was able to use the spear again.

Johnny jumped back up to his feet as several more guards rushed towards him, each of them screaming and looking forward to cutting him to pieces. He spun to his left and kicked his right leg ahead as he saw the first soldier nearing him from the front. Johnny's right foot slammed into the man's chest and froze his forward rush before knocking him into the air. Concentrating on that opponent, the kombatant did not spot another guard who arrived from behind him. Kahn's servant was about to strike with his sword when a harpoon shot out of Smoke's chest. The harpoon imbedded itself into his upper back as he screamed out in pain and blood poured out of the wound. The cyborg pulled the harpoon back and dragged the man's convulsing body with it as Kahn's servant still gripped the sword. The wounded guard finally reached Smoke, though he didn't see the android from behind him. His last thoughts were that he wanted to strike his new attacker with the sword when Smoke's right fist crashed into the back of his head, decapitating him instantly. His severed head rolled off his shoulders and fell on the ground before the cyborg pulled his harpoon out of the headless body.

Without knowing that Smoke had saved his life, Johnny exhaled as he swung his left elbow in the chin of yet another one of Kahn's servants, snapping that one's head back. Risking a glance, the actor then turned his attention towards the direction that Liu had headed. He saw his fellow kombatant as the monk was only a few yards away from the base of the pedestal where Kahn still remained standing. Glad to know that Liu had almost made it to his destination safely, Johnny turned his body at a slight angle so he was facing the position directly opposite to the one Kitana faced. As he did, his eyes caught the sight of a guard who stood five steps ahead. Though having only seen the native watchman for a fraction of a second, the kombatant's mind scanned the view as if the guard's image was frozen in front of him. Johnny heard himself sighing as he saw that Kahn's servant held a spear aimed accurately towards his head. He had seen Smoke emerge unhurt after he was hit with the same kind of weapon, but also knew that the android's exterior was much tougher than an average human's. His only sensible course of action now was to execute a flying kick towards the guard who was five steps in front of him, even though he was sure the native could've opened fire before he was able to cover that distance. Johnny screamed to fire himself up.

The kombatant flew through the air with his right leg extended ahead of the rest of his body, eagerly aiming for the guard's chest. While he was in midair, the guard pulled back on the spear and a yellow bolt shot out of weapon, striking the actor in the middle of the torso and violently knocking him down. Johnny crashed on the ground as he felt the bolt impaling his upper body. He saw the pool of blood under his chest as it quickly widened since the wound was large. The actor involuntarily gasped for air as he realized this was how his life was fated to end. He told himself that he wouldn't have traded his experiences for anything in the world as he looked up for one last time and saw Liu springing on top of the platform. Johnny wasglad that the monk had reached the emperor alive, but he still wasn't sure if it'd be enough to give his home realm a fighting chance to survive this latest assault against its existence. It was his last thought as the darkness engulfed him permanently and he died.

Unknown to the actor, Smoke sent his harpoon forth as he spotted the guard who had killed the kombatant. The harpoon smashed into the side of the watchman's neck and sliced through it with ease. The man's body remained standing for several seconds after his detached head fell off it. By the time the decapitated corpse finally dropped to the ground, the cyborg was already busy elsewhere against others.

With Kitana being the only other person who was alive and on his side, Smoke ran towards the princess as he reasoned that he should do his best to safeguard her for as long as possible. He tackled a human guard who tried to stand in his way and the man was tossed in the air as the cyborg ran through him like he wasn't even there. Smoke passed Johnny's corpse and resumed his fighting stance as he stood next to Kitana. The princess was trying hard to neglect seeing the death of her fellow kombatant as she delivered a swift roundhouse kick into the head of the first guard around her. The man screamed out as he was hurled backwards and then fell on the ground.

