PROLOGUE

The Vogel Estate, Los Angeles. EARTHREALM

"I'd frame that," Johnny Cage said as he swaggered through the entrance. Nice place, he did a 360-degree spin. Caught his reflection in the mirror. Handsome guy. This would make for a killer Bread and Breakfast.

"Absolutely," Jarek agreed behind him. "Everyone's in the dining hall." He pointed to a set of double doors on the left.

"Dinner at midnight?" Johnny Cage smirked. "Lady sure knows how to plan a first date." He got a chuckle out of Jarek.

I mean, who invites someone to a high-profile dinner party for their first date? Someone who's trying to get Caged, that's who! The two continued down the hall. To be around the world's richest and elite, that's like-the quickest way to the top. Not to mention, her body was BANGING!

"No offense, Mister Cage," Jarek cleared his throat, "I'd rather not hear you fawn over my associate.."

"Huh? Sorry, sometimes I think out loud." Johnny paused. "Hey, Jared-"

"Jarek."

"Right." He clapped one hand on Jarek's bare shoulder and took off his sunglasses. "I just wanted to tell you that when we walk in there, all eyes will be on me."

"Rightfully so." Jarek stated.

"Rightfully so," Johnny laughed. "This guy!-No, no, tonight is different, Jerry. Tonight I wantall the eyes on me, and not that orange vest."

A moment of silence passed between the two.

"You don't like the vest?" A twinge of hurt in Jarek's voice.

CHAPTER ONE

The Knysna Forest, South Africa. EARTHREALM

"At last," the guide whooped. "We are here!"

The monks stood atop a high cliff, looking down into a small clearing that was surrounded by thick vegetation. Their guide pulled something from his satchel. After looking through it, he extended his spyglass to Kung Lao.

"There," He said as he guided the glass.. The clearing was definitely man-made, irrigated and even had cattle grazing its grass. Kung Lao focused on a collection of decrepit wooden huts.

"You keep your magical artifacts in an abandoned shantytown?" Kung Lao passed the spyglass to Liu Kang.

"I'm told it's worked for centuries," the guide retorted simply.

Liu surveyed the grounds below; albeit the cattle and occasional bird, there really were no other signs of life.

"No guards," Liu handed the spyglass back to the guide. "Or farmers."

"It'll make this even easier," Kung Lao said.

"There's a way down just over there," the guide motioned towards a walkway carved into the cliff. "You'll find what you're looking for in the center hut."

"You're not coming?" Liu asked.

"Raiden's orders." The guide replied. "And besides, I'm sure they still need me in Botswana. I wish you the best of luck."

"As I do you," Liu bowed respectfully, Kung Lao followed suit. "May we see one another again."

"Hopefully somewhere with air conditioning next time."

And with that the men parted ways. They did not see the rustle of grass in the treeline below.

CHAPTER TWO

The Kobalt Mines of Shokan — OUTWORLD

There were no days or nights in the mines, only shifts. Endless rotations of withered men and women attacking the rockface. The genders worked together with little complaint uttered. All walks of life were made equal here, stripped of their glory and titles, worked until their shadows were shadows of themselves.

The sounds of labor, and metal striking rock, and the cracking of whips–they would bring forth a feeling of sickness to anyone who stepped foot in this ungodly place.

It was in this place, that a man loudly, and rather rudely, snorted and spit on the ground.

"So this is it, eh?" The man's Australian accent was thicker than the saliva by his feet. His right eye was covered with sullied bandages. "The terrible 'Mines of Shokan'."

He stepped off a large wooden elevator accompanied by a tall man dressed in Aztec garb.

"You do not sound impressed," The tall man tried his best to hide his contempt. "I suppose they have prisons worse than this on Earthrealm?"

"Nah, they're just as shit." The bandaged man said as they walked through a mineshaft. "And trust me, I've seen my share of shit prisons: Rykers, Guantanamo, Monroe County. I busted outta that one easy"

"Outstanding," the tall man couldn't care less.

At the end of a mineshaft stood a lone guard, standing watch over what appeared to be a dead end. The tall man approached him and handed over parchment sealed by the Emperor himself. The guard inspected it briefly, then banged on the wall behind him four times.

There was a rumbling and a small cloud of dust as the wall behind him rolled away, pushed by two Shokan prisoners. What looked like a dead end had opened into one of the mine's many chasms and the labors it held. The guard handed the tall man back his papers.

"See Kintaro," were his only words. And so they did.

They found the four-armed monstrosity brutalizing a prisoner, a form of "discipline" that Kano had seen more than he could count back in Earth…realm. Earthrealm. The Outworlders were really uptight about specifics.

There was no crowd around to spectate, unlike the prisons Kano had served time in. The surrounding workers kept at their tasks. The cacophony of tinks and exhausted grunts welcomed the fleshy crunches of crushed bones with open arms.

"Kintaro," the tall man called out from a reasonable distance.

Kintaro kept smashing his fists into the poor soul until his–or "it's". It was hard to tell with these outworlders sometimes–face resembled a spilled can of puree tomato, then Kintaro roared loudly in its pulpy face and continued punching.

"Kintaro," the tall man called out again.

The Shokan's head snapped up, bloodied and teeth-bared, his bloodthirst expression slowly deescalated to one of an animal ready to pounce again.

Kintaro rose to his feet and approached them. No one helped the gurgling thing on the ground.

The tall man stood a head taller than Kano's 6'2 frame and Kintaro looked down on both of them.

"Kotal," Kintaro growled in acknowledgement. The tall man handed him the parchment.

"We are here on orders from Emperor Shao Khan. He requires bodies for his Games, with some specific requests." Kotal explained. "Assuming they're still alive to participate."

Kintaro's cat-like eyes scanned the paper, his tongue dabbed at some blood near the corner of his mouth. "Hm."

Kano looked at the gurgling thing on the ground. He watched it convulse a few times, then it fell still, the gurgling ceased. Kano spit on the ground.

The Shokan said something in Outworlder.

"You say something, Puss?" Kano's good eye darted up to Kintaro, who stood all four arms and crossed side-eyeing him.

"It appears there are matters that need to be discussed," Kotal spoke up calmly and clearly.

"Well, where I come from, all matters are discussed in a way everyone can understand." Kano retorted. "And nobody gets hurt."

Kintaro's lip curled, revealing a sharp gleaming fang. Like Kano gave a shit, his hand readied by the knife on his belt.

He took the parchment back from Kintaro and handed it to Kano. "Find as many of these names as you can."

Kano begrudgingly conceded their staredown to look at the paper. He regretted it instantly. "How the fuck am I s'posed to read this?!"

Kintaro let out a sharp command that echoed through the chamber, and shortly after another guard appeared. Kintaro waved one of his lower arms towards Kano dismissively. The Outworlders walked away.

"Thanks," Kano grumbled, shoving the parchment into the guard's chest. "Well come on then, Shithead."

Shithead gave a grunt, which must have meant "Yessir, King Kano!"

The search for souls began.

END