SHANG TSUNG
A last errand on the beginning of the day of opening, by request of Shao Kahn was to meet with Kano of the Black Dragon. Once he had arrived to the island, he spoke of a shipment which contained all manner of weapons that Earthrealmers would use to kill each other in combat.
With the reconstruction of Earthrealm after Edenia's fall by the resistance, all progress in the world and the utopia Earthrealm once was became a distant memory. The damage done by the resistance to make Earth unattractive to Shao Kahn's conquest had worked for some time, until again Earthrealm reconstructed itself. The realm had not been whole in thousands of years, and remained fractured into smaller segments called "countries", unlike the united kingdoms of all but Chaosrealm. It was with this strange new magic, unique to the Jinsei's influence that allowed these strange creations of weapons to be made so quickly.
Shao Kahn had taken a special interest in Kano's weapons, and his clan in general. They had made some kind of deal for the weapon supply from Kano before the merge was likely to destroy their stores. And what else Shao Kahn was interested in, the Black Dragon clan was for it's origins from the Red Dragon. The old folk tale of Taven and Daegon's fated quest to the path of Armageddon was well known, and Shao Kahn was obsessed.
Unfortunately for him and Kano, Shang Tsung doubted the Earthrealm gangster had any use but his stores of weapons.
The docks was where they had met to view the shipment, which had only arrived this morning.
Kano's enthusiasm about the subject was not returned by Shang Tsung, who had been irritable for missing his own recitations of the speech he had written up, and his own personal training as a final champion, as well as a certain task to complete in secret.
Upon the ship were numerous crates, which all manner of thugs dressed in Earthrealm garb, in tandem with Tarkatans at the docks, hauled on the docks in record speed, all the while Kano was attempting to impress the sorcerer.
"That's what I bet you don't have, do ya?" Kano says, slapping the top of a crate placed in front of the sorcerer, "Guns. And some of my largest are in that crate." He speaks with an accent even stranger than Skarlet's, speaking Outworlder but in a distinct way that is highly distracting.
Shang Tsung ignores him and views the crate. It's made of wood, extremely tough wood, and it's fastened closed with numerous metal pieces. Kano grabs a metal hooked bar at his side, and attempts to open it. "Just a moment, I'll get it open for ya."
Ignoring his attempts, Shang Tsung stretches out one hand and sends out energy, coating the various screws in a green energy, which singes them completely. Wordlessly, he sends the roof of the crate flying upwards, and off of the docks into the dark water. The boards float off into the distance, and Shang Tsung looks downwards at the contents inside.
Encased in insulation of straw, a large weapon sits inside. The sorcerer feels concealed anger at being unable to discern its use. The only thing familiar is the trigger, much like a crossbow, but there is nothing to draw it backwards. Next to the large weapon is it's bolts, explosives shaped like projectiles, quite large ones.
The Sorcerer lifts it out of the box and into his own hands. It's fairly heavy, although not too an extreme, as it's apparently wielded by unremarkable Earthrealmers with bodies unaltered by magic. A flared end, and the two handles being at the other side give Shang Tsung an idea of how it is meant to be held, and he raises it over his shoulder, crudely aiming.
"What is this?"
"An RPG-7. One a Earthrealm's finest weapons. Anti-Armor too. A whole army with some a these will deal with Earthrealm's military in no time." Kano explains excitedly. Pointing to the rocket, he continues. "That there's the rocket. Shoot one at a man and he'll be in pieces."
"Prove it." Shang Tsung responds. "I'll get a subject."
Shang Tsung walks to a Tarkatan assisting with the hauling and gets his attention.
"Tarkatan. Get your superior, and tell him I need a slave promptly." Shang Tsung orders, "If there are none, take them out of the feeding stock."
Unable to speak to Shang Tsung due to his low rank, the Tarkatan merely nods weakly at the sorcerer, and goes off to relay the message he had been given. The stock was for Skarlet. She did not need human blood to live, or very much of it at all, but the blood of others gave her power, and three Edenians were sent to be executed on the eve of the final challenge to render her unstoppable. The unremarkable Outworlders were used to maintain her power, and her reliance on Blood, in turn linking her further with the Code.
Kano shows surprise at his words for a moment, and then dismisses his own concerns easily and nonverbally.