Smoke, in the meantime, felt his body trembling and drops of oil erupting from it as several bolts of electricity struck him at the same time. From twenty yards away, seven guards were opening fire against him with their spears at once as they were grouped in a cluster. The bursts of electricity did not cease as the natives kept aiming towards him and firing incessantly, as they knew he was more resilient than any mortal they had seen before. As his body was thrown backwards and he felt himself colliding with Kitana, the cyborg knew he had to act quick, as he didn't want to be a distraction to her while she was fighting. With yellow bolts still recoiling off his torso, Smoke drove himself vertically downward until he quickly bore a hole through the ground under him and vanished in it. The guards who were firing at him abruptly stopped, stunned and asking themselves where he had gone. Before any one of them was able to come up with an answer, the android shot out of the ground in the middle of the cluster of guards who were previously twenty yards away. The two watchmen closest to him were viciously thrown out of the cluster as he punched them both while he rocketed towards the sky. The other members in the group panicked and the cluster began to disband. Coming back down on the ground about ten yards away from them, Smoke sent his harpoon ahead out of his chest because he did not wish to allow those men to escape. The projectile maneuvered through the air until it wrapped around the responsible watchmen and quickly tied them together by using the cord it was attached to. The cyborg then sent a discharge of electricity from his chest through the cord. All five men who were restrained by the cord hollered as they were electrocuted within seconds. Smoke then withdrew the harpoon back and the five watchmen fell on the ground dead.

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Meanwhile, Liu rushed ahead on the platform as he saw several more human guards who had remained behind to protect the emperor running to intercept him. He began devising a plan to slip through the final line of defense to reach Kahn by sustaining as few injuries as possible. To avoid physical wounds to himself, he knew he could not afford to try to injure his human opponents, he instead had to concentrate solely on dashing past them as they took aims at him. An instant before the first human guard was about to meet the monk, though, everyone on the platform heard the emperor raising his voice.

"STAY AWAY FROM THE MORTAL!", Shao Kahn ordered his servants, "HE IS MINE TO DESTROY!".

As the emperor's voice resonated throughout the platform, the human servants froze their rush towards Liu and quickly pulled away from the monk as they kept their swords and spears pointed towards the intruder. Seeing their willingness to follow Kahn's command, the White Lotus member slowed down himself as he finally saw the emperor standing clearly thirty yards ahead. The seven-foot tall master had his arms calmly crossed in front of his chest as his metal mask hid any facial expression, as usual. Though unsure, Liu guessed that Kahn looked forward to his chance against the monk, eager to destroy the supposedly inferior human pest once and for all. The monk approached the larger opponent with more caution in his steps as his body was already in a fighting stance. Kahn extended his right forearm ahead of his torso with the hand pointed towards Liu before he pulled his right fingers towards him, silently inviting the monk to attack. Liu heard himself yelling. He faced the ultimate test which was about to challenge all the training and discipline he had endured through his entire life.

Liu flew towards Kahn in a seemingly horizontal line with his right leg extended. His right foot was about to impact with the exact spot where the emperor's solar plexus was located. Unfortunately, the immortal giant had lifted both his forearms and placed them vertically in front of his chest as he saw his opponent's flying kick. The result was that the monk's foot slammed into the emperor's forearms and Liu's body shook from the impact as Kahn remained standing still.

The White Lotus monk landed on his feet, ready to deflect any blows that the emperor would probably swing against him. But Kahn didn't attempt to strike, he only stood still with his arms bent but otherwise resting on either side of his upper body. Surprised, Liu told himself that his adversary was only trying to confuse him. He dropped to the ground as his left knee and both his hands met the floor of the platform. Using all the energy he could summon, the monk swung his right leg in a circle as the back of his ankle crashed into Kahn's heel. Liu's eyes enlarged while pain emanated from his ankle and then spread to the rest of his body as the emperor's legs remained fixed on the ground as if his sweep hadn't even existed. Still not discouraged, the kombatant leapt back up to his feet as Kahn still didn't seek to strike back.

