A/N: Hey people.

Before kicking off the main story, I'm going to make a Three-Part Prologue to set up the plot. The Prologues won't be as long as the Main Chapters.

Let's begin!

Roughly 10,000 years before the MK Tournament

Benjamin's POV

Edenia.

Some would say that it's a paradise for the people who inhabit it, and most would agree.

The realm in comparison to others in mind is an Eden. Serene atmosphere, ideal weather, and mesmerizing landmarks. The sole flaw, if there ever was one, is that the Edenia people are somewhat fickle and vocal on their feelings.

When word spread throughout that I took up Necromancy to assist the Edenian army, they made their inner feelings known.

"Dr. Maddox has lost his mind!"

"He's planning on revolting against King Jerrod!"

"He'll kill us all!"

It was through this I learned that Edenians, for the most part, have one-track minds. They hear something wrong in theory or on paper, they're quick to judge. Only a handful of people knew of my true intentions after acquiring this knowledge. Most people called me insane, which was where I got the moniker, 'Mad Man Maddox.' Some even called my loyalty to Edenia into question. Overnight, I became shunned, an outcast. Not long afterward, they started treating my sister, Callie Ann, the same way. She ran into me while I was in a marketplace.

"Benji! You're out in public?"

I rolled my eyes. "What did you expect me to do, Cal? Overwork myself in the name of His Majesty? Please. I heard rumors that he thinks less of me now because of what I've done. No use crying over spilled milk. And what of you? The general public treats you like garbage now, do they not?"

"To an extent. But since I'm General, they can't really do much, probably scared I'll kill them if they go too far, which I probably will. I'm surprised they're so vocal with you, however," Cal pointed out.

"I don't share your... violent aura. "I'm merely an Advisor and Battle Medic, neither a prestigious position as General, I'm afraid," I told her. "Multiple people can fill my shoes at a given notice. General, however, is one of a kind, especially if you lead them. You get by better than I do."

"How can you be so calm about this? I'd be furious If I were in your position."

"Don't get me wrong, Cal. I'm ready to lash out against the next person who questions my loyalty to Edenia. However, people have started to relent recently."

She nodded. "Good. We're loyal to Edenia, not King Jerrod and Queen Sindel."

"Right," I said before a pause. "Thanks for standing by me though it practically did nothing for you."

"You may not think that I had a choice, but I didn't. We're family, siblings. It doesn't matter what you do, I'll stand by you always. Home is where the heart is, Benji."

"Hehe. Did you get that from a fortune reading, Cal?"

She playfully pushed me. "Oh, be quiet, Benji."

Just then, a soldier approached us. "Dr. Maddox. A wounded soldier is waiting for you in your office."

"Tell him I will be there shortly."

"Of course."

The soldier quickly left, clearly one of the few who didn't know why I took up Necromancy. I guess existing Warlocks like Quan Chi and Shinnok is enough to warrant mistrust, regardless of allegiance. At any rate, I have to see my next patient.

"Cal, have you been overworking the soldiers again?"

"Not this time. However, if he does say that I'm involved, then I wouldn't be surprised. Besides, we have to make sure the army can stave off any threats. That is why I work the soldiers hard."

"Pacing is apparently not your thing." I then turned around. "I have to go see this soldier. I'll see you later."

Cal gave me a quick hug. "Ok, be careful, Benji. You never know what the public will do now."

I headed for my Doctor's office, seeing the soldier in question sitting in a chair. He shifted a little after I entered. Giving him a quick up and down, I see a few wounds on his arms and chest. None were deep, but they were many of them.

I finally spoke. "Are those wounds the extent of your injuries?"

"Y-yes, Dr. Maddox. I received them during our sparring session with General Maddox."

An irritated sigh left me. "Callie is overworking you all again. She needs to learn to pace herself. Does it hurt when you stretch or move your arms?"

I had him stretch those specific limbs. "Somewhat. General Maddox's Knife Work is amazing."

"I should know. She is my sister." There was nothing else of concern that I saw from the wounds. "Since your wounds are quantitative as opposed to being qualitative, I'll simply give you some ointments. Had they been worse, I would most likely have to use a Healing Spell."

I took out some rubbing ointment from one of the cabinets in my office. "Rub these on your wounds twice for the next few days. Until those wounds are healed, do not report for duty even if General Maddox calls you in. If she does, tell her what I told you. Understood?"

He nodded. "Yes, Doctor."

"Any questions before you're dismissed?"

That brought his caution, the guy looking visibly uncomfortable. Maybe I shouldn't have asked in hindsight.

"Never mind. You may go."

"Actually, Doctor... I do have a question."

