Shao Kahn and Sindel

He knelt down in his kouncil khambers, hunched over before the long painted table; one made in the likeness of Outworld itself. The realm that was once his, the realm he konquered and enlarged further. Kitana may call herself Kahn now and reside in his palace. But he was the true one. He would have it back, and more.

He leaned over the table and bore down over it, an oppressive presence as he always was to the realm he ruled. But there were other realms as well displayed on the table as well; Earthrealm. The prize he coveted for so long. So long that he had almost forgotten what he planned to do once he had it. Would he conquer the Netherrealm from there? Or the Chaosrealm? What about Orderrealm?

Of course, he would, but how could he if he did not have Earthrealm first?

But he did not come this far to fail. And he did not become Kahn without seizing an opportunity.

Events in Earthrealm had seemed to have spiraled out of control recently. Too much for that fool Raiden to control. By now it has spread to all of the veil that hid them from each other was lifted and misshapen, bringing them all into one massive realm.

And now was his chance.

Shao Kahn reached out a taloned hand "Yes." his deep voice rippled out like a tremor of an earthquake maliciously. His arm stretched out further across the table. His arm passed over the Outworld section of it, trying to grasp at the other realm displayed before him. But stopped just short of touching his fingertips. But his shadow... his shadow stretched much farther across it breaking out of the barriers that restrained the realms but not him "If I could but just reach out and take it, it would be mine". his voice cried out and echoed against his metallic helmet. His hang clenched into a fist over the table, and he could already feel it in his grasp "And it shall!" he cried aloud.

As soon as he did a sudden crash was heard at the very edge of the room. The doors had been pushed to the side slamming into the walls. The doors were tall as the ceiling and as wide as the walls, yet they were pushed aside like they were nothing; so forcefully that they cracked the walls at their sides.

Light now shone into the room through the open doors, illuminating all save for the dark figure who stood within it. The figure scanned the room and soon locked eyes with him.

"HUSBAND!" Sindel called from the top of the stairs stretching her hand out to him.

"WIFE!" Shao Kahn replied now reaching his arm out to her though they were still a room apart and no closer to reaching each other.

"Husband!" she called again "I was in the middle of my mid-day beauty rest, yet I couldn't stay asleep when I heard your distressing calls!"

"You do not need beauty sleep wife." Shao Kahn declared, flattering her with his compliment.

Sindel rolