Belial is seen out on the balcony looking at the spectators filing in around the arena. "Hmph! Such fools," Belial said to himself. "They have no idea that before this day is over, their world will be in ruins." At that moment, Quan Chi walked in and stood next to Belial. "Ah, Quan Chi. What's the status for the Grackalors and Zvarraniks?"

"They are preparing for the inevitable attack," Quan Chi explained. "They are armed and awaiting orders."

"Excellent. I made a smart choice resurrecting you." It was then that Skeleton ran in, clearly exhausted from running upstairs. "What is it now?" Belial gruffly asked.

"Sir," Skeleton began to explain, "we've just received word that two defeated contestants have invaded the castle and have turned the Tarkatans and Spawn against us."

Belial started to get very angry that someone was going to muck up his plans. "Call forth the Grackalors and Zvarraniks to go to the foyer and destroy those bastards!" he commanded.

"At once," Skeleton replied before running down the hall and shouting, "CALLING ALL TROOPS! CALLING ALL TROOPS! REPORT TO THE FOYER AND PREPARE FOR BATTLE POSTHASTE!"

In the foyer, John, Jackie, Balrog, Vega, Spawn, Baraka, and the other Tarkatans are walking forward. As soon as he heard running, John extended an arm, signaling for everyone to stop running. "Assume your battle positions," he ordered as he got out his butcher knife. Everybody did as they were told as a vast swarm of Grackalors and Zvarraniks ran towards this army. This resulted in all out warfare.

Jackie was shooting every Grackalor and Zvarranik in sight. She even grabbed a Grackalor, put her pistol in its mouth, and pulled the trigger, blowing its brains out as she giggled.

Balrog punched his way through the Grackalors and Zvarraniks with his gloved hands. He even grabbed a Zvarranik, headbutted it, stomped on one of its feet, and punched its head clean off.

Vega took advantage of the castle walls to elegantly hop from place to place while slaughtering enemy after enemy. He even jumped from a wall, grabbed a Zvarranik and did a Rolling Izuna Drop attack. After that, he hopped to another wall, launching a Grackalor into the air as he did so. "Soak in your own blood!" said Vega before doing a Bloody High Claw attack, slicing up the Grackalor before it slid apart into four chunks.

Spawn wrapped a chain around a Grackalor's neck and pulled so hard the head came off. He then grabbed a Zvarranik behind him, shoulder tossed it in front of him, and used his huge gun to shoot it until it was dead.

Baraka and the Tarkatans were equally matched, but it was the Tarkatans who had the advantage because of the blades it can protrude from their arms. They slaughtered through wave after wave of enemies with ease, and Baraka stabbed a Grackalor through the stomach, picked one up, and used his other blade to slice it vertically in half, one of the halves falling off as Baraka laughed.

John walked through this mess unscathed, although he did manage to run into Kitana, who sensed the conflict and wanted to intervene. "You!" she exclaimed.

"Hello, princess," John teased. "Still Quan Chi's slave, I see?"

"How dare you! I am Queen of the Netherrealm!"

"Of course you are. You must be pretty tired rulin' that hellhole. How's about kickin' off those heavy boots so you can get... comfortable."

Kitana took out her bladed fans and pointed them at Ginger. "I do not take orders from you!" However, before she could even strike, John cut her forearms off with his butcher knife.

"Come on," John said in a sadistic tone. "I insist..." John kicked Kitana to the floor and proceeded to take off her boots. He was surprised at how beautiful her bare feet were (with blue painted toenails) even as a demonic revenant. He then put them up to his face and worshiped them.

"Stop!" Kitana shouted. "I command you!"

"Man, you talk too much," John replied before slicing her throat with his knife, killing her instantly. After that happened, the remaining Grackalors and Zvarraniks stopped what they were doing and looked at John, fearing for their lives. John soon realized that Kitana must have trained them. He smiled and used her death to her advantage.

"Okay, unless you want that to happen to both your races," John said to his new subjects, "you will all work for me! 'Kay?" The Grackalors and Zvaraniks nodded. "Good..." John then went to find Quan Chi.

to be continued...