Back in Earthrealm, Sub-Zero waited in his temple for the return of Triborg for an entire day. He would not have to wait too much longer as Triborg marched into his chambers unannounced, "For too long have you been a thorn in my side, Liang! You have no right to retake this fortress!"

"It belongs to the Lin Kuei!"

Triborg mocked him by showing off his medallion, "But you are not the grandmaster anymore."

Sub-Zero tackled Triborg to the floor, trying to freeze him in the process. Triborg tossed him into the ceiling and flew away, "You're going to have to do better than that!" He shot missiles out from his wrists, hitting Sub-Zero in the chest. The explosion flung Kuai back into the wall with a loud crash. He smashed right through the wall.

Triborg flew in after him and bragged yet again, "Hah! A pathetic gesture! I have no use for this temple anyhow, I'll rebuild! And when I do, I'll be back!" He flew back out the doorway, making his escape.

Kuai got back up and started up a continuous stream of ice. He slid on the ice, catching up to Triborg in the hallway. Triborg turned back to him, "You can't keep up with me!" He flew out further, leaving Sub-Zero behind. The grandmaster continued racing after him, he would not let Triborg escape.

Two Lin Kuei warriors were walking in the hallway when they were knocked over by the flying cyborg. They were ready to pull themselves back up until their master raced past them, still sliding on ice. One asked, "Do you need any help, grandmaster?!"

He shook his head, "No! I'll take care of him myself! No more will die by his hands." Triborg turned back to him, "How will I ever be rid of you?!" He shot missiles out from his back, all aimed at his arch-rival. Kuai acted quickly, maneuvering out of the way of every missile. Triborg doubled the missile count and shot them again. Sub-Zero chose to instead block all of them with an ice wall. Triborg shook his fist, "You'll never catch me now!"

He shot up through the ceiling, leaving a hole in his wake. Still thinking on his feet, Kuai shot an ice pillar beneath him thusly raising him high into the air. He leapt up when he was close enough and grappled onto Triborg's legs. He froze them up, causing Triborg's jets to deactivate. The two of them came hurtling back towards the ground. Sub-Zero leapt off, leaving his cybernetic rival to crash. He slid back down on a stream of ice, thinking he had finally ended Triborg's menace.

He couldn't be more wrong. Triborg got back up and tackled the Lin Kuei master. Sub-Zero slid out from under him and smashed his head into the stone floor. Triborg started twitching and smoke leaked out from his vent. He flew back up, turning towards Liang.

He approached the grandmaster, his glowing slit-like eyes flashing rapidly. Kuai shot ice at him, but Triborg teleported away in a puff of smoke. He reappeared behind Sub-Zero and kicked him to the ground. A blade popped out from his wrist, "You're finished!" However he got lucky, as Frost came in and froze Triborg. Sub-Zero nodded back to her, "Much obliged!" She nodded back at him, "Let me help, I can stop him!"

"No you can't," Sub-Zero said, "Leave! I don't want him hurting you."

Flames shot out from his wrists, all aimed at Sub-Zero. Liang quickly rose an ice wall up, blocking the flames. Triborg broke through the ice wall and picked Kuai up, "You're going to pay for taking the Lin Kuei from me!"

As if by another glitch, Triborg dropped Sub-Zero. This gave the grandmaster a chance to trip Triborg up and freeze him to the ground. Triborg did not stay ground for long, as he broke out from the ice and continued his assault on Sub-Zero. The two of them traded punches until Triborg again suffered a form of glitch and started malfunctioning. The ample time provided allowed Sub-Zero to sock Triborg right in the face. At this point it was clear to the both of them these were not an ordinary form of glitch.

Triborg got back up, even more smoke whirring out from his the vents and cracks in his armor. He held his head, "What's going on?!" Inside his mind he heard another voice, the voice of Cyrax. Triborg's fist shook violently, as if something else was trying to take control. Triborg gasped, "Impossible! I…I made sure to wipe out all of your memories!"