"Go ahead."

"Is it true that you plan on overthrowing King Jerrod?"

I took a deep breath, mostly to relent from yelling as it wasn't his fault. "What makes you think that I plan on overthrowing His Majesty?"

"A lot of rumors have been circulating ever since you took up Necromancy. I'm not like the other soldiers. I have a feeling that you did so for a genuine purpose. All I was looking for is confirmation, Doctor."

"Fair enough. I'm not planning to revolt against His Majesty, and he can keep his position for all I care. I'm simply a Doctor and lack the skill to govern an entire realm. I like where I am right now, for the most part, anyway. Anything else?"

"Why did you take up Necromancy?"

"The million koin question. I did this because with the spells learned from Necromancy, you can apply many more war strategies. It becomes tiresome running the office as well as being the Royal Family's Advisor. So, the gist is for the benefit of the army, and ease of personal stress. Is that all?"

"Yes, Dr. Maddox."

"Then you're dismissed. Should I write you a Dr.'s Note for General Maddox?"

"If you don't mind."

"Not at all. Sit tight," I said before obtaining a piece of paper and pen before swiftly writing the note. I then handed it to the soldier. "Here you go. Remember, no service until the wounds are healed."

"Understood. Thank you, Doctor."

The soldier upped and left the office. I started cleaning up the place as I haven't been here in days. While doing so, I heard someone enter. I turned to see it's Callie, her expression troubled.

"Cal? What's wrong?"

"I just received a report that our scouts have returned from their voyage in Outworld. They gave me this."

She handed me a letter. Besides the fact they survived the voyage being the only favorable outcome (Which I didn't approve of), the report stated the scouts were caught by some of Shao Kahn's men. He had shown a keen interest in invading Edenia through the Mortal Kombat Tournament.

I sighed in annoyance. "This whole fiasco could have been avoided if King Jerrod listened to my words about sending scouts to Outworld of all places. Now I have to tell him of this report and try to dissuade him from doing anything that will harm the realm. Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Cal."

"If you don't mind, brother, I want to accompany you," Cal requested.

"Say no more. With you joining me, maybe the words I say will have merit behind them." I said in response.

"Let's wait no longer."

We left after I finished cleaning the office, not knowing that I would never enter it again after this day.

Boldly, we marched to the Edenian Palace and make our way to the throne room. King Jerrod and Queen Sindel sat on their respective thrones, awaiting our arrival. Queen Sindel, one of the few who openly supported my decision to become a Warlock, is elated to see us both. King Jerrod, however, didn't feel the same way.

"Dr. Maddox, General Maddox. I did not summon you here, what brings you both here?" King Jerrod asked sternly, most likely because of my presence.

Respectfully, we both knelt down. "Your Majesty, the Scouts have returned from Outworld requested that I give you their report."

"Ah, yes. I hope what they learned is fruitful," the King stated.

Queen Sindel stood up. "I will take that, Dr. Maddox. I must say that you have done a wonderful job as Royal Advisor, despite your divisive decision to study Necromancy."

"Many thanks, my Queen. Your words do me a great honor. Here is the report, Your Highness."

She walked down to us as we both stand back up. I handed her the report, and she returned to her seat before giving it to her husband. He silently scanned the document, shock evident on his face while becoming increasingly impatient.

Finally, King Jerrod broke his silence. "So... the Scouts were caught during the voyage, and now Shao Kahn has requested to hold a Mortal Kombat tournament with Edenia's independence at stake." The King directed his anger at my sister. "General Maddox, why did you send Scouts who were liable to get caught!?"

Unaffected by the outburst, Callie calmly answered, "Your Majesty, those were the best Scouts we had. No one in the Edenian Freedom Fighters expected them to get caught. However, if I may express my thoughts, if you had listened to Dr. Maddox's advice of not sending them to Outworld in the first place, we would not be in this situation."

"As much as your words hold value, General, I will not listen to the advice of a Necromancer. My wife's opinion of you and your accolades beforehand are nulled due to this decision."

"But Your Majesty, I'm your Advisor. You hired me because I hold a calm head in terms of how to advise you and Queen Sindel to better run Edenia. If you do not take my advice into consideration, what's the point of having me in the first place?"

"The Doctor makes a great point, Jerrod." Sindel intervened before her husband fired back. "He did advise you to avoid Outworld unless they confronted us first."

"It matters not. Despite his ultimately correct assumption, we have placed Edenia in a stiff corner. Dr. Maddox, since you wish to do your job so much, tell me." His mocking voice came as no surprise. "What should I do with this invitation?"