Looking up into his adversary's steel mask, Liu let loose a continual blast of punches aimed at the emperor's stomach and chest. His hands shifted from fists to open palms with the different attacks as his arms moved too fast for the human guards to follow clearly. The members of the small audience on the platform only saw a blur of skin color flashing as the monk's hands delivered fast and constant blows towards Shao Kahn. The emperor, though, was not impressed as he successfully countered every one of the kombatant's attacks. Every one of Liu's fists was met by a forearm which triumphantly kept his punch from touching the emperor's torso while each of his open palms was stopped by meeting an open palm from Kahn himself. Feeling frustration rising in him, Liu ceased his useless blows and took one step backwards, trying desperately to come up with a more effective idea.

Getting one and hoping that it was good, the monk leapt vertically into the air as he twisted to his right. He yelled as he raised his left leg, aiming for the emperor's head as that one remained like a statue except when it was time to defend himself. The monk's left ankle crashed into the right side of Kahn's face before the emperor turned his head slightly to his own left because of the impact. Landing back on his legs, Liu gasped as he felt that he had twisted his left ankle in the collision with the side of Kahn's mask. Before giving the seemingly unbeatable giant the chance to react, the monk twisted to his left and concentrated his body weight on his damaged left ankle. The right leg flew up as he screamed before his foot delivered a solid blow into Kahn's stomach. The realm master bent down under the impact, though not gasping for air. Still bent down, the emperor then turned his face back perfectly ahead so he could stare forward into the monk's confused eyes. Unknown to the kombatant or any of his servants, he was completely unhurt and grinning under his mask as he waited for his tiny opponent's next strike.

Liu, at the same time, switched most of his body weight on his right leg as he decided to risk executing a bicycle kick with a twisted left ankle. While the emperor stood back up straight, the monk leapt up and forward as both his feet crashed into Kahn's chest. This time, Kahn didn't even bother blocking the assault as his body wasn't forced to step backwards. Instead, he quickly gripped both of Liu's ankles while the monk was still in the air. The monk gasped as he tried to pull out of the powerful grip, but his efforts were to no avail as the emperor began to turn around exactly where he stood. The kombatant was lifted horizontally as Kahn's spin became faster and the emperor retained the grasp on his ankles. Liu felt the blood draining from his brain as he saw his surroundings racing by him at an accelerating speed.

"PATHETIC!", Kahn thundered as he finally released the monk's ankles.

Liu flew backwards through the air and landed on his back about ten yards away from the edge of the platform. He felt an concussion in his head as pain came close to overwhelming his spine. Ignoring the discomfort, the monk shakily stood back up as he saw Kahn aiming a right index finger at him.

"DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH, MORTAL!", the emperor roared next.

Kahn then bent his right elbow and lifted the arm over his head. A glowing spear appeared in his right hand before he threw it towards Liu. Gasping, the monk dove to his right as the spear crashed into the ground where he had been standing previously. The kombatant rolled on the ground before leaping back up to his feet. Before either he or the emperor were able to strike again, he heard a distinct scream from a fair distance away amid all the noise and chaos which surrounded him. Turning his face away from the platform and Kahn's giant figure, Liu froze momentarily as he spotted Kitana over fifty yards away as Smoke tried to shield her. The android was too late because the princess was down on her knees as a sword had impaled her through the stomach. Her fingers were cut while she gripped the bloody blade which protruded out of her stomach before she crashed faced-down on the ground and never moved again. Near her, the White Lotus warrior recognized Johnny's corpse also.

Liu heard himself screaming. He felt rage and hatred for the first time in years as all thoughts except those pertaining to revenge were lost. Coming to Kahn's realm, he had known that it was possible for some of his friends to die during the mission to defeat the emperor. The monk had even considered the likelihood that every person in the team might never come back home, and he had thought he was prepared for the dire consequences. But watching the only woman that he had ever come close to loving die proved to be too much. Liu's hatred impelled him to turn towards the emperor without any plan of action in his mind before he simply rushed towards the larger opponent, intending to tackle that one where he stood. Kahn, though, nodded his head and a score of his guards jumped on Liu as soon as the monk had reached the platform. Despite the great resistance he put forth, it didn't take them long to pin him to the floor.

The monk was still hissing and trying to break out of the guards' restraint as Kahn proudly approached him. Looking up, Liu stared into the emperor's mask as he realized the master of the realm was about to speak.