Cyrax soon took control of Sektor's voice, "Not so, Sektor! I took you with me once, I'll do it again!" Triborg punched himself in the face and shot missiles at himself. Sektor took control yet again, "You can't do this! Think about it, Cyrax! This could be our empire! Think of us not as separate beings but as one and the same!"

"I'd rather be dead than be merged with you!"

Sub-Zero could only watch in awe as the two struggled for control of Triborg's body. Cyrax turned to Sub-Zero, "I'm sorry, for all of this."

"It's not your fault," Kuai assured him, "please don't self-destruct. I can still save you!"

Cyrax sorrowfully shook his head, "There's no saving me like this, Kuai. The only way I can find peace now is through death."

Sektor again took control, "If I can't survive…then I'm taking Sub-Zero with me!" Triborg slowly lurched towards Kuai. Cyrax took control for one final time, "Run, Kuai!"

Sub-Zero ran out from the chamber as he heard a loud explosion shake the temple and echo throughout the mountain. He opened the door, finding Triborg's head on the ground. The eyes that were once alight went dim and his medallion was down on the ground, having survived the explosion. He picked it up, "Your second sacrifice will not go unnoticed, old friend."

The other members of the Lin Kuei approached him. One of them asked, "Is it over?"

"It looks like it. The threat of Sektor will never rise against us ever again." He held his helmet over his heart, sad to see Cyrax have to give himself again for the safety of the Lin Kuei but at least Triborg was gone for good this time. Just to make sure, Sub-Zero had all of the remaining parts of the mechanical menace placed in storage, all separated.

Today is the day that Shao Kahn will take back Edenia, at least that's what he thought. Before he left, he coated his body in blood hoping that it would camouflage his deep burning red eyes. They were his most obvious feature after all.

He departed, limping his way to the palace. To truly feign injury, he collapsed onto the ground as soon as he entered. A set of soldiers picked him up. One asked, "What happened, soldier…?"

"It's Shao Kahn," Shao replied in a weak voice, "he's coming back and he's as strong as ever."

The guards turned to each other, unsure how to take this news. Edenia was having enough trouble with the Sons of Shao Kahn but now they had trouble with the real deal? As quickly as Edenia came back together, it almost seemed like it was falling apart again.

The soldiers took Shao up to the throne room. Kitana was pacing around the room, completely stressed out. She figured that being queen might be hard but she wasn't prepared for it. She looked at the fallen Shao thinking he was an injured soldier, "What happened to him?!"

"Shao Kahn," Shao whispered, "he's coming."

She drifted off. Even if Shao had been weakened, she dreaded him. He was the man who killed her father, he was the reason her mother committed suicide, and his name alone strikes fear into her core.

Jade walked inside, "Kitana, I've heard about Shao Kahn. What do we do?"

"Have our forces patrolling the border of the bog," Kitana commanded, "He can't possibly take on our entire army if he's still weakened!"

The soldiers obeyed, making their way out of the palace and to the border. Shao remained on the floor, still faking his injuries.

Kitana knelt down to what she thought was a grievously injured guardsman, "Please just rest. We'll get you to the infirmary."

Just as soon as they were about to take him away, an explosion rocked the palace and smoke filled the throne room. When they turned around, they saw a gaping hole where the thrones once were. Standing in the center was the leader of the Sons of Shao Kahn. She laughed maniacally, "Well look what we have here, the princess and her bodyguard!"

"I am a queen now," Kitana reminded her.

"Oh but you hardly are," the terrorist taunted, "You're a pretender!"

Jade took up her staff and raised it at the threat, "You will either leave now or face the consequences." Kitana pulled out her fans, "If you fail to comply, then that's your problem."

Shao Kahn, still on the ground, wondered just who this mystery woman was. Not only that but he was infuriated that she overtook his plan! Still if Kitana was killed in the ensuing battle, that would mean he could easily take it from whoever this was in all of this chaos.

