Chapter 6: The Finals
Li Jing was the sole kombatant to make it as far as she had. Sonya was eliminated by Sheeva, Johnny Cage by Cyrax. Li stood in Shang Tsung's throne room, she had been preparing for her fight. Ermac appeared out of nowhere, he looked around the room. "This is my latest creation, Ermac. He is many warriors, all fused into one." Shang Tsung announced. "Be careful Li Jing, he is not like anything you have fought before." Liu Kang told Li Jing. Li got into fighting stance, Shang Tsung looked at the young woman. "Li Jing, you are the sole Earthrealm kombatant to make it this far. Are you ready?" He asked her. Li Jing nodded, Ermac got into stance.
Ermac and Li Jing fought evenly, the might of Ermac's many tortured souls and Li Jing's combination of The Great Kung Lao, Kung Lao, and Liu Kang's souls and bloodline proved to be a stalemate for the two warriors. Li Jing finally had enough, she delivered a flying bicycle kick to Ermac. Followed by a fire ball, which stunned the warrior. Li Jing punched and kicked at Ermac furiously, the warrior halted her with his mystical power. He levitated her in the air, and furiously brought her down on her knees. Li Jing was stunned, Ermac capitalized and kicked the downed Li Jing. She quickly stood to her feet, he kicked at her again only to be countered with a grab to his right leg. Li Jing kicked Ermac in the stomach before delivering a back kick to his head after side stepping him. Li Jing summoned up all her might and delivered one final blow to Ermac in the face, ending the fight.
The rest of Earthrealm's eliminated warriors applauded Li Jing, she looked upon them favorably and gracefully bowed to them. Shang Stung looked at Kitana, and Kitana nodded. "The tournament will resume tomorrow." He told everyone. Liu Kang approached his daughter. "Originally you would be facing Scorpion tomorrow. He dropped out after Quan Chi's death, instead you will immediately face Goro. Be wary of him, he has never been defeated." Liu Kang told her. "Yes Lord Liu Kang." She replied. Li Jing retired to her room, Shang Tsung had given his Earthrealm visitors a lavish room to sleep in when the tournament wasn't going on. She looked in the mirror at herself, she noticed her beauty and the robes she wore and somehow thought that being a Shaolin was not her destiny.
The next day Li Jing and Liu Kang were in the garden outside of Shang Tsung's temple. "Remember mine and Bo Rai Cho's teachings, they will prove formidable against Goro." Liu Kang told Li Jing. Liu Kang disappeared in a cloud of flame, leaving Li Jing by herself. Kitana threw her fan blade at Li Jing, missing her by a hair. Kitana approached Li Jing, who now held the blade in her hand. "I believe this is yours." Li Jing told Kitana. Kitana didn't say a word, she threw the other blade at Li Jing. Li caught the blade and threw them both back at Kitana, the princess dodged the blades and attacked Li Jing. Li finished the fight after blocking Kitana's first three attacks, then countering with a kick to the face. Kitana fell to the ground. Li Jing looked down at her, and Kitana looked up. Neither of them knew what it was, but they felt a kinship towards each other. Like they were connected. "Kill me, I deserve death." Kitana told Li Jing. "I won't kill you, stand princess." Li Jing said before holding out her right hand containing Kitana's fan blades. Kitana took them and stood up, in the background Liu Kang watched the exchange feeling a déjà vu.
That night at the final tournament, Li Jing was sparring with Liu Kang. The rest of the disqualified kombatants stood around, until Shang Tsung appeared in a blaze of flame. "Welcome to the semi final of the Mortal Kombat Tournament. This round will have challenger Li Jing vs Prince Goro." Shang Tsung announced. Li Jing was teleported by Shang Tsung into Goro's lair. Li turned around and there stood a four armed well built monster almost seven feet tall with razor sharp teeth. "Seems the Shaolin pick the sorriest warriors to fight on their behalf." Goro told her. Li Jing had a vision, The Great Kung Lao and his fight with Goro hundreds of years before. Li Jing knew how to beat the Shokan.
