"Jax look out!" Both axes swung down, and Jax froze. The others could only watch as the giant axes came down on their friend. Then, like a flash, a form emerged from thin air, knocking Jax forward with its massive weight. The guardians' weapons came down on nothing, hitting the ground. Jax stood shakily with the help of Liu and Sonya as Kitana tried to glimpse whatever had saved him.

All she could make out was a form moving swiftly over the field, and her ears picked up a near-silent whinny. Smiling she turned back around.

"It seems as if your guardian was indeed watching over you, Jax." He shook his head, squinting to get a better look, but the form was gone. Sonya smirked.

"Guess you're not as true as you thought, eh?" she joked, hiding her question. He threw a glare at her, which made her laugh harder, and they continued on their way. As they approached, Liu leaned over to Kitana and whispered.

"Looks like the Black Tower," he commented, and she nodded. Sonya ignored it, shoving those thoughts from her mind. She did not need a trip down memory lane; not when she was so close.

They entered the main hall quietly and quickly, not wanting to disturb anything that might be lurking around. Sonya looked around, noticing five dark hallways leading from the main room.

"Which way now?" she asked quietly, her voice echoing softly.

"Our best chance is to keep straight," Jax said, his military training kicking in. "If that doesn't work, we'll start from the left and go right. Don't take any turns unless necessary, and keep track. We don't want to get lost." Once again, Kitana took the lead, followed by Jax, then Liu and Sonya. The darkness enveloped them as they ventured down the hallway.

They walked for what seemed like hours until Kitana made out a pinpoint of light at the end of the tunnel. She voiced it, and sighs echoed from the group.

"Finally," Sonya smiled, "I was beginning to wonder if we were in a never-ending tunnel." They crept closer, careful not to disturb anything. They looked back, but could not make out the other end of the tunnel.

"Now, we didn't make any turns, right?" Jax asked. Everyone shook their heads. "Alright then, that was easy." They kept moving and exited, breathing a sigh of relief at fresh air. But they all stopped short at the sight before them.

They were standing on a ledge not five feet deep that overlooked a pool of souls. Millions upon millions of souls were swimming about, bathed in an eerie green light. The ground shook suddenly beneath them, and a piercing white light shone above them. A commanding voice bit out harsh words in a foreign language, and Kitana grimaced.

"He's asking why we have disturbed the Keeper of Souls." Sonya stepped forward without hesitation.

"We have come for the soul of Johnny Cage of Earth Realm!" she yelled at the light. Booming laughter followed her words, then more of the voice.

"He wants to know if we have the key," Kitana translated dejectedly. Jax took a step forward.

"Key? Rayden didn't say anything about no key!" he yelled. Sonya was about to agree violently when Liu laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned and a scroll filled her vision.

"The Elder Gods gave it to us before we left, remember? They told us to present it to the Soul Keeper." Sonya nodded and took it, turning around to face the light. She held up the scroll in both hands, awaiting whatever it was to take it from her.

After a few excruciatingly slow moments, the scroll slowly lifted from her hands and sailed into the light. It turned deep blue for a moment, before shifting to gold and red.

"Rayden has chosen his warriors well," came a voice from behind them. They whirled, ready to fight, and came face to face with an older looking gentleman.

"Yowan?" Liu questioned. The man inclined his head and turned.

"Follow me." He began to walk to the left, over the edge, when his foot connected with solid ground. The four followed and soon found themselves in a small room. A pedestal was raised in the center, giving off bright light.

"This is the portal to your realm." Sonya started forward.

"But what about –"

"Have a safe journey." Before they could argue or protest, they were projected into the portal. Sonya jumped up, looking around her, letting out a frustrated yell when she realized she was back on Earth at the Temple of the Order of Light.

Jax stood too, and moved to hold her from injuring someone, but all he got was a swift kick to his midsection and a near-crying Sonya. "How the hell did we get back here?" she yelled. "We did everything asked of us! We succeeded!"

"Yes, you did," came a voice from behind her. Rayden descended from the clouds, accompanied by a lone figure, who stood next to the god, smiling.

"Johnny!" three voices chorused. Liu, Kitana, and Sonya rushed forward, eager to greet their once-fallen companion. Kitana kissed his cheek while Liu shook his hand heartily. They stepped back and he engulfed Sonya in a bone-crushing embrace. Her arms clasped around his shoulders and she held on for dear life, as if he'd disappear if she let go.

The Thunder God cleared his throat after a while, and Liu laughed silently. As Sonya pulled away, she felt his lips brush over her shoulder. Johnny smiled at them all and stepped forward, towards Jax, holding out his hand.

"Johnny Cage," he said happily. Jax shifted his eyes between Johnny and Sonya for a moment before taking the actor's hand in his firm grasp.

"Major Jackson Briggs," he replied, "Jax," he added at Sonya's look. Rayden put his arms around Johnny and Jax's shoulders.

"I think it's the start of a beautiful friendship!" he exclaimed, causing them all to roll their eyes. "What?" he asked.

"Give it up, Rayden," Sonya scoffed, cherishing the feel of Johnny's hand in her own. As if reading her thoughts, he squeezed her hand lovingly. Kitana crooked her arm through Liu's as he spoke.

"I am inviting you all to a celebration feast at the Temple tonight!" he called, leading Kitana away. Rayden laughed and pushed Jax after them.