"Is that the best you can offer, mortal?", Kahn asked with a softer tone than before.

Liu screamed again and tried to rush towards him, only to be pinned down against the floor like before.

"Just as I have always known", the emperor crossed his arms, "If this is the best your realm has to offer, then it is doomed for sure. And doomed it will be as soon as I introduce my latest weapon".

The monk quieted down long enough as curiosity finally made itself known and dispersed the hatred his mind was engulfed in, if only for a moment.

"Losing the Centaurs was not encouraging", Kahn explained, feeling proud, "But they can be replaced".

His metal mask remained fixed on Liu's face.

"The good doctor who created my cyborgs was a man of many talents", the emperor added, "One of his projects was the creation of clones, as I am sure that Outworld princess over there has already found out. But what my poor adopted daughter did not know is that clones can also be produced on a massive scale, and I plan to push the good doctor's latest toy to its limits with my mutants".

The monk did not like what he was hearing.

"Right now, your realm is facing the challenge of a mere two billion mutants", Kahn went on, "Those invaders will eventually be defeated without the help of the Centaurs, unless, of course, they receive aid. I can increase the number of mutants to fifteen billion by the end of tonight. I did not wish to do so, as putting the doctor's invention through such strain will no doubt destroy it, but the addition of thirteen billion mutants will be worth it, as I will enjoy the increment of six billion souls to my power".

The emperor lifted his face towards the sky and laughed heartily before turning his attention back to Liu.

"And there is nothing you can do about it!", he barked as he pointed his right index down at the monk, "Your so-called fighters are all dead, as you will be right now".

Instead of continuing in a useless rage, Liu surprised the emperor by being totally calm.

"Not true", the monk smiled.

Before Kahn could react, Liu turned his head towards where Smoke was fending off scores of human guards fifty yards away.

"SMOKE, ACTIVATE!", the monk yelled.

The cyborg abruptly stopped fighting back and was struck by several swords and electric bolts as he raised his left forearm in a horizontal position. He then began pressing small buttons on his forearm with his right index and middle fingers, eager to terminate his existence as well as his former master's. Seeing the result of Liu's message, Kahn laughed again.

"What?", the emperor asked, "He is trying to activate his internal detonator? That is so pitiful! Even for your kind! Do you not know that the cyborg's detonators are not functional in my own realm? Do you think I am stupid like you?".

"Smoke has a consciousness, stupid", the monk replied with a grin, "He was able to override your safeguard!".

Kahn froze for an instant as he suddenly realized that none of his cyborgs had developed self-awareness before. He asked himself if it would've been possible for an android to disregard a programmed command if the machine was capable of thought. His question was answered when he felt the earth shaking beneath his feet. Kahn screamed as he turned to Smoke and saw the android's metallic body shivering, indicating that the internal detonator had been activated. The emperor's human guards panicked and yelled out in fear as Kahn's realm roared. The servants who were restraining Liu to the floor suddenly let him go as each person tried to run in a separate direction. The monk sat up, knowing there was no escaping the apocalypse which had been initiated in their realm. He saw the sky turning red and smiled even though his back hurt a lot. The last thing Liu heard was Shao Kahn screaming out in anger and frustration.

"NOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo!", the emperor's voice echoed throughout his entire kingdom.

Then came oblivion.

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Sheeva had all four hands full as she gripped a steel column in the debris of a collapsed building. The weight of the object was almost too heavy for even her, but she finally managed to lift it until it reached her waistline before tossing it aside. The column flew a few steps away from her and a loud explosion was heard as it landed on the concrete ground. Ignoring it, the Shokanite dug deeper through the remaining rubble, zeroing in on the noise she had come across. Tossing several small pieces of rocks aside, she ultimately spotted a human hand sticking out of the ruins. Holding the hand with her upper right grip, Sheeva then easily pulled her arm upwards, thus roughly yanking the native out of the rocks and into the air. The man's left arm was extended vertically over the rest of his body as numerous bruises covered his body and his torn clothes. Seeing that he was alive, the Shokanite released her grip on his hand and the human then fell back down on the rubble which was only inches away from the bottom of his feet. Despite the closeness of the debris, the uneven surface of the rubble still caused him to lose his balance and he fell on his back. Although the native's first reaction was one where he wished to express gratitude towards his rescuer, his smile quickly faded as he realized he was staring at an intruder. The man raised his left hand ahead of his body as he crawled away from her while still lying on the ground.

"Get away for me, you monster!", he barked, feeling more scared than anything else, "Why did you pull me out? You wanted to have my blood on your hands because knowing I suffocated wasn't satisfying enough?".

Without bothering to stay to explain herself, Sheeva only turned away from the native and began walking towards the street. It was then that she heard a reverberating explosion, one that wasn't loud but was dramatic enough to divert everyone's attention. She lifted her head and saw the cloudy sky oscillating for several instants before everything returned to normal again. From behind her, the man had stood up and walked towards her without realizing it as he also was staring up at the sky. The native felt a strange, nonthreatening sensation towards the four-armed giant because he now knew she could've left him to die but instead had chosen to save his life.

"What was that?", the human asked, meaning the explosion and the movement in the sky.

"I have never seen this before in my life", Sheeva whispered out loud to herself, realizing that the native did not understand that a Shokanite's life lasted for several centuries, "I have only heard rumors about it. It is a shockwave, a shockwave that all realms experience when one of them has been destroyed".

"Huh?", the man questioned, feeling more confused than ever.

"A realm has been destroyed", the Shokanite repeated, a mixture of surprise and worry on her face.

She felt the sudden and overwhelming urge to rush towards her home realm to make sure that it wasn't the one which was just annihilated. Closing her eyes, the Shokanite concentrated her willpower ahead of her until a portal emerged a few yards away. With the Earth native watching, she quickly walked towards it and vanished through the bright light.

"Thank you", the man said, though Sheeva was already gone and didn't hear him.

She stepped through the portal and was delighted when she felt the ground from her home realm under her feet. Sheeva sighed thankfully as she then saw two other Shokanites who had been there ever since they heard about Kahn's attempt to sacrifice them.

"It is about time you decided to return to us", one of them addressed her, "We began to suspect you were enjoying the comforts of the Earth realm so much that you did not wish to come back any more".

Sheevashook her head.

"Never", she replied.

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Jax had just loaded a fresh clip into his M-16 rifle as he and several of his soldiers rushed into a building because humans were spotted from an open window. Sub-zero had expressed a desire to come along, so the ninja was next to the private who rushed through the main entrance of the building first. Detective Olsen and officer Pensky served as part of the support force storming the structure from a back entrance.

The first sight major Briggs saw was five mutants who were surprised by his unwelcome visit. All five intruders dashed towards the natives, but didn't get to within three steps of them. The ninja raised both arms ahead of his chest and sent forth a gust of cold, each hand aimed towards a different mutant. The neck and head of both invaders instantly turned to ice as they were stopped and fell. The first mutant fell forward, his forehead impacting with the floor and chipping as a result and the second mutant dropping on his right side, never to get up again. Jax and a private were quick to open fire, efficiently halting the advance of the three remaining mutants with three bullets. While the three invaders dropped dead with a round in the head each, several other soldiers rushed up the staircase to get to the humans.

While waiting for his men to return and guarding the entrance against any further trouble from invaders, Jax saw Olsen, Pensky and two soldiers approaching him from the rear of the building. He thus knew that no one was spotted at the back of the structure or in the alley leading to it. It was then that everyone heard the distant explosion which seemed to shake the foundation of the building they were in. Jax heard his soldiers outside exclaiming incoherently, so he indicated to the others to stay inside while he headed for the entrance to investigate. Once outside, the major approached his men and saw the shocked expression on their face.

"What?", he asked with his rifle at the ready, looking for other mutants, "Any more?".

"No", one of the soldiers shook his head, "No, sir".

"Why did I hear you guys?", Jax relaxed his weapon only a bit.

"The...", the private pointed up, "The sky shook, sir".

