MARKUS X'S POV

I couldn't help but laugh at what I was recording... Liu Kang and Kitana making out? I'm sorry, but I know absolutely no one who wouldn't laugh at this video once it was on YouTube and share it with their friends.

"I realize that you two lovebirds would love nothing better than to get a room, but could you perhaps get back to the big picture?"

Skarlet pulled out her kunoichi swords as Mileena readied her sais. I was still filming, even as the two obsessing lovers crossly turned to look at me.

"You are one to talk..." The Shaolin monk crossed his arms. "You chose to betray the trust of all Earthrealm by allying yourself with that... that abomination of a woman, Shao Kahn's daughter."

Removing my faceplate, I glared at Liu Kang. "Mileena is my girlfriend. I would do almost anything in the world for her, but she knows that I'm not the type to go and base delta zero Earthrealm simply because she wants that to happen. Besides, she has no interest in invading Earthrealm... Right?"

My girlfriend nodded, but the kung fu warrior didn't look convinced.

"I trust Mileena to not desire Earthrealm about as much as I would trust her to not bite down on my manhood if she had the chance."

"I'm sorry, but I could've sworn I just heard a complete imbecile call my girlfriend a whore..."

"She wants it from everybody!"

"In all sincerity, Liu, I think Mileena biting your dong off would probably benefit society quite a bit. You and Miss "Oh, she attacked me for no reason!" probably shouldn't have any kids."

The Shaolin warrior couldn't take it anymore. He and I rushed at one another, colliding at full speed in the middle of the arena as the four women began to fight as well.

I tried to punch and kick Liu Kang to the best of my ability, but he was too quick... His noticeable lack of armor meant he could easily block my punches and kicks, while providing plenty of his own. Leaping in the air, he kicked me a good half-dozen times to the face.

Trying to shake the sensation of those kicks off, I activated the wrist blade of the armor and slashed at him, grazing his shoulder as he moved to hit me again. The noises he made when trying to strike me sounded like a turkey on acid.

I got the opportunity to quickly glance at how the others were doing. Skarlet was draining Jade's blood from a large gash on her waist, while Mileena and Kitana were still fighting, both heavily injured and bleeding.

Before I realized that this fight was all-in and an opportunity for me to simply shoot Liu Kang, the room began to buzz as the crackle of electricity was heard. Both myself and the Shaolin monk stopped fighting before turning to see what the two of us hoped wasn't there.

"Oh God, not him..."

RAIDEN'S POV

Atraya had summoned me from my voluntary exile to the mountains of Tibet. I had hoped to meditate and cleanse my mind of the deaths of the Earthrealm warriors. However, it seemed that the Elder Gods felt a threat was growing, one that was very familiar to me.

Shinnok.

As I materialized in the throne room of Outworld's many rulers, I saw a sight that nearly shattered my thoughts of victory: Liu Kang, my former pupil, was fighting a man in armor that I recognized immediately as Markus X. Beyond them, the sisters, Kitana and Mileena, battled one another, their sheer hatred for one another keeping them from passing out due to their injuries. Even deeper into the grand centerfold of the palace, Shao Kahn's former assassins dueled with one another, Skarlet clearly close to finishing Jade.

With little time to spare, I gathered a ball of lightning in my hands and threw it at the ceiling, the electrical energy incapacitating the kombatants so I could speak with Atraya in peace.

"And so again, Raiden, you are, as Earthrealmers say, 'late to the party.' While your decision did not result in any fatalities, I expected you would have learned from your mistake."

I turned to the woman I had known for so many millions of years. "Why now have the Elder Gods chosen to involve themselves in this struggle? Is it simply because of Shinnok's return, or is there a deeper meaning to this apparent intrusion into the mortal realms?"

The woman put her hand on my shoulder in a calming gesture. "You must not let divinity interfere with your connections to mortals. Your relationship with Liu Kang was shattered due to such interference, and that with Markus was as well. While we as divine beings are not required to abide by the same rules as mortals, there is no reason directly, say, shatter a relationship. Until a discernible threat can be found as a result of Mileena and Markus X's union, neither of us should interfere."

I nodded. "And what of Shinnok? How can the Forces of Light unite against such a foe as him when they are too busy killing one another? It is impossible..."

"Raiden, the Elder Gods have been directly brought into this conflict as a result of Shinnok. I was allowed to descend from the Heavens in order to join this struggle on the side of Light. The Kombatants will be united against him, but remember what I have said: if there is no threat caused by something personal in the lives of the kombatants, do not interfere. Did I and the others not abide by the same rule when Shao Kahn attempted to merge the realms?"

I stayed quiet before bowing to the Elder Goddess as the kombatants began to awaken from their shock-induced slumber...

LIU KANG'S POV

I brought a hand to my head, the pain of having been electrocuted still coursing through my head as I got on my hands and knees before standing up. Indeed it was him, Lord Raiden...

Stepping up to him, I bowed, a sign of humility after my arrogance was shown to be misplaced. " Lord Raiden, I apologize for my brash actions when last we met. I should have listened to you."

The thunder god eyed my face, clearly looking at my scarred eye. "I too am sorry, Liu Kang. I should never have attempted to stop you from engaging Shao Kahn in Mkrtal Kombat. The Elder Gods would have come regardless of who fought the Emperor."

I noticed my opponent standing up as well. Sparks flew from his armor as he took his helmet off.

"You've got to be kidding me... Raiden's back! Yippee! The entire universe is safe! Give me a break..."

The thunder god turned to the rude warrior. "And I apologize to you as well, Markus X. There was no threat from your relationship with Mileena, and thus, if you were happy with her in Outworld, I had no right to force your return. I swear on my word as thunder god that I will never again interfere in your relationship."

The smug satisfaction on Markus's face gave away his thoughts. "Alright... I suppose I can accept that. Not like I'll get much better, anyways..."

Ignoring him, I turned back to Lord Raiden. "What shall we do now? The warriors are wounded, our alliance is in shambles... What is there to do to stop a fallen Elder God when your strongest warrior is a class below him?"

Atraya interrupted. "Actually, I am the strongest here, with power equal to that of Shinnok himself, minus any magical enhancements."

"That is impossible... Only another Elder God would carry such..."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Markus bring his hand to his face.

"Really? You didn't get that? She's the Elder God, genius..."

I paused before kneeling and bowing to the Elder Goddess. "My apologies for ignoring your divinity, Lady Atraya."

"Atraya will do... Now, we must gather those of the Forces of Light, in preparation for the final battle. Argus's safeguard must be utilized in order to truly prevent Armageddon once Shinnok is defeated. All members of the Forces of Darkness must be killed, restrained, or converted to the side of Light by this battle, otherwise they may claim Blaze's power, and use it For their own nefarious purposes. We must stop them if we do not want the realms to grow unstable and fragment one another!"