Chapter Three

Meeting Shang Tsung

When they arrived at Shang Tsung's Fortress, they walked into the Courtyard Area where there were many combatants waiting to compete as well as Spectators standing around a large arena.

The wooden arena was huge and on one side were many spectators and under a Japanese styled green roof being held up by red pillars and surrounded by golden Dragons sat a man with long dark grey hair hair and a tiny beard and mustache on a throne.

"Shang Tsung" whispered Leonardo in a worried voice.

"He's scarier in real life man!" whispered Michelangelo. Raphael kept his arm around Mona as he looked up at the sorcerer.

"What happens now?" asked Donatello to Raiden.

"Now" said Raiden "Shang Tsung will announce the trails for the Tournament"

"Trails?" said Leonardo "We have to do trails?"

Raiden nodded

"To deem whether someone is worthy to fight in the main tournament" he said "And fight the really dangerous combatants of Shao Khan"

Michelangelo gulped.

"Normally I'd be hyped for this" he said "But now I feel weak in the knees"

"This isn't the Battle Nexus Mikey" said Donatello "And this isn't the game we play back home...this is the real thing!"

Raphael looked at Mona and pulled her closer to him.

"Shush my sons" said Splinter looking up at Shang Tsung as the sorcerer stood from his throne and raised his arms to address everyone in the arena "It seems Shang Tsung is about to speak"

The turtles went quiet as they looked up at Shang Tsung.

"Combatants!"Shang Tsung boomed out "I am Shang Tsung, in the coming days each of you will fight for the protection of your worlds!"

He looked across to the other combatants who stood before the arena.

"You participate in the most important Mortal Kombat in History; This Tournament will determine your Realm's fates! If you defeat all your Opponents, you face one final challenge...Me!"

As he looked around the arena, he caught sight of Raiden, the turtles, Mona and Splinter.

"And what do we have here fighting for the protection of Earthrealm?"

He raised his eyebrow and began to float down towards Raiden, the five reptiles and Master Splinter.

As he got closer Raphael gripped Mona even tighter to him to protect her, Michelangelo squeaked in fear and Donatello and Leonardo stood before Splinter to protect him.

"Keep calm my sons" said Splinter softly.

"Well Raiden" mocked Shang Tsung "These are the creatures to defend Earthrealm? They don't look like Earthrealmers"

"They are" said Raiden "And they are very good combatants from what I saw"

Splinter smiled proudly at Raiden's comment but Shang Tsung began to laugh mockingly.

"How can four mutant turtles, a humanoid Lizard and a walking talking rodent be great combatants?" he said "Let alone Earthrealmers? They won't last long in the trails"

"We'll see" said Raiden "I've seen what they can do"

Shang Tsung just smirked and analysed the five reptiles and Master Splinter.

He looked over to Monalisa and raised an eyebrow.

"What an interesting creature" he said "I can see Shao Khan taking a liking to you"

Monalisa grimaced and Raphael snarled.

"Keep your prying eyes off her!" he growled reaching for his sai.

Shang Tsung laughed and crossed his arms.

"You can't protect her forever turtle" he said "You'll have to let go of her to fight"

"Who says I need constant protection?" growled Mona "I can fight pretty well too if my mate is occupied"

Raphael still kept his hand on Mona but gripped his sai with the other hand.

"You lay a finger on her I'll impale my sai in both your eyes!" he snarled, his eyes burning with hate at the smug looking sorcerer.

"Raphael!" barked Splinter worried at his son's hot temper would make the sorcerer do something to him.

"Don't do anything stupid!" hissed Leonardo "You don't know what you're dealing with!"

Shang Tsung looked at Splinter and chuckled then looked back at Raphael.

"Looks like you need reining in" he mocked "You better behave if you want to live through the tournament"

Raphael snarled again and held Mona close but he said nothing.

Shang Tsung looked at Raiden again and smirked.

"You think you've gotten great warriors, but they will never survive against Shao Khan's chosen warriors" he said "The trails may be bad, but they'll be wishing for death by the time they get to the real tournament"

"Again Shang Tsung" said Raiden "We'll see, these reptiles and the rat may surprise you"

"Yeah, you'll see" whispered Michelangelo under his breath "We kick butt like true honourable ninja!"

Shang Tsung looked up at Michelangelo.

"You said something?" he said.

Michelangelo looked up and the colour drained from his face in nervousness.

"Erm...meep!" he said.

Shang Tsung smirked showing his shiny white teeth under his moustache.

"You seem like a confident one turtle" he said "What is your name?"

"M...M...M...Michelangelo" croaked Michelangelo

"Well Michelangelo" said Shang Tsung, his smile getting wider "Since you seem to be confident and ready, you shall be the first to fight in the trails!"

Michelangelo squeaked again in shock and the others looked terrified.

"Mikey!" cried Mona.

Everyone else looked horrified.

Splinter tried to be confident for Mikey's sake.

"Be brave my son" he said "Remember all I have taught you, you can do this!"

"If he paid enough attention" said Raphael under his breath.

"Come on bro!" said Donatello "If you managed to win the Battle Nexus you can do this!"

Michelangelo looked so nervous they could see beads of sweat on his forehead.

He took out his nun chucks and began spinning them.

"Thanks guys" he said "I'll do my best"

He walked up to the area and stood ready to fight whoever was to fight him.

Shang Tsung floated back up to his throne and sat down.

He looked down at the arena and at the terrified young turtle as he prepared to face his first opponent.

Seeing Michelangelo shiver and shake in fear and sweating amused him.

"So these are the brave great warriors you have brought before me to defend Earthrealm eh Raiden" he thought "They sure as Outworld stands won't survive in the main tournament, this will be amusing to watch!"

He clapped his hands and made everyone pay attention.

"First combatant to fight for the protection of Earthrealm, Michelangelo!" he announced.

Michelangelo looked up at Shang Tsung who clapped his hands again and announced the opponent.

Michelangelo looked towards the other end of the arena and saw a man dressed in beige robes and his black hair slicked back.

Michelangelo cocked his head on one side.

"Hey, he doesn't look too scary" he thought "This'll be a piece of cake!"

As if reading his thoughts, the warrior produced a staff with two blades on the ends and began to spin it.

Michelangelo gulped and began to swing his nun chucks.

"For preparation for the tournament!" shouted Shang Tsung "Let the first trail begin! FIGHT!"

Yikes! Michelangelo's the first combatant! Will he succeed or will he be defeated? Find out in the next chapter!