"Come again?", Jax's eyebrows rose.

"He's telling the truth, sir", another soldier added, "The sky just shook".

"Wonderful", the major sighed, "Just when I thought I had seen and heard everything. Why the hell would the sky shake? What does it mean?".

No one knew. All the humans there just exchanged confused glances as they heard the approaching rotor blades of a helicopter. A military transport chopper soon landed a few yards away from their vehicles as all the soldiers and civilians turned their faces away from it to protect their eyes against debris in the wind. As Jax and the others watched, an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter then landed about thirty yards down the street from the first flying machine. An armed military officer soon emerged from both and quickly proceeded towards the major, recognizing him as the highest ranking officer in the area. A young escort then exited the first helicopter as he carried a rifle with a telescopic sight and followed his commander. Jax was the first to salute all three individuals as his soldiers soon copied his gesture.

"Major", the first officer out of the transport helicopter hailed back.

"Colonel", Jax replied, "What can I do for you?".

"It's what we can do for you, major", the colonel went on, "We're here to take these civilians off your hands, if you wish it. We are transporting as many survivors as we find to a hideout until this is over with".

"Great", major Briggs approved, telling himself it would be one less burden for him to worry about.

"The end should be soon anyway", the pilot from the Apache added, "Those horses have already vanished and the remaining forces of the enemy which opted to stay here have been decimated everywhere they turned".

Jax found a reason to smile. Things were finally beginning to look optimistic.

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Sonya opened her eyes and squinted as the bright sky in front of her face proved to be too brilliant at the beginning. She soon realized that she was lying on her back against a hard ground as she felt exhaustion like she had never experienced before. Every movement seemed to hurt as she bent her knees and elbows in an effort to sit up. Other than feeling extremely weary, though, she was fine. Her forearms were completely healed and she could open her left eye with ease, indicating the hammer blow was gone. Relieved, she also realized she could breath, meaning Reptile's acid wound on her throat was a thing of the past. An obstacle then blocked the white sky from her eyes as she groaned while rising to a seated position. She quickly saw that it was a face belonging to a human who was looking down on her.

"I haven't seen too many who were passed out during their trip here", Scott smiled as she opened her mouth and smiled back.

"Oh, man!", Sonya slightly shook her head, trying to lose the remnants of a headache, "Does this mean that I'm...".

"Dead?", the ninja finished her sentence when she stopped.

"Uhuh", she nodded while looking up at him.

"Afraid so", he let her know as he extended his right hand down towards her.

She gripped it and was pulled up to her feet.

"I don't believe this", she smiled as she was standing and looked into his eyes, "Me and you, here".

"There are worse fates I can think of", Scott agreed.

"This is great!", she embraced him as she had momentarily forgotten about Kahn and the invasion of Earth.

"But...", the kombatant suddenly froze as she pulled away, "The emperor".

"Kahn?", the ninja clarified.

She nodded, anxious to know the results.

"He's dead too. Earth is safe", he explained.

"So it wasn't all for nothing", she told herself.

"No, apparently not", Scott shook his head.

Sonya heard other, familiar voices from a short distance away. Turning her face, she spotted Liu and Kitana as the pair were involved in a zealous conversation with the monk's brother and another human who wore a hat with a metal edge. The giant Shokanite who had saved her life and those of her two fellow kombatants' against Goro also stood behind the hatted stranger, greeting the new arrivals.

"Liu also?", she thought out loud.

"Yeah", she heard someone other than Scott replying, "And it's about time you woke up. Any longer and you would've been asleep during your funeral".

Sonya saw Johnny approaching with the gray cyborg she had noticed when her friends originally stormed Kahn's realm. She was glad to see him, though unhappy that it meant the actor was dead too. The lieutenant wanted to return his greeting, and also ask where everyone else she had known and lost during life was. Images of her twin brother, lieutenant Richards, Ellison, Art Lean, Chris and even Shang Tsung appeared in her mind. She knew the sorcerer, though always having opposed her side in life, would need her support since he was likely to have many enemies in this realm. Before she was able to utter a word, though, just about everyone around her quieted down and stared in a single direction. A short distance away, a small boat hit the ground and stopped as it was sailing towards them on top of a crystal-colored sea. Hades stepped off the boat as he carried another unconscious soul on his shoulders. Sonya soon saw the reason everyone was silent all of a sudden. As the deity who was dressed in a cloak from head to toe placed the unconscious soul on the dry, dark ground, she saw that the person being delivered was Shao Kahn himself.

