Maria sat down on the portal platform, in the center of an Edenian village. Scorpion was nearby, and she found it strange that he hadn't said one word since their arrival. Something must have been on his mind.

"What's the matter?" Maria asked.

He blinked, as if he'd been thinking.

"Nothing," he said, "Why?"

"You haven't said a thing since we got here," she said.

There was an awkward silence as Scorpion desperately tried to think of something to say.

"Ashlynn told me you were going to be a priestess," he said finally.

Maria smiled, "Yeah, it's really interesting, I've learned a lot so far. I've been apprenticing at the temple of the Elder Gods, but you probably don't want to hear about that..."

"No," he said, "I do."

Nekros, the Netherealm...

Ashlynn and Quan Chi had split up to question the residents of Nekros, the Netherealm's only city. She sighed, most of the demons had either refused to answer her questions, or looked at her like she was an entrée. Angry, she approached a group of red robed demons standing near the city gates.

"Excuse me," she said, they ignored her, "Excuse me!"

They turned slowly, their sunken eyes narrowing.

"What? We are busy human," said the one closest to her.

"I need to ask you-

"What is a human doing in Nekros?" one of them asked, cutting her off.

"I need to ask-

"Maybe this is a blessing," interrupted another demon, "We have not had fresh meat in a while."

"I'm not food!" Ashlynn shouted, "I need to ask you about-

"We should roast her," another demon, the leader she assumed, said.

Ashlynn was suddenly sick to her stomach. Maybe splitting up wasn't the best idea.

"I came from-

She tried again, only to be interrupted once more.

"I want her," the leader said.

Ashlynn threw her hands up in frustration, turning to walk away. She was surprised when she was jerked backward, falling onto the ground. The demons were circling her, hungry stares on all their faces.

"Get away from me!" she cried, slapping at the hands that reached for her.

The leader was making a grab for her again, when he went sailing to the right, landing on his head a good ten feet away.

"If you do not step away from her," Quan Chi said, "I will make your faces more unpleasant than they already are."

The demons glanced at eachother, then walked away, talking in a strange, hissing language.

"Thanks," Ashlynn said, letting him help her stand.

"Did you find anything out?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"Only that I would make a good appetizer," she said, "You?"

"Nothing," he said, "So I suppose there is nothing left to do but guard the portal."

"Yeah yeah," Ashlynn mumbled, pulling her hair back to fend off the heat.

The Chaosrealm...

Cherin had been following behind Stryker, trying to make him look at her. So far she'd been unsuccessful. He'd walked into one of the Chaosrealm's numerous graveyards.

"Kurtis please," Cherin begged, "Talk to me."

He ignored her, pretending to examine the tombstones. Cher in sighed. Her marriage was in jeopardy, all because Havik had to open his mouth.

"Thank God I found you two!"

They turned. Kira was running in their direction, a worried look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Cherin asked.

"The portal," Kira gasped, "It just exploded."

Lei Chen...

Sub-Zero was passing by Lei Chen's portal just as it exploded, sending him flying. He stood, shaking off the shock. The portal was completely disintegrated, all that remained was the charred platform.

"Gods," Jade said, walking past him, "What happened?"

Amilee was staring at the ruins in dismay, her mouth hanging open.

Deep in the mountains of Outworld...

Delphine laughed, dancing excitedly. Sitting on the obsidian slab in from of her are six miniature portals, all modeled to look like the real thing.

The Chaosrealm portal is gone," she said to no one but herself, "So are Outworld's portals...Which should I destroy next?"

Smiling, she pointed to the tiny model of the portal to Seido.

Seido...

"Shit," Jax muttered, staring at the spot where the Seidan portal had once been. The Seidan Guard was pouring in now, all staring at the two strangers.

"What have you done?" one of them asked.

"Us?" Sarah snorted, "We didn't do anything!"

"You were the only people here!" replied the guard.

"But we didn't-

Sarah's protest was cut short when both her and Jax were seized from behind, their hands bound. Jax was trying desperately to break free, but there was something about the bonds that was draining his strength.

"Get off me!" he grunted, but there was nothing they could do as they were dragged off.

Nekros...

Ashlynn shook her head, "This can't be happening..."

She closed her eyes, hoping that when she opened them the portal would return, but it didn't.

"These portals were created by the Elder Gods," Quan Chi said, "What could have done this?"

"Great," Ashlynn said, "I'm stuck in Hell...You can't like, build another one or something?"

The sorcerer laughed, "Build another one? Do I look like an Elder God to you?"

"You have to do something!" Ashlynn cried.

Quan Chi seemed to be thinking.

"There may be a way," he said after a while, "But you will not like it."

"I don't care," she said, "What is it?"

"Shang Tsung is nearby," Quan Chi said, laughing at the look on her face, "Together we may be able to create a temporary portal. I told you you would not like it."

"Do we have any other choice?" she sighed.

He shook his head, "No."

"There's no way he would help us," Ashlynn said.

Quan Chi smiled evilly, making her suspicious.

