And so many more matches fought until finally it became Sonya's turn. As she made her way to the arena, it seemed as though she was the only female competitor, yet she had a purpose to be here. The thoughts of her captured men were running through her mind, were they being tortured or perhaps worse? The images filled her head, she saw her men starving to death and being brutally whipped and tortured. Blocking these images out of her head, she continued to walk forward, until finally she reached the arena.

"All right, let's see." She said to herself, waiting in the arena, until her opponent approached the other side of the arena. He was fairly tall, and had the muscles to build. He cracked his knuckles a bit, but when he saw his opponent, he immediately burst out into laughter. This laughter annoyed Sonya, she knew the cause immediately.

"Don't think that just because I'm a woman, I can't kick your ass!" She was fuming and it clearly showed as she took her fighting stance. When Shang Tsung announced the word to begin the battle, Sonya leapt into the air and swinging her foot around struck her opponent across the face, he lost his balance, but Sonya did not relent, taking her other leg, she swept him across the face again, causing blood to come out of his mouth.

"Wow…" Johnny said, in shock.

"Yeah, she certainly knows how to kick some ass." Liu added, amused and impressed at the same time.

"You know, you gotta admire a woman like that. She has a great mind and a great fighter to boot." Johnny said, admiringly.

Liu turned his head sharply and replied to him. "It's not just her mind that you're admiring."

"That's true." Johnny admitted, casually.

Meanwhile Sonya had knocked her opponent back several feet and with a mighty kick to the chest, she had knocked him flat on his back. His chest heaved up and down heavily. Sonya had won the fight.

"Flawless Victory." Shang Tsung declared and with that Sonya made her way back to the stands.

"I don't care what I have to do to win, but I will rescue my men no matter what it takes." The fire burning deep inside her, she continued to walk, proud of herself and her victory.

In the stands, Sonya retook her seat.

"Good job, Sonya." Liu commented, admirably. "You're quite a good fighter."

"Thanks." Sonya said, then turning her head, she looked at Cage, who did not say a word. "You have anything to say?" she asked, irritated.

"Nope. Not one thing." He said, quickly. "Absolutely nothing."

"Well, as though I needed your compliments."

"Well, good for you." Johnny retorted angrily.

Sighing, Liu interrupted. "You two sound like an old married couple, you know that?"

And so as the battles came and went, the man Sonya had been waiting for, Kano had come to fight, Kano chuckled and took out two butterfly knifes. The battle was most brutal, the spectators watched in horror as Kano mercilessly stabbed his opponent to death after a short while.

Liu was overcome with disgust at the methods applied, Johnny. however watched in sheer shock. While Liu Kang and Johnny Cage watched with disgust and shock, Sonya sat with her fist clenched at her side. She was familiar with Kano's tactics, he enjoyed every moment of it. She recalled how her partner died…

"Damn you Kano." She thought angrily and then she and the others watched as with sickening thud, Kano's opponent fell to the ground, dead.

Now it was time for Sub-Zero's turn, as he stepped onto the arena, he eyed Shang Tsung. "Well, no sense in trying to do the job here." But still, the sudden appearance of Raiden troubled him, had he came to repeat his warning or was Raiden's appearance unrelated to him?

Sub-Zero recalled that two years ago, he had been sent by the sorcerer Quan Chi to steal the Map of Elements, he had killed a man mercilessly there, but he did not dwell on it. Upon using the Map, Sub-Zero was able to steal a sacred amulet from ancient temple, however the sorcerer proved treacherous and would use it to free the fallen Elder God, Shinnok from the bowels of the Netherrealm, although Sub-Zero at first did not care and believed he was bluffing. However, the words of the Thunder God Raiden convinced him to recover the amulet, he did so, but the revelation that there was evil in his soul had bothered him. He dismissed it as a bluff and continued to serve the Lin Kuei.

Now as Sub-Zero fought through his match, he wouldn't argue that his opponent was a good fighter, but being a Lin Kuei Warrior, he had no doubt he would emerge victorious.

Meanwhile, Scorpion watched as his hated enemy did battle against another warrior. Unlike the other spectators, he knew what would happen should Sub-Zero win, he experienced that himself.

The man Sub-Zero had killed when acquiring the Map of Elements was Scorpion himself. However, he was not always a specter known as Scorpion, once he was a member of the Shirai Ryu, a ninja clan, the Lin Kuei's rivals. His real name: Hanzo Hasashi, a family man.

As Scorpion watched Sub-Zero lay blow after blow down upon his opponent. He instantly had flashbacks to the night of his murder: the merciless beating, the brutal tactics used, the cold and emotionless look in his eyes as he did the deed. By now Sub-Zero's opponent was on his knees and Sub-Zero walked forward, Scorpion knew what was about to happen.

"No… please…"

The pleas for mercy brought back a memory inside Scorpion, his own pleas for mercy were refused by this assassin. Scorpion was a ninja too, but he was a believer in mercy and followed the code of ninpo. Now as Sub-Zero, grabbed his opponent's neck, Scorpion watched as Sub-Zero tore his opponent's head off with the spine dangling beneath, the spectacle stunned the ground, who had never seen anything like this; the cold, unemotional, uncompassionate murder. Scorpion knew it well…

Now it was Scorpion's turn to fight, and he stepped down into the arena, the words of the ones who allowed him to return to avenge his death running through his head over and over again…

"Do you want to avenge your family and clan's death?"