"I wouldn't wanna be him right now, that's for sure", Scott whispered at Sonya and Johnny as he stood behind them.

Kahn soon woke up and grudgingly began rising to his feet. Before he was completely in a standing position, Sonya saw an endless crowd of souls who were approaching him from one side. Despite the hostility between Kahn and the kombatants, none of the newly-deceased fighters made a move towards him. Instead, the kombatants seemed to be content to leave the emperor to the whim of the huge crowd which was nearing him, though he was still the only person not to see it.

"Who are those?", Sonya whispered as she turned her face towards Scott and pointed her right index finger at the solemn crowd.

"Every single soul that prick had enslaved in him when he died", the ninja murmured back, "And I doubt they're here to welcome him".

Kahn finally stood up straight, his seven-foot tall figure still groaning in pain. While still in a daze, he happened to take a glance towards a random direction and froze as he spotted the crowd which was still approaching him in a threatening fashion.

The human kombatants grinned as they knew that Kahn was about to get what he deserved.

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Rayden sighed with sadness as he felt the destruction of Shao Kahn's realm. His human kombatants were left with no other choice and had decided to wipe out the emperor's entire realm, along with themselves, his servants and his prisoners. The death of the mortals from the Earth realm as well as the demise of Kahn's innocent prisoners were a heavy price to pay to stop the emperor's evil, but the deed was successful. Shao Kahn would never terrorize, invade or conquer another realm again. The billions of souls he had enslaved in his never-ending lust for power were finally freed and would be allowed to rest where they should have been immediately after death.

He thought it was a shame that Liu, being his best kombatant, was not able to understand the vision he had sent into the portal in which the three humans and the cyborg were temporarily stranded. He had sent the vision to the monk because, as a deity, he had known that Liu did not possess the strength or endurance needed to defeat Kahn in a physical altercation. Instead, Rayden had hypothesized to himself that Liu's best chance to emerge victorious would've been to tap into his unused and mystical force. By remaining a safe distance away from Kahn, the monk might have been able to win the battle by solely relying on his arsenal of fire projectiles. Unfortunately, Liu had failed to comprehend the meaning of the vision before being woken up by his fellow kombatants since they were concerned. As Rayden was under orders to stay in the celestial palace until the end of the battle between his kombatants and the emperor, he was not able to go to Liu to explain the meaning in person. So the deity knew that Zeus had contributed to the death of his warriors. For that reason, the thunder god pressed his teeth together and vowed to himself that Zeus' position as chief of the gods would soon come to an end.

Looking down on the blue and green realm which he was assigned to, the thunder god told himself that Hades would have his hands full with the large influx of new souls. But at least his fellow deity would not be bothered by the knowledge that the emperor was keeping some of the rightful occupants of his realm away. A tired smile appeared on Rayden's face as he began imagining what was to come next in the fate of the Earth realm. With the most serious external threat and some of the most capable leaders gone, the realm was on the threshold of a new age.

Reminding himself of its history, the deity realized that he would not be allowed to rest for long. Earth's armies would soon decimate the remaining mutants and, with no one else to carry out Kahn's plans, would be free to govern the realm again. It would only be a short while before the natives recuperated from this latest blow and continued with their lives. Rayden knew that new heroes, and new villains, would emerge from the rubble of the realm which he had tried to protect. With the majority of his kombatants dead, all he had to do was wait until the new batch of warriors emerged so he could guide those mortals.

The deity sighed again. He knew he would never forget the mortals who had lost their lives fighting Kahn's evil, just as he had never forgotten the names and faces of all those who had come and gone before.

END

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