The gangster gives him a full tutorial of how it is used, going into what is the right way to do so. How to fire it, how to hold it, and How to load the weapon. By the end of it the process seems relatively simple, compared to the weapons used in Outworld to "blow a man to pieces". Such a weapon could be easily out manuvered by one with magic in Outworld, but most Earthrealmers were both unable to, and believed magic itself to be fake.
The Tarkatan underling returns with a slave at his side, whom is thoroughly restrained with tight rope, and senseless to his surroundings, with a tight fabric tied around his eyes and another around his mouth to prevent protest. The underling, with Tarkatan strength has merely lifted the struggling slave upon his back.
"Come. The docks are no place to use such a weapon."
Shang Tsung and Kano stand at the edge of the forest, and the slave is propped upwards and restrained far away, yet still in their view.
Taking the lesson from Kano truly, Shang Tsung kneels on the floor, pointing the weapon towards the slave to fire at over his shoulder. The slave is of sufficient distance, and Shang Tsung is confused at the reasoning.
"Must the target be so far away?"
"He does, the weapon's for armor. And regular Humans' wont make it trigger, so it's gotta be from a distance."
Such a thing having an effect on the efficacy of this weapon is very strange to Shang Tsung. Would a weapon, even a ranged one not work more if done at a closer range? Regardless, Shang Tsung follows his instructions reluctantly, as the Earthrealmer arms dealer knows of these weapons millions of times more than Shang Tsung can interpret by glance.
An idea of the enemy being blown to pieces once the rocket collided was very enticing. And Shang Tsung wouldn't be disappointed in the slightest.
With a harsh, rough loud noise, from the back of the weapon emitted a fireball, burning into the air, which lead to another fire near the tip, where the large rocket began to exit. Propelling itself out of the barrel of it, the rocket flew in a straight path once exiting. The projectile seemed to carve through the air, making a loud noise with it's travel through the air, and making record speed towards it's target.
In no time at all, the rocket met it's target in the abdomen.
Even from such a long distance from the slave, The two are able to see the carnage with relative detail.
The rocket did not explode instantaneously. It pierced the slave in his abdomen, before using a "Failsafe mechanism" as Kano explained to activate itself. The slave did not stand one change of surviving the encounter, and with the detonation of the rocket, the weapon had done what Kano advertised.
Once the rocket exploded, it tore through the air and area around it, and with it's only notable target being an Outworlder with soft flesh, it destroyed him. In an instant, the midsection of his body was destroyed, becoming a red mist. The explosion separates him into two at the midsection, but neither piece is whole, and more bears a resemblance of what they used to be. The slave is thoroughly torn apart, and from a distance a wide pile of tatters remains on the floor.
"It appears this weapon does have such an ability." Shang Tsung comments. "Come, we must inspect the damage."
Shang Tsung walks with Kano and the low level Tarkatan to his side. Making their way to the remains, what's left cannot be called a corpse, they arrive at the foot of the damage.
More clearly this time, it's evident how much damage this "RPG-7" was able to create.
"You called this device an RPG-7." Shang Tsung says, "Is there an eighth?"
Uncharacteristic of him, Shang Tsung was pretty entranced by the idea of an army wielding these in their arms. It is only then when he realizes a weapon which works greater at a long range has it's own efficacy. Arming Outworld's forces with such weapons could he leverage for his use to Shao Kahn, and although he would not dare to admit, Shang Tsung quite enjoyed using the weapon.
"Unfortunately, RPG's just a acronym. And the number's don't mean much, so there isn't an eighth." Kano explains, "But do ya need an eighth?" He laughs, kneeling down to the charred corpse on the floor.
Indeed, he may not.
NIGHTWOLF
Nightwolf, as a man from the Matoka nation, was not in high wealth. Despite his miraculous abilities, he both was unable to and wished not to use the gifts his ancestors had bestowed in to monetize them. Mostly, his saving was done with odd jobs around his area. And eventually, over quite a long period of time he had managed to save enough money to buy a one way ticket to Hong Kong, with enough saved for one back to the United States, whenever the tournament was to end.
He himself knew little of the tournament, but spirits had been pointing him in the direction. Only that it could end in his death, which Nightwolf had long since expected. On behalf of earth, he was to protect this world from aliens who had come from another world, ruled by a great conqueror who had worn skulls upon his head. And if he was to succeed, through some way, the territory of the Matoka nation would be incorporated into his own, which would end in the souls of his ancestors being devoured, and the land dying.