I gave him an annoyed look despite my better intuition to chew his ass out. "Must I spell it out, Your Majesty? Deny the invitation! Despite your decision to send Scouts against my disapproval, you can loophole your way out of participating in the tournament by simply finding a foreign realm's Scouts in your realm without consent. It isn't enough of a reason to request a potential invasion. All you simply need to do is deny the invitation and have Shao Kahn deal with the Elder Gods on the matter. With Lord Argus as one of the Elder God's council members, the chance of them approving his request is staggeringly low."

"A very sharp observation Dr. Maddox." Even the Queen agrees with my sentiments. "Everything he just stated could not have made any more sense, Jerrod."

I bowed in respect. "Thank you, Queen Sindel."

"A fair point, Doctor," King Jerrod interjected. "But what if the request is approved?"

"Then we have no choice to participate. But like I previously stated, the chances of that happening Milord are slim to none."

"If you wish to be diplomatic, King Jerrod, I can survey the Freedom Fighters and see what they think. However, I can make a safe assumption they will not approve of a tournament, and neither will I. Freedom Fighters find their strength in numbers. If we decide to participate, then we can only send a small number of soldiers. Though most can handle themselves in single kombat, they are not well enough trained to handle Outworld warriors when they inevitably start cheating. Losing ten consecutive tournaments gives Outworld free reign to invade, leaving the Freedom Fighters too fatigued to stand a chance," Callie stated confidently.

Once again, Queen Sindel voiced her approval in our ideas, further reinforcing that she's on our side. "A fantastic idea, General. We will do-"

"Quiet Sindel!"

Silence swiftly surrounded the room as well as looks of shock from Callie's face, my own, and even the guards. Queen Sindel was quite disturbed as well. During my time in their service, King Jerrod and Queen Sindel were the epitome of a picture-perfect married couple.

This sort of disarray was insane!

"Why are you taking his side, Sindel!? He is a Warlock and plans to revolt and overthrow us both! Yet you insist having him stay where he is! Explain yourself!"

Queen Sindel's shock was then replaced with an agitated expression. "Dr. Maddox has done many immeasurable services for Edenia and its people in his years of service if you haven't noticed. And with his request to have General Maddox become the General of the Edenian Freedom Fighters has strengthened our army many times over. The fact he became a Warlock should not be reason enough to forsake his altruism, Jerrod. A man like the Doctor would never even consider the thought of revolting against us. He knows better!"

"I've had enough!" Jerrod shouted.

His sanity finally gave way to paranoia, his breathing suddenly heavy and disgruntled. At the same time, both eyes were ready to pop out of their sockets. "The fact that you practice Necromancy, Dr. Maddox, allows me to see through the illusion that is your altruism! Edenia will defend itself against Outworld in the Mortal Kombat!"

Needless to say, I was furious. Callie Ann noticed my inner rage and tried vainly to calm me down. "Benji, relax."

I stopped myself before I did something I would come to regret. But I can feel my clenched fists shaking. "But Your Majesty-"

Jerrod would have none of what I had to say no longer. "Shut your damn mouth, Maddox! You have it out for me! I know it! You and your sibling!"

"Excuse me!? We would never-"

"SILENCE, CALLIE ANN!"

Callie was taken aback by this sudden outburst.

"Edenia will defend itself in the Mortal Kombat Tournament! And you two will make up two slots on Edenia's team!"

We both look at Jerrod with clear disapproval. "Despite our disapproval of such a rash and admittedly stupid decision!?" I angrily inquired.

Angered further by my tone, Jerrod made his purpose clear behind our forced inclusion. "I hope you both die before the tournament concludes. That way, Edenia will be purged of the lingering possibility of you two turning against me."

That was the last straw. "Then that is all I needed to hear."

Everyone gazed at me in confusion.

"If I cannot persuade you to choose another way out, I cannot force you to do so."

Jerrod laughed triumphantly, foolishly thinking this discussion is over. "Very good. Now, get out of my sight at once."

"I was not finished with my statement yet." I immediately shot back, the venom seeping out of my tone. Callie looks at me with further confusion. "Don't expect me to participate in the Mortal Kombat Tournament. For one, I'm sick of your souring opinion of me, Jerrod."

The room reverts back to shocked expressions. Jerrod looks like he is ready to burst.

"Remind yourself of whom you are speaking to, Maddox!"

"I know exactly who I am speaking to Jerrod. A question if I may. How do you expect me to participate on Edenia's behalf if I am not an Edenian citizen?"

The King and Queen knew where this was going. "Don't you dare-" he began.

