It had been a year since the battle at Quan Chi's fortress, and Raiden had finally managed to hunt down the Deadly Alliance. The three were standing amid the army, Raiden prepared for a battle to the death.
"Your end has come!" he bellowed. Quan Chi and Shang Tsung exchanged a smile.
"I am very sorry to inform you thunder god," Tsung said, smirking, "But it is your end that has come."
He lunged at Raiden, who blasted him with a ball of electricity. Tsung flew backward, landing near the Soulnado. Then it was Quan Chi's turn. He shot a skull at Raiden, who ducked, and electrocuted him. Meanwhile, Tsung was drawing much needed energy from the swirling vortex of souls, which he blasted Raiden with. Quan Chi stood, along with Raiden. Tsung was still weak, so he recovered on the marble floor. Raiden attempted to hit Chi was a ball of lightning, but the sorcerer conjured a tall wall of skulls, easily blocking the attack. He couldn't hold it for long however. Raiden broke through the wall, only to be blasted by Tsung. Shang concentrated, creating a gigantic, fiery snake. The snake lifted Raiden into the air, smashing him full force into the ground. The thunder god was still, the light in his eyes gone. When they were sure he was truly dead, the sorcerers smiled.
"Finally," Tsung sighed, "We have destroyed the thunder god. Earthrealm will be ours in no time." He looked at his companion, expecting him to smile as well, but he didn't.
"Let me correct you," Chi said, "Earthrealm will be mine in no time."
Shang Tsung was unable to block the fiery skull. He held up a hand to protect himself, but Quan Chi only twisted it, resulting in a hideous pop. With amazing strength, Quan Chi lifted his former partner into the air, holding him aloft like a rag doll. He tightened his grip on Tsung's throat, laughing as a fountain of blood spewed forth from his mouth, then he let the body fall to the ground. He knew Tsung was not yet dead, but he would deal with him later. He was just about to laugh, when the ground shook. He looked toward the palace entrance, and his jaw dropped in shock. Striding toward him was a humongous creature, with lizard like skin and eyes that glowed red as rubies.
"No," Quan Chi breathed, "It cannot be..."
Surprisingly, Tsung had recovered enough to stand. He tuns to face the Dragon King.
"Onaga," he said quietly, "He has returned."
After a while, much to the surprise of the Alliance, Raiden joined them in gawking.
They looked at one another. Having no choice, they each began to shoot their own power at Onaga. It only succeeded in angering him. His pace quickened. Raiden stood back from the other two, he knew he only had one choice. Calling on every ounce of his strength, he chanted the ancient words that he knew would be his end. Quan Chi looked at him, eyes wide.
"What are you doing!"
In a brilliant flash of light, the palace, the army, Raiden, and the Deadly Alliance were destroyed. Alone among the smoking rubble stood Onaga, the Dragon King, unharmed. He knelt down the pluck his amulet from Quan Chi's lifeless body, and flew off into the night.
Kitana stared at the setting Edenian sun, it cast a pink glow across the white palace of the Royal Family.
"Kitana," said a somewhat familiar voice, "It has been so long."
The princess whirled around to find herself face to face with the Traitor of Edenia, Tanya. She had been banished long ago.
"What are you doing here?" Kitana asked, her voice seething with threat, "I swear by the Gods if you do not leave Tanya I will kill you!"
Tanya only laughed, "Hmmm, you tried that once before didn't you Kitana? You could not kill me then, and you cannot kill me now."
Kitana rushed forward, only to be knocked to the ground. She tried to rise, but was pinned by the pressure of a boot on her back. She could barely crane her head enough to see her sister.
"Ah, me dear sister," Mileena laughed, "How I've missed you."
"GUARDS!" the princess screamed to no avail.
"No use in that," Tanya told her, "We have taken care of them."
Mileena looked at Tanya, "Take her away, I must deal with my mother."
Tanya hauled Kitana up, and vanished in a flash of yellow light. Mileena smiled to herself, how nice it would be to see Sindel once again.
A few months later...
Amilee was lounging on the couch in her apartment. It was good to be back in her own body, but news of Raiden's death had dampened everyone's spirits. She sat up, just as Ashlynn bursted through the door, looking frightened and excited all at once.
"You are not going to believe this!" her friend said.
"What?" Amilee asked.
"Okay," Ashlynn started, "Raiden isn't dead. The Elder Gods have given him another chance to defend Earth against..."
Amilee interrupted her, "Defend Earth against what?"
"Onaga," Ashlynn replied simply.
Amilee's brown his widen, "Onaga? Quan Chi told me about him once but..."
"Oh," Ashlynn cut in, "And about Quan Chi..."
"What about him?" Amilee asked, a little nervously, "He's dead."
"Well yeah, but well," Ashlynn was stumbling over her words, not sure how to tell Amilee, "I don't know!"
Then, Raiden appeared, startling both of them almost to death. He paced around the room, furious.