So he had headed to Hong Kong on a long flight, in a method of transportation he had never used once before. The flight was long and quite uncomfortable, and the land was very foreign to him.
Walking upon the long coast, he followed the green light which had only shown itself to him.
To avoid suspicion to himself, he had removed the war paint off of his face and body, and instead of his usual outfit, had worn clothes fitting of a civilian around public areas. Even at this late at night, the coast was illuminated, and they had gathered in areas farther inland. The docks were close, and the green light only he was able to view were leading to the final destination. He passed numerous posters, labeled "Ninja Mime 2: Quiet yet Violent" on the way.
Nearly to his destination, the light from the path exploded in energy in his view, and a voice formed from the green energy guide forming into a mass, which contorted with it's speech.
"Who are you?" The voice was not evil, but remained foreign to him. Speech through spirit's would distort if the voice was malevolent, yet the mass had shown this voice as clear.
Despite it's connections to the Matoka, the great spirit was related to other being's of it's nature, and could contact with them. Somewhere, nearby Nightwolf, there was another in contact with a great energy. And one thing came to mind. This tournament which he was meant to participate.
"My name is Nightwolf. I am to attend a tournament to defeat invaders from another world."
The ball of energy, speaking through this person, who too had connection to spirits, was a piece of his instructions.
"The Jinsei did not speak of another combatant to the tournament."
"Is this "Jinsei" your guide?" Nightwolf asks.
He was in contact with another with connection to energy, and spirit energy. This assuaged his concerns greatly. With knowledge of this tournament, and connection to his own spirits, the voice was trustworthy. For now at least.
"It is. I greatly welcome another fighter for our realm."
After this statement, the ball broke, and reformed into the path Nightwolf was to follow.
Continuing on his path, eventually there were none but him in the area, and an open dock for quite a large, ancient ship. If a ship was to bring him to another world, ruled by a great conquerer this was it. The ship stood tall and high, and it seemed to warp the land around the docks with it's presence. As he got closer, it was clear there was blood dripping along the trail into the entrance of the boat.
This distant voice was soon clear to him as he came closer to the entrance of the boat, and he could discern the words. It wasn't of the voice, and judging by the words used, he had to get there quickly to either defend or aid it.
"Who the hell are you? Where's Kano?!"
Nightwolf dashed onto the boat and promptly saw a blonde soldier pointing a handgun at four people. One wore a large straw hat, two others had remained in fighting positions, regardless of her weapon and ducking behind a hat, and the other was this "Ninja Mime" he had saw on various posters on the way to the ship.
"Kano?" His question came so quickly that the woman, fearing for her life turned around in an instant to him and pulled on the trigger. As a reflex, he manifested a hard barrier out of green energy, shattering the bullet.
"I knew it, You're all Black Dragon. This was a trap! Tremor was a diversion-"
"No, I am familiar with Kano and his Black Dragon, but I am no member." Nightwolf explains, making the barrier of green energy vanish into the air. "Now, servant of the "Jinsei", reveal yourself."
The man in the straw hat stood up and held a medallion inside of his hands, engraved with a symbol of three droplets of water, bending around themselves to form a circle.
"I am Raiden." He explains, "Sonya Blade, please take a seat inside of the boat. I will explain in time."
Forgoing her gun, once she agrees to take a seat and be civil inside of the boat, Sonya still arms herself thoroughly. With her weapons at her side, she still refuses to let up her weapons.
"Kano will be at the tournament?"
All are arranged on the deck, keeping a fair distance from Sonya. Nightwolf sits alone, and Raiden with the monks. The mime sticks by Raiden like glue, but he ignores him.
The thought of Kano makes Nightwolf thoroughly angry. Unlike Sonya, Nightwolf has nothing to do with the special forces supposedly tasked with hunting the arms dealer down. To him, and most around him the Black Dragon were merely gangsters, and despite the Makota's distance from other settlements, the gangsters had their place in their homes. Taking an uncharacteristic interest in his home, Kano had offered a great fortune in exchange for the relics. And he refused, sticking to his principles. Unfortunately Kano had taken his refusal to an extreme, beating him near to death, and attempting to search for it himself. Kano had failed of course, and the evidence was concealed on Nightwolf's hip, as the tomahawk he was meant to sell.