"I have an idea," he said, "You stay here, I will be back shortly."

"Hurry, I don't want to be alone for long..."

He was already walking toward the gate.

Edenia...

Maria sighed. The once beautiful teardrop shaped portal had shattered, leaving nothing behind.

"Wonderful," Scorpion muttered, "We're stuck in this place..."

"It could be worse," Maria said, trying to lighten the mood, "We could be stuck in the Netherealm..."

Scorpion shrugged, "True."

Kitana and Sindel had joined them a while ago.

"I don't see how this is possible," Kitana said, "Mother, don't the Elder Gods control the portals?"

"No," Sindel replied, "They do not control them, they were only the Creators."

Maria wasn't paying any attention to them. Instead, she had been studying Liu Kang, who had come down from the palace. It was obvious that he was mortal, unlike Kitana. He looked older than the last time Maria had seen him, with just the faintest hint of grey in his otherwise black hair. She felt bad for Kitana, having to watch the man she loved aging right before her eyes.

"I have contacted my guards in the other realms," Sindel said, snapping her out of her thoughts, "Apparently we are not the only realm this has happened to."

"Wait," Maria said, "This has happened in all the other realms too?"

Sindel nodded.

"So the others are stuck," Scorpion said, "Just like we are."

Maria didn't answer, she was thinking about the comment she'd made earlier about being stuck in the Netherealm...

The Netherealm...

Quan Chi stopped, scanning the ruins of the old temple. Shang Tsung was here somewhere, he could sense him.

"Sorcerer!" he called.

"Who has killed you this time?"

Quan Chi turned, ignoring the insult.

"No one," he said, "This time I am here of my own free will, but I have a problem and I need your help."

Shang Tsung smiled, "What makes you think I want to help you?"

This time Quan Chi smiled, this was where his plan would come into play.

"I expected you to ask that question," he said, "Which is why I have come prepared."

"I'm listening," Tsung said, crossing his arms.

"You have been trapped here for a long time," he began, "I am aware of how you have suffered, so I brought someone along who may be able to...alleviate that suffering."

Inwardly, Quan Chi was laughing at the other sorcerer's foolishness. He was going to accept, there was no doubt about it. He had been trapped within the Netherealm for years and it was only natural that he would not be able to resist.

"Go on," Tsung said finally.

"The Netherealm portal has been destroyed," Quan Chi explained, "I need your help to create a temporary portal."

"I will help you on one condition," the other sorcerer said, "When you leave you will bring me through with you."

Quan Chi nodded, he had also been expecting this.

"We have a deal," he said.

Nekros...

Ashlynn had been pacing back and forth across the portal platform, trying to keep her distance from the demons who's eyes were fixed on her. Quan Chi had been gone almost an hour, and she was about to go looking for him, when she spotted the sorcerer making his way toward her, Shang Tsung close by. She hopped off of the platform, her eyes narrowing.

"Ashlynn," Tsung breathed, as soon as he had gotten close enough, "This is the woman you were telling me about?"

Quan Chi nodded.

"Of course," he said, "Only the best for you my friend..."

Quickly, Ashlynn got the hint.

"Ashlynn," Quan Chi said, "Shang Tsung has agreed to help me...for a price."

"Of course Master," Ashlynn said, though inside she was laughing. It was hard to believe Shang Tsung was falling for this charade.

"After we are free of this realm you will satisfy his every need...understood?"

Ashlynn nodded, biting her tongue to keep from laughing. Shang Tsung was already standing on the platform. Quan Chi joined him in chanting something she couldn't understand, and the swirling red portal appeared before them. As soon as it was fully formed, Quan Chi turned, taking hold of Ashlynn's arm and pulling her through. Shang Tsung quickly realized he'd been tricked, and made a grab for her other arm, following them through. Ashlynn stumbled into the Nexus, pulling her arm away from him.

"Shit..." she muttered.

They had just inadvertently freed one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world. They turned to see that the temporary portal had vanished...but so had the other five portals.

"Oh great," Ashlynn said, "So we're stuck here now! I'm calling Raiden..."

She turned her back on them, walking a few feet away to try and contact the thunder god.

Shang Tsung was standing rigid, angry that he'd been fooled, probably angrier that he would not receive what he'd been promised.

"Why?" was all he could say.

Quan Chi moved his gaze from Ashlynn to the sorcerer.

"Do you really need to ask?" he said.

Suddenly Shang Tsung realized something.

"It is this woman," he said, "Isn't it? I knew I sensed something different about your soul, and it is because of her...How could you let this happen? You are one of the most powerful sorcerers ever to live. You-

"I don't think Raiden can hear me," Ashlynn interrupted.

Quan Chi shook his head, "Impossible. Nothing but a very powerful magic user could prevent him from hearing you."

"Then maybe that's what we're dealing with," she said, sitting on top of the altar in the middle of the Nexus, "Maybe it's not Delphine anymore."

Shang Tsung muttered something to himself at the mention of the Siren.

"Maybe..." Quan Chi sighed.