"She's right," he said, "Quan Chi is not dead. He is only trapped within the Netherealm...again."
Amilee seemed confused, "But isn't that a good thing?"
"Yes and no," the thunder god replied, "We will need him to defeat Onaga, because he is the only one who knows how."
Amilee flopped back down on the couch, head in her hands.
"Someone must journey to the Netherealm and convince him to..."
Amilee shot him a look that could melt steel.
"No," she said, "I will not go!"
"Fine," Raiden answered, crossing his arms, "I will send Ashlynn."
Ashlynn gasped, "Me? No I can't..."
"I can't go anyway," Amilee said, "He would kill me on sight."
Ashlynn raised an eyebrow, "Oh and he won't kill me?"
"She is right," Raiden said, "You will have a better chance of convincing him Ashlynn."
Ashlynn looked like she wanted to cry, "I don't wanna..."
Raiden's normally compassionate demeanor completely disappeared.
"This journey must be taken," his voice was harsh, "I am not giving you a choice!"
The two women stared at him blankly.
"Okay okay," Ashlynn said, "I'll go."
Without a second thought, he transported her.
"Raiden!" Amilee screamed.
"I did not want to give her a chance to change her mind," the thunder god replied indifferently. Amilee continued to glare at her as Jay Yung walked through the door, without knocking like usual.
"Raiden?" he asked. Raiden nodded, and proceeded to tell him of Onaga, and how he'd sent Ashlynn to the Nethrealm. Jay looked like he would strangle him.
"You what? You sent her to the Netherealm to find that sick bastard who almost killed her last year!"
Raiden only stared at him, "I had no choice. Someone had to go, Quan Chi is our only chance."
Jay took a deep breath, trying to keep his temper under control.
"I understand that," he said, "But I don't want her there alone. Send me Raiden."
Raiden continued to stare at him, then nodded.
"You may follow her," he replied, "But do not let the sorcerer see you."
Jay was about to say something, when Raiden transported him.
Amilee rolled her eyes, "You really have to stop doing that."
Ashlynn looked around. She was standing in the middle of some sort of town, but it was the ugliest town she'd ever seen. The corpses strung from many of the houses did nothing to help her feelings. The air had become almost unbearably hot, so she pulled off her jean jacket and slung it over her shoulder. There weren't many people out, and those that did walk about were most definitely not human. Ashlynn knew she had to ask someone for directions, so she hopped off the portal platform and approached the nearest resident.
"Excuse me," she said. The man in the blood red robe turned, startling her. His face looked as if it had been severely burned his eyes were inky black, and his teeth were tiny pointed knives.
"Yes?" he hissed.
Ashlynn grimaced, "I'm looking for a sorcerer named Quan Chi. Do you know where I could find him?"
The demon man seemed surprised, "He arrived a while ago, and was not happy about being sent back here. He slaughtered many of this city's resident upon his return. But if you really wish to find him, he headed west, toward the old temple ruins."
Ashlynn nodded, quickly walking away from him. She was but a few feet from the gate when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm glad you didn't leave before I got here," Jay Yung said. Ashlynn smiled, feeling relieved to see him.
"I can take care of myself you know," she replied. He only smiled back.
"I'm not supposed to let Quan Chi see me," Jay said, "But I'll follow a ways behind you."
"Good," Ashlynn sighed, "I've heard he's west of here, we should get going."
Just after Jay vanished, Raiden turned to Amilee.
"Before we can take on Onaga," he said, "We need to figure out what his plans are." Amilee stared, not knowing where he was going with this.
"I need you to travel to Outworld Amilee, find out what he has planned."
"Ha!" Amilee laughed, "I'm not going anywhere near that thing!"
Raiden's eyes sparked, "You will do as I ask!"
Amilee sat down on the couch, "What's wrong with you Raiden? Ever since your rebirth or whatever it was, you've been different."
Raiden sighed, some of his anger disappearing.
"I'm sorry," he said, "It's just that this is not like the battle with the Deadly Alliance. Onaga is a much stronger opponent. I have to be harsh with you, or you will fail."
Amilee tried hard to understand, "Okay, but you don't have to yell at me."
There was a knock at the door.
"Jeez, is my house like party central or something?" Amilee shook her head and opened the door to find Cherin and Maria. They were of course shocked to see Raiden, and once again he had to explain the situation.
"Maria," he said, "Travel with Amilee, I don't want her to go alone."
Maria's mouth fell open, "I'm not going back to..." Before she could finish he transported both her and Amilee, leaving Cherin alone with him.
"I have an important job for you," he said. Cherin didn't like the sound of his voice.
"Go to Edenia. Find Jax, Sonya, and Sarah, and tell them what has happened. Then I need you to talk with Queen Sindel, find out if she knows anything yet."
After Cherin was gone, the thunder god was left alone with his thoughts.
"I hate to be so forceful," he said aloud, "But they will thank me in the end."