"Yes."

"Then we will grant you the opportunity you have desired for these two years in Hell. However, you will be making a terrible risk. For if you fail again, then your undead body will be destroyed and you will become a damned soul roaming the Netherrealm. Do you accept?"

"I do."

Scorpion had more reasons to kill Sub-Zero than for what he did to his family and clan and his merciless murder at his hands. Sub-Zero had not only taken away his life and family, but also his honor. Scorpion, though a ninja tried to maintain a sense of honor and nobility. He did not join the Shirai Ryu by choice. He recalled how his father forbad him from joining. Scorpion did not want to join, but his wife and child were desperately in need of money and Scorpion had no choice but to join.

O-O-O

The first round of the tournament had passed and the warriors were taking a well-earned rest. As the other warriors relaxed and eat their meals, Liu Kang found himself unable to rest. He got to his feet and started to walk out.

"Where are you going?" Sonya asked.

"Out." He said, quickly and without a word, he vanished behind the door.

Deciding not to pursue the matter, she turned and saw Johnny stuffing his face with food. "So you got divorced right?"

"Yup." He said, as he continued to stuff his face.

"Big surprise." She said, sarcastically.

With these words, Johnny immediately put his food down and turned to Sonya. "You know what is it with you?" he asked.

Upon these words, Sonya turned her head sharply. "Excuse me?"

"Every time I try to talk to you, you just push me away. You always insult me or just uh well, hit me. Why? What the hell is your problem?"

Sonya was stunned by this question; she did not know what to say. "I…. I…"

"On top of that, what is it you have against that guy Kano? What'd he do to you?"

"I… I…" Sonya said, stunned. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Come on." Johnny urged. "Tell me."

"I…I… it's kind of a sad story…"

"Well… go ahead. I've been in a few drama movies."

"Well, for starters, I haven't exactly had a happy life. I had a twin brother, his name was Daniel. He died of cancer a year ago." Sonya said, sadly.

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."

"Anyway shortly after, I joined the Special Forces and was assigned to track down members of the Black Dragon. I had a partner his name was Jack. I was green at the time and he showed me the ropes. He taught me how to fight. I owed everything to him. Until the day, we tracked the Black Dragon to an abandoned warehouse in New York Harbor.

"We captured many members of the Black Dragon, but Kano proved to be tough bastard. I tried to prove myself to Jack and show that I was ready to be a full fledged Special Forces member, I was stupid. Kano nearly killed me and before he could finish me, Jack jumped in the way and Kano ripped out his heart, I was the only one there to see it. He died to save me…"

For a moment, Johnny stood too stunned to speak, unable to know what to say, he slowly placed his hand on her shoulder…

O-O-O

Meanwhile, Liu returned to the Warrior Shrine, what he was looking for, was information. "Raiden! Raiden! Are you here!" he shouted. Suddenly without warning a bolt of lightning hit the ground and once again the Thunder God appeared.

"You called?" He asked.

"Raiden, I want to know about the original Kung Lao, what happened to him between his defeat of Shang Tsung and death at the hands of Goro?"

Raiden paused, he was not sure if he wanted to tell Liu Kang the whole story yet. "That… I cannot tell you yet."

"Why not?" Liu asked.

"Because you are not ready to know yet." Raiden said, calmly.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Liu asked, sharply.

"No… I am not." Raiden said, silently. "I take it though you do not know the full legends of the tournament?"

"No, I don't."

"Tell me, Liu Kang. What happened to you before you joined the White Lotus Society." Raiden asked, curiously.

A deep look of sorrow came over Liu Kang's face. "Well… I know the names of my parents… Lee and Lin Kang, but otherwise I know nothing. They died when my brother and I were infants. We were taken in and raised by the White Lotus Society of which my father was a member, my brother Chow and I grew up, close to each other. I promised him that I would always look after him; we were trained by the Society to be Shaolin Monks. I heard legends of the Mortal Kombat tournament and my brother and I wanted to become warriors and we both desired to be the Champion.

"Many years passed and I came of the age of 18, my brother had received the final phases of training to become Shaolin Monks. As, we traveled around the world searching for new challenges and adventure, we were attacked by strange creatures, and all I remember is that they had blades coming out of their arms and strange teeth. My brother and I fought them all. However, I had foolishly underestimated their numbers. Chow fought well, but he was stabbed in behind…. He died almost immediately…. I was overcome by rage, as I held my brother's dead body in my arms, I lost control of myself, I blindly attacked the mutants…

"I reigned blow after blow down on the mutants until…. Until…. I killed one… it was then I came to my senses and realized what I had done. The blood on my hands was heavy, I had broken the strictest Shaolin belief… never commit murder. I had dishonored myself, and my brother and the Shaolin. I broke down to my knees and screamed my lungs out… afterwards I buried my brother and vowed I would never kill again."

For several moments, there was silence. Liu Kang bowed his head sadly. Raiden silently nodded and said. "It is getting late, Liu Kang. You should get some rest. We will talk more tomorrow night."

With a slight nod, Liu turned and walked away leaving Raiden alone in the cold, silent night.