The terrorist tackled Kitana. The queen pushed her off, and stabbed her right in the abdomen. Jade leapt in and bashed the bomber's head in with her staff. The anarchist shook her head, "Using weapons in a fistfight?! So dishonorable!" She pulled out a pair of sais, attacking Kitana and stabbing her in the thigh.

Kitana pulled the sai out, recognizing it. She then realized the identity of the attacker, "It can't be! You're supposed to be dead!"

The bomber pulled off her mask, revealing Kitana's face. She grinned, revealing sharp teeth under her new lips, "That's right, sister! I've been brought back and I'm here to take my throne back!"

Jade gasped, "Mileena?! Should've figured…but what about Tanya?"

"Dead," Mileena answered, "she sided with you fools until the very end. A surprising show of loyalty from her! I'm quite sad about it actually don't let my smile fool you. I really liked her." She threw her sais at Jade, which Jade deflected with her staff.

Kitana tripped Mileena up, sending her to the floor. Jade then smashed the staff against the clone's head. She griped, "Two against one?! Again so dishonorable of you, sister!" She turned around and grabbed Jade's staff. She pulled it out from her hands and threw it out the hole in the wall. She stabbed a sai into her stomach and kicked the green-clad warrior onto the floor. She smirked, "Much better, now it's just you and me."

Kitana called out to her best friend, "Jade!"

They wouldn't be alone for long as Ermac burst in through the door, picking Mileena up and forcing her against the wall. This was now Shao's chance, as he grabbed onto his ankle. Ermac quickly detected Shao's presence but by then it was too late. Shao drained away a part of Ermac's power, regaining his back in the process. He stood back up and threw off his disguise, "I really needed that Ermac. Thank you."

Kitana now recognized that voice now, "He infiltrated us and I never even knew it? I can't believe this."

Mileena was so happy to see him, "Daddy you've come back for me!"

Within seconds, Shao socked Ermac in the back of his head. He chortled confidently, "I am Shao Kahn, true ruler of Edenia!"

Ermac floated back up and sighed, "Has your exile taught you nothing? Is there really no changing you? We thought there may've been a chance for you, Shao. For all you've done, we thought that maybe the protector of Outworld was still there. But is this all there is to you? We know if we kill you, you'll come back. You always find a way. Is that what you want? A continuous cycle until you win?"

Shao's anger overcame all sense of reason, "You're a traitor Ermac! I won't listen to your lies! Nobody controls Shao Kahn!"

Kitana shook her head, "There's no reasoning with him. I've known him for eons and he's never changed."

"You're wrong," Ermac said to her, "we know that Shao Kahn has a sense of mercy. Back in the arena he refused to kill us, even if he knew he could."

"Don't listen to them," Mileena interjected, "They're fools, daddy! You're perfect the way you are."

Ermac disagreed, "You know where this will get you, Shao. We can sense your unease, you've seen what happens if you do win."

Shao knew, he absolutely knew. That vision he had the night before of his victory was something that never left his mind. Was that truly it? Was a descent into madness guaranteed if he won? Shao stepped back, "I do know. What of it? I'd rather win and go insane rather than fail and live with it. I am Shao Kahn, future ruler of all!"

Their conversation was interrupted as a shockwave shook the entire area. Kitana was quick to blame Mileena, "Was that one of your bombs?"

"No," Mileena answered, "not as far as I know." When they looked to the hole in the wall, they could see a great pillar of light rising out in the Edenian desert. Another shockwave violently rattled the area, causing many buildings to collapse. Kitana leapt out, knowing this was of greater importance than their petty squabbles.

Mileena and Shao followed but Ermac stayed behind, engulfed in his failures. He thought he could change Shao, he really did. What a fool he was to believe that. He knelt and held his head in his hands. However he was not alone. Jade knelt down next to him, "Are you alright?"