"The one you call Kano is one of Shao Kahn's champions in Mortal Kombat. Assist in our victory, and you will have free reign to apprehend him." Raiden assures.
"Ninja Mime" has a real name. It's Jonathan Cage. He's merely wearing the half removed makeup for a costume in a movie. His presence isn't very well tolerated by either of the monks besides him, and Raiden is neutral towards his actions. He interrupts to ask a question.
"So if Kano's from here, why's he helping this Kahn guy?"
Raiden explains. "Under distress, other Earthrealmers have also came to assist Outworld, willingly or not. As well as Kano, representatives of two clans of shinobi are also fighting alongside them, in exchange for being spared during the merge."
"Damn." Cage responds.
"No surprise." Sonya states, "Kano and other rat-bastards like him will give up everything for themselves."
Nightwolf thinks back to the events which had led him to gaining his power, and tells a bit of the story. "Kano once asked me to give up the most sacred relics of my people in exchange for a large amount of money... Enough to make me rich." He tells, "I refused and he beat me nearly to death."
Sonya turns her head towards him in sympathy. "So are you here to get revenge on him?"
He shakes his head, refusing. "No. I am here because I was guided."
Cage points to Raiden with his thumb. "I was guided too, this guy and his two friends Liu Kung and Kang Lao-"
Near immediately both of them corrected him in an instant.
"Liu Kang and Kung Lao. Both of them busted into my trailer and took me here to help save the world." Cage says. "And that's fuckin' awesome. I had a dream like this once, But Raiden looked like a dragon- And both of these guys weren't there-"
Nightwolf sits idly as Cage explains a long, elaborate dream of his.
SHAO KAHN
After half a century, it was here. The Mortal Kombat Tournament. Though one would expect the Kahn to be filled with excitement to continue a winning streak, Shao Kahn knew better than to underestimate Raiden. At one point after all, they were the same. Both Raiden and Shao Kahn were created by the Elder Gods to protect their realms and were linked to the One Being's power. Instead of his usual arrogance, Shao Kahn was nervous. And the plan he was willing to use was because he wasn't confident he could beat Earthrealm's new champions just yet.
Raiden would do either one of two things. Become foolish and obey the will of the "Jinsei" just as a slave would, and get all of his competitors killed, or he would rally for the occasion at his breaking point and assemble Earthrealm's finest warriors. Shao Kahn didn't know which was more likely, and he needed to be prepared for both.
Thus comes in his plan, a long term deal he had made with Quan Chi, who as he was linked to the Netherrealm, possessed control over souls, and Sindel's.
Shao Kahn did not trust the necromancer for many different reasons. His natural dislike of Netherrealm, and the leverage which was wielded against him did not assist. He also knew of his affinity for the fallen Elder God Shinnok.
In his throne room, Shao Kahn had invited the necromancer to discuss the upcoming revival, which was set to happen soon, after many years. At his side was Skarlet. Despite his involvement in the initial deal, Shao Kahn decided it was for the best if Shang Tsung did not know of this, and had ordered Skarlet accordingly to keep her mouth closed even should he ask.
"As our agreement beforehand, I will revive Sindel upon Earthrealm soil." Quan Chi explains, "But I have some demands."
"Your demands. Are they worth your amulet?" Shao Kahn taunts, "I cannot see why you would need more." The prospect of meeting someone elses demands, in a submissive role wasn't very appealing to him in the slightest.
"I do not ask for riches or artifacts, Kahn." Quan Chi's demands are instead of a different nature. "I ask of you to keep Shang Tsung alive."
"Why must you need Shang Tsung alive? I had promised to kill him should he fail-"
Quan Chi shakes his head and laughs. "I believe he will. And I am quite familiar with your punishment for failure. However, his failure will not prevent your invasion, I will make sure of it. Shang Tsung is more useful to you alive than dead."
More useful for Quan Chi, more like. Shao Kahn picks up on the necromancer's interest in his assistant, and decides to reluctantly agree. Only Quan Chi can bring Sindel forth, and through Earthrealm. Sindel's ward has made sure both his and Shang Tsung's magic could not reach into Earthrealm's pure soil.
"Shang Tsung will stay alive then, regardless of his performance."
"Good, then I believe we are at an understanding."
AN: First event of the tournament coming soon. Sorry it took so fucking long to update this fanfic, Finals have been a bitch and I needed free time to do this. Also, planning for the tournament is hell.