"As of right now, I, Doctor Benjamin Maddox, renounce my position as Battle Medic for the Edenian Freedom Fighters. Also, I renounce my position as Advisor of the Royal Family. And finally, my Edenian Citizenship."

Vindicated, I took my badge of service and threw it on the floor, doing the same with my Duster that held the Edenian symbol on its back. Much to my shock, Callie followed me in my decision.

"I will do the same." She tore her badge off and took off her General's Duster. "I, General Callie Ann Maddox, renounce my position as Lead General of the Edenian Freedom Fighters. And also renounce my Edenian Citizenship."

"Best of luck trying to find warriors who are willing to engage in this bloodshed, Jerrod. We wish you the best in your future endeavors," I spat out as we left the Palace.

We heard a loud slap, possibly from Queen Sindel slapping the taste out of her husband's mouth.

At least she still thought highly of us.

We returned to my office to plan our next move. "Now what Benji? What are we supposed to do after that?" Callie questioned me.

"It's best to leave Edenia before Jerrod sends soldiers after us. Not to worry. I have a plan."

"You do?"

"Being a Warlock has its perks as Necromancy isn't the only thing I've practiced. I have gained access to another plane of existence entirely. Gather your weapons, Cal. The Maddox siblings are moving out."

She nodded before leaving briefly, coming back with holsters for her favorite Combat Knife. "Ok, let's go."

Not as soon as Cal said that, we hear noises coming from outside the house. "Dr. Maddox! Please come back! We apologize for treating you poorly! We were scared of you! You have to think about how we felt!"

The voice was female, but neither of us could tell exactly who it was. I had a gut feeling it was Sindel and wouldn't be surprised at all. However, time was short before Jerrod sends his armies to have us captured, possibly executed.

"Let's get out of here," I said before casting a portal Spell.

"A portal! When did you learn this?"

"Not too long ago. Spells like these aren't that hard to conjure along with Healing Spells."

"Oh, right. Where does it lead?"

"To a place called the Nexus. Come, we'll talk more about where to go after we pass through."

"Ok. See you on the other side," Callie said before running through the portal.

I took one longing glance at my office. Everything I built here was from the ground up, and bigoted ruler ripped it all away from me. Not all Edenians deserve blame for our departure, but it hurts too much to think about now.

"I'm going to miss this place." I murmured sadly before heading into the portal, saying goodbye to Edenia for the last time.

After making it to the other side, I see the destination was correct. We are in the Nexus Arena. I closed the portal before anyone else can come through.

"What is this place?" Cal asked as she looked around in awe.

"This is the Nexus, a purgatory between realms. Only Warlocks and those favored by the Elder Gods can travel here. We should be safe for now. But since this a void, we cannot survive here."

"That much is clear. But where can we go? Do you only have the ability to summon portals that lead here?"

"No, I can go anywhere. I learned the skills of Necromancy in the Netherrealm. We should go somewhere where we can lay low for a while."

Callie immediately got to thinking as do I. She then snapped her fingers in realization. "How about Seido? While not as long as us, we can seep into the common folk there easily."

"Yes, but they uphold stringent laws. And knowing you, Cal, you don't like following the establishment unless you are the establishment."

"I know, but we are both extremely capable Kombatants, no? We can facilitate change in Seido!"

"And how in Argus' name are we going to do that?"

"Simple, start a rebellion."

"Just the two of us?"

"We can make it if we try," Cal sang.

I rolled my eyes. "You think a two-person rebellion will work?"

"You overestimate the Seidan Guard, Benji. Their one-track mind makes them easily manipulative, so long as we keep a keen eye on what's going on. We'll never get caught and win the waiting game since we'll outlive everyone there," she stated.

I keep forgetting my sister is a War General beneath that innocent exterior. "You definitely get your aggressive nature from Papa."

"And you get your calm, reserved nature from Mommy. What do you say, Benji?"

"Well, I don't have any better ideas for now. We'll go to Seido, but I will be looking into other realms for a better location. Even though starting a rebellion will add to our natural excitement, we can only do it so much before we inevitably get bored."

"Fair point. Let's go to Seido!"

I summoned another portal, and we pass through, entering the Realm of Order, where we would stay for nearly 10,000 years.

A/N: And that concludes Part 1 of the Prologue Trilogy!

I think I did a good job expressing The Maddox siblings' Renouncement of their Edenian lives. What do you guys think? Did you like it? Did you not? Let me know with a Review or a PM.

Also, check out my Profile and give my other stories a read! I decided to focus on this one for a bit as I'm currently suffering from Writer's Block on Blazing Story. Here's hoping that working on another project will do something to fix that. Anyway, I'll see you all later.

Bye Bye!