When the sun peered over the dull grey horizon, the mist over the beach began to recede with the water until the land seemed to stretch a mile further for the combatants that gathered.
Wood posts dictated their path and linen banners dedicated to the emperor and his kingdom decorated the battlefield. Among the crowd, Raiden, Liu Kang, and Sonya gathered on the edge of the group of Earthrealm combatants as the hooded Naknada stepped through.
Liu Kang listened to the hiss of their voice and the scratching of their throat as one spoke, announced the first round of combat for the combatants that had arrived.
There seemed to be more people on the island, and even Sonya noticed Kung Lao was not present. Raiden leaned to explain that there were several arenas chosen for combatants and to divide them up appropriately, the Naknada had taken groups to those locations. Only those that made it to the third round would fight in the courtyard before Quan Chi himself.
"The first match will be Earthrealm versus Outworld." A robed Naknada announced and pointed out toward the crowd of Earthrealm's chosen and pondered, "who will fight for their realm?"
Sonya felt the urge to push forward, but before she could move, Liu king and breached the threshold of bodies into the clearing. He wore simple black and red breeches and leather boots with cloth wraps around his wrists that lead up to the elbow. Simple, efficient design of choice for his first round as he wished to be unrestricted, much like his opponent.
"Good." The Naknada threw back its old, weathered hood and the robe itself fell toward its feet. "I am The Warrior, and I fight for Outworld, for emperor Kotal Kahn!"
He was somewhat taken back by this, but there was no turning back. The massive beast was tall, and revealed four arms that stretched out and cracked it's bones and knuckles, but behind it was another set of smaller, seemingly vestigial arms. They looked to grasp themselves like stumps against the reddish brown skin of the creature.
"What shall this fight be to?" It approached Liu and the clearing widened for them.
The Naknada wore as little as Liu Kang, just breaches and and a sash. It was more muscular than the others he had seen, and as he sized up his opponent, a voice called out from the crowd.
"To the yield!"
There was no acknowledgement from either combatant. The creature lunged forward and struck Liu with one of it's lower fists, right at face level and he staggered back to the line of bodies. The next strike was dodged and he moved behind the creature.
Liu Kang swept his foot around to sweep the creature off balance, but one of it's smaller arms reached out for him and startled the Earthrealm fighter. The second reached out for him, only to be met with a tight grip at the wrist. The creature's body arched back and its four arms tried to grasp at Liu as he used those two scrawny appendages to ascend the Naknada warrior and with a kick he jumped off, which forced the creature into the crowd that parted quickly for it to fall against the white sand.
The Native watched from afar, at the furthest edge beyond the Earthrealm combatants. When Liu Kang landed, he seemed amused, and caught the eye of the Thunder God. The two turned back toward the fight.
Liu Kang leapt at his opponent, his body twisted and left food came down in an arch against the creature's skull. The Naknada fell against its back and blocked the stomp and clenched tightly to Liu Kang's leg.
He twisted, he stomped, he tried to pull free, but the creature tugged him down and with two hands on his leg, held him in place, and the other balled into fists and jabbed at its opponent's abdomen. It threw him to the side him and pulled itself up with those tiny arms on its back.
"Do you yield, Earthrealmer?" The Naknada stood over him.
Liu Kang's response was to trap its leg in a vice between his and twist it to stagger the creature. He pulled himself up with a forward roll and used a straight kick to the gut to push it back. The arms grappled a crowd member for stability, but Liu charged and leapt at it with a flurry of kicks that pushed the creature into the crowd until Liu Kang was almost on top of them, the Naknada as his platform to then push off of.
The creature needed to untether itself from the crowd, which gave Liu Kang the moment he needed to regain his breath, to assess the situation, but as he maneuvered into right stance, ready to strike or defend from the creature's next move, the Nakanda brushed itself off and yielded.
"A strong showing, but it is not my place to move forward in the rounds." It explained and granted Liu Kang the victory.
"This was just a test?" Liu Kang couldn't understand. The creature refused to admit defeat, but he refused to win on the principal of it just being for show.
"A warm up, if you will. Now we may commence the true tests of might." Liu Kang wanted to strike it. To knock it to the ground and twist it's neck beneath his feet, but he stayed is body as he caught the eye of the Native, then Raiden and Sonya.
The creature hissed and called out the next combatant. Raiden intercepted, Liu Kang moved forward with him.
"Is this a tournament or a scam?" Liu pressed forward.
"Return to your place in the crowd." It reminded them as they peered around them, that though it fought bare handed, the other robed figures wielded weapons from staff to daggers.
As they retreated, the Native approached Raiden and Liu Kang.
"You should have killed him." He spoke low and his eyes searched Liu Kang's.
"Those are not the rules, Nightwolf." Raiden responded, but he did not hear him.
"You have no idea who you are, or what's to come." Nightwolf scrutinized Liu, spoke low so only the two could hear and stepped back.
Raiden turned toward the inner circle. Another fight had begun. The sea was grey and soulless. The native had disappeared into the crowd and Liu Kang's eyes met with his.
"What does he mean?" Liu Kang asked.
Raiden responded with silence.