Li Jing took a page from Johnny Cage's book, she did the splits and punched Goro in his testicles. The Shokan groaned in pain, Li saw a set of chains hanging low and she jumped on them. Using her natural acrobatic skills, swung on the chains and jumped off over Goro's head. She landed behind him and done a jumping spin kick, landing perfectly with Goro's face. Li Jing when tried to sweep his leg, but his massive legs were too strong for her to budge. Li then slid in between Goro's legs and finished in front of him, delivering an uppercut as he was bending over. Li Jing then jumped on her hands and tried to wrap her legs around Goro's neck, Goro grabbed her legs with his top arms and started punching into her ribs with his bottom set. Li grabbed his right arm and hugged it, just before getting one leg free and kicking Goro in the face. Stunning the Shokan, she wrapped her legs around his right top and bottom set of arms and locked them in place. With all her might she snapped Goro's arms out of socket, he cried in agony before she landed on her feet, she grabbed his left set of arms and used it as leverage for a head scissor. She landed on her feet and as Goro was trying to stand up, she charged at him. With all her might, she delivered a scissor kick that landed perfectly to Goro's temple.
She stood looking at the fallen Goro, she raised her left hand and was instantly transported back to Shang Tsung's throne room. Everyone seemed surprised, except for Liu Kang. Shang Tsung nodded. "Congratulations, now you have one more obsticle." Shang Tsung told Li Jing. "Me." Shang Tsung said after a long pause. Li Jing got into fighting stance, Shang Tsung immediately summoned a fireball and threw it at Li Jing. Li caught the fireball with her own powers, and threw it back at him. Shang Tsung dodged the fireball, and ran at Li Jing. He threw two kicks to her face, where she blocked and elbowed him to the face. Shang Tsung stepped back stunned, he shook it off and started throwing jabs to Li Jing. Li blocked the punches, she ducked his kick and swept his leg. She stepped back and let Shang Tsung stand, he disappeared and re appeared a few feet in front of her. Li Jing did a flying bicycle kick which knocked Shang Tsung on his back. Li Jing finally did a cartwheel kick finishing Shang Tsung, Li had won the fight. She looked at the downed Shang Tsung. "Say it." She told him. Shang Tsung nodded and sighed. "I concede." He replied in a defeated tone.
At the Wu Shi Academy, everyone was lining up in front of Raiden. Li Jing, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade. "You three fought well on Earthrealm's behalf, I am honored to fight by your side when the time comes again." Liu Kang told them. They all bowed and looked at the fire god, he approached Li Jing and smiled. "You are a great champion and defender of Earthrealm, I have no doubt you will succeed as Earthrealm's protector when the time is right." Liu Kang told Li Jing. Li was in monk robes during this encounter, her revealing battle attire put up. Raiden, the Academy's minister, approached her. "You done well, I am honored to have you among our order. All of you, eat, celebrate, and enjoy Earthrealm's freedom." Raiden told everyone.
Shao Kahn's Throne Room, Outworld
Shang Tsung kneeled before the great emperor, Shao Kahn looked angry with his servant. "Sorcerer, you cost me my chance of merging Earthrealm with Outworld. I should destroy you where you sit!" Shao Kahn screamed. "Emperor, I have an idea. A second tournament, if Earthrealm declines. They forfeit." Shang Tsung replied. Shao Kahn thought for a second. "Very well, I will grant you the opportunity to go to Earthrealm and tell Liu Kang. You will need an edge if you are to win." Shao Kahn told Shang Tsung, before absorbing a soul of his strongest guard and giving it to Shang Tsung. The sorcerer was instantly youthful and spry, he stood up absorbing the soul just granted to him.
Wu Shi Academy
Liu Kang, Raiden, and Jax stood under an awning, Jax was smoking a cigar. "Earthrealm won the tournament, but the fight is far from over." Liu Kang told them. "What do you mean Lord Liu Kang?" Raiden asked in response. "There will be a loophole, all will be revealed soon enough." Liu Kang replied. Shang Tsung, Baraka, and Reptile stepped through a portal and approached the three. "I see your master gave you a new youthful appearance." Liu Kang said. "Yes, along with an edge I need to win a new tournament. Outworld challenges Earthrealm to a new tournament to be held in Outworld." Shang Tsung told Liu Kang. "What if we say no?" Liu Kang asked "You won't." Shang Tsung replied. He snapped his fingers and two Tarkatens came with Li Jing in their arms. "We will take the girl with us. If you value her life, you will compete." Shang Tsung told them. A portal appeared and the Tarkatens along with Shang Tsung, Baraka, and Reptile stepped inside before closing. Liu Kang did not forsee Li Jing getting kidnapped, he wondered why he couldn't. He looked at Jax and Raiden, he was in disbelief at what had happened.