"Go on, have fun. And remember," he began. Jax and Sonya turned around.

"You'll be watching," they said in unison. He smiled and nodded, watching his "children" walk away before vanishing in wind and thunder.

Johnny slowed his pace so they fell behind the three ahead. He laughed to himself for feeling nervous; he never felt nervous around women! It took him a moment to realize they had stopped completely, and Sonya was eyeing him strangely.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly. He stroked her hand with his thumb and nodded.

"I am now," he replied, chuckling when he realized how corny it sounded. "Sonya, I don't really know what to do now," he admitted.

"What do you mean?" she asked, a slight fear building in her stomach. Her mask stayed firmly in place, not daring to hint at her growing anxiety.

"Sonya, the only thing that's ever mattered in my life has been my fame. Movies were all I've ever had. I craved attention from the populous, soaking in every hint of adoration. But now, that desire, that one yearning in my life has been replaced by you. And it scares me to death." She said nothing for a moment, and he was about to turn away when he saw a glistening in her eyes. Then, unexpectedly, a tear fell from her eye and rolled down her cheek. She moved and buried her face in his chest, breathing in his scent. His chin rested atop her head, and her mind rumbled as he spoke.

"Guess we're even now, huh?" he asked. She snorted through her tears and slapped him lightly on the arm. Wiping her face, she pulled back, taking in the love that radiated off the man.

"Hey, you two coming!" Jax called from the temple steps. They snapped their heads over and laughed. Sonya threw Johnny a sly look and took off towards her best friend. Johnny laughed and ran after her, determined to catch her. He came up behind her, and when she looked back to see how close he was, she increased her speed, pulling ahead of him by a good length. She was catching her breath when Johnny jogged up.

"You…are…really fast…" he panted. She laughed as Jax nodded his agreement, and the three followed Liu and Kitana into the main hall.

The monks had prepared a celebratory feast in their honor and the hall was adorned with the tournament's dragon symbol. Sonya sat between Johnny and Jax while Liu and Kitana occupied the other side of the table. Grandfather stood and began addressing the hall.

"Today is a day of great celebration. My grandson, Liu Kang, defeated the sorcerer Shang Tsung to win the tournament." Cheers broke out, and the children waved their banners. When the noise died down, he continued. "He then went on to defeat Shao Kahn, closing the emperor's illegal portals into our realm and saving us. On this journey, he was aided by Princess Kitana, of Edenia realm." Cheers broke out for her. "Sonya Blade and Jackson Briggs, of America." More clapping and cheers from the monks echoed in the hall. "And Johnny Cage, who gave his life so that his friends might go on." A chorus of cheers erupted. "We thank you all for fighting for the fate of the world, and winning."

The food was divided up and everyone began to eat. Johnny was reminded slightly of the Feast of Heroes on Shang Tsung's island, and when a group of monks stood for an exhibition, Sonya shared his look. They watched in fascination as each level was demonstrated and explained by the elders.

When it was all done, it was dark out, and the monks retreated into the temple, where the warriors could not follow. Liu slapped Johnny on the back, then bowed grandly.

"Come on, guys, I'll take you to our sleeping accommodations." They shook their heads at his antics and followed him to one of the towers. They all separated and found basins of warm water for bathing in the rooms, and extra clothing on their beds. Sonya had finished washing the grime from her body and had changed into loose fitting black pants and a white T-shirt when a knock sounded through her room.

"Come on in, Johnny," she called quietly, and the actor smiled as he entered.

"How did you know it was me?" he asked, water dripping from his damp hair.

"Lucky guess," she returned. She sat down on her bed, and he joined her, taking her hand in his.

"So, where are you going after this?" he said, gesturing to the whole temple in general.

"Back to Hong Kong. I have some things to finish up there with Special Forces and the Black Dragon."

"But you killed Kano," he said, more as a question than a statement.

"I did," she said, almost proudly, "but there are others like him, possibly even worse, ready to take over his position as soon as they hear of his death. What about you?"

"I don't know. I was thinking about it as I was bathing. I used to find it exhilarating, portraying heroes, rescuing innocent people, sacrificing valiantly for the cause, all for the benefit of the movie-goers. But, now that I've done the real thing," she smiled at him, "I don't know, I guess movies have lost their glamour."

"So you're giving them up?" she asked surprised.

"Well, retiring, is more like it. I have more than enough money to last the rest of my life, and I don't need movies to fill my life anymore." He kissed her hand tenderly.

"J-Johnny?" her voice quivered as she spoke.

"What would you think about me moving to China? I'm sure I could find a place in Hong Kong."

"And what about when I'm reassigned? You can't just pick up and leave every time I move," she stated.

"Why not?" he asked, complete sincerity in his voice. She stared at him for a moment, trying to decipher what he was saying. Finally she gave up, and asked him outright.

"Look, Sonya, I love you. So much in fact that I'm willing to wait my entire lifetime for you. If that's how long it takes, then so be it, but I'm never leaving your side again." She sat stunned for a moment, tears pricking her eyes, but she was not going to cry in front of him again.

After a few silent moments, he stood, kissing her forehead, and bid her goodnight. She barely responded before he smiled and shut the door. She pulled the covers back and blew out her candle, reveling in the peaceful darkness that engulfed her small room.