He looked away from her, "We've failed. The cycle is doomed to repeat itself, nothing changes." She wrapped her arm around him, "That's a lie and you know it. You've changed, haven't you? Don't say no, I know you have…"

Before Ermac could reply, she fell onto the floor again. The sai wound had taken its toll. Ermac could feel her heartbeat stop, she was dead. The construct of souls couldn't believe this, she couldn't be! He lifted her up with telekinesis and removed the sai from her stomach. After that, he concentrated as hard as he could. The wrappings on half of his face were lifted away, wrapping around her wound. The wrapping patched her up and he tried his hardest to get her heart started again. It worked, her heart started beating again. She looked back to him with a smile, "See? You wouldn't have saved me again if you hadn't changed. I suppose I owe you for that."

"You owe us nothing," Ermac said, "Consider this repayment for believing in us. Stay here, you're in no condition to fight." She kissed him on the cheek, "And that's my repayment for saving my life. Now go."

Ermac gave a silent nod, flying towards the pillar of light. She looked out the hole, "I hope he'll be okay."

Within the depths of the Netherrealm, Noob Saibot continued to anticipate Havik's return. Instead what he found is that Blaze would instead be brought in by two Brotherhood of Shadow warriors. The fiery elemental was being held in their grasp, still not in his final form.

Noob was most pleased to see Blaze, "I can't say I was expecting this! Look at this, he instead came to us. How nice. Call in Havik, I want him to see this."

He snapped his fingers, arising from his throne, "Take him to the dungeon! Get Daegon, this is our time!"

When Blaze next awoke, he was shackled to the wall within the dungeons. Around him were Daegon, Sareena, Enenra, Havik, and Noob. Noob cupped Blaze's chin, "Look who's awake."

Blaze's blurry vision soon cleared, seeing his captors. He turned to Daegon, "I came here to help you, Daegon. I know Shinnok has been manipulating you. You must—"

"I must nothing," Daegon interrupted, "I'm making my own destiny now, Blaze. I'm not a pawn in my mother's game or Shinnok's. I know she wanted me to 'save the world' but I'm not going to do what she wants. I'm not going to do what either of them wants of me!"

Noob agreed, "You're your own man now, Daegon. You don't need to do what anybody says, you're always in control."

Blaze shook his head, "He's manipulating you! I know there's good in you, somewhere. In the little time I knew you, I knew you were something better than this."

Daegon thought back to when he was sealed away. It was in the middle of the night, while he and his brother were sleeping. Neither of them had knowledge of what was going to happen. All that they knew is that they would be going on a great quest to save the world when they woke up. They both thought they'd be awake the next morning but instead, it wouldn't be for many years.

As Delia snuck in to have them sealed, Daegon had woken up just before she could have the spell placed on him. He turned to her with tired eyes. "Mom? What are you doing," he asked groggily.

She sighed, "Daegon, I need you to go back to sleep. Please, do it for your mother."

He got out of bed, "Why? Just what were you doing?!"

"Daegon please, listen to me," Delia tried to reason with him, "You need rest for tomorrow."

It was at this point Daegon caught on to what she was trying, "You're going to seal me up, aren't you?"

"Where did you get such a ridiculous idea," she questioned, trying to brush his suspicions off.

"I overheard you and father talking about it," Daegon answered, "is that it? And you don't even bother letter Taven or I know. You know we would've said no! What's this all for? Tell me!"

She had nothing to say, choosing to instead cast the sleep spell on him right then and there. Daegon fell to the ground, his last memory before sleeping the resentment he felt for his parents. While they had hoped that as time went on, he would hopefully realize how important this was in his sleep they couldn't be more wrong. Instead the resentment stewed as he was frozen. When he was prematurely awakened, there was only one thing on his mind and that was revenge.

Returning to the present day, Daegon's scowl only increased the more he thought about it. What about poor Taven? He can only wonder how he was taking this. Havik waved his hand in front of the Red Dragon leader, "Helloooooo? Are you alright?"

"Fine, just fine." Daegon looked to Noob, "So what are we going to do now? Do we kill him here?"

Noob had a different idea. He raised both of his hands, bellowing an incantation in a dead language. Green energy surged out from him and into Blaze. The life slowly drained out from Noob's body, leaving it a lifeless husk. Noob had completely transferred his consciousness into Blaze. This form of corruption turned Blaze's flaming orange body into a deep burning indigo. Armor-like stone formations rose out from his body, including a mask-like formation where his mouth was. Blaze was no more, Noob had completely taken over.

Noob broke out from the restraints, landing onto the floor. He rose back up, relishing in his newfound power, "We're one step closer, gentlemen."

"What does this accomplish for me, though," Daegon questioned.

Noob laughed, "It accomplishes nothing!" He shoved the Son of Argus onto the ground, stomping on him, "Blaze was right you fool! I've manipulated you and now you've outlived your usefulness! You couldn't find Blaze, you had most of your clan destroyed, and you are a poor pawn! What Shinnok saw in you I'll never know?" Daegon slipped out from Noob's foot and looked like he was ready for a fight…until he realized he was outnumbered. He instead chose to run, narrowly escaping a doomed fate.

While on the run he realized there was only one person to turn to and that was Taven. He had to warn him, he had to warn everyone before Noob managed to accomplish whatever he was planning. Enenra turned to Noob, as if he wanted to chase Daegon down. Considering the Brotherhood controlled the Netherrealm they could easily catch him.

Noob instead chose to let him escape, "Let him run, let him warn them. I want everyone to be there when the time comes. Come along, everyone! We must be at the Pyramid of Argus before everyone else arrives." The Brotherhood departed, making their way out of the Netherrealm.

Daegon knew by now that his brother would be in Earthrealm. And where in Earthrealm would he be? The Sky Temple of course! That's where Raiden would be and he'd be the one he'd turn to.

Within the Sky Temple, Taven along with Kenshi were conversing with Raiden, "I need your help, Thunder God. The end times have come and I have no idea where to turn."

"If you seek advice, I have no idea what to tell you," Raiden admitted, "but knowing Armageddon has come shows my greatest fears have come true. If you're the key to preventing the end, then that means we must find where it will happen."

Daegon appeared in the doorway, "I know where. The Pyramid of Argus in Edenia is where it begins."

Taven recognized his brother, "Daegon?! You look…different."

"That's right brother," Daegon replied, "I've come to warn you."

Kenshi recognized his voice, he was the leader of the Red Dragon, "You!" He pulled out his sword and aimed it at Daegon, "You killed my wife!"

Taven shook his head, "That's impossible! Daegon would never kill anyone who didn't deserve it. I know it."

"You've missed much, Taven," Daegon replied, pulling out both of their swords, "I've been waiting to finish this for a long time, Kenshi."

Raiden teleported between the two of them, "This is no time for fighting, we have far greater concerns."

Kenshi growled, "I've been tracking down this monster for years! Nothing's going to stop me from killing him, even if it means letting Armageddon happen."

"Don't let revenge cloud you mind," Raiden said, "You know your wife wouldn't want you to do this. You know your son wouldn't either."

Kenshi sheathed his blade, "You're right, but what do we do?"

"If these truly are the end times then we must gather everyone and head toward the Pyramid of Argus," Raiden answered, "there is no time to waste."

He transported the four of them across Earthrealm, so that they may gather all of the heroes they can. They even went to Outworld and recruited all they could there as well. This was it, the ultimate battle of good and evil. Armageddon was finally upon the realms.

Can you believe it? We're finally here! After more than a year of writing we're at the final stretch! However don't think the excitement stops here we're just getting started! Stay tuned for the next chapter when the final battle begins and we finally get an answer to what Noob really wants out of this! Until then thanks for reading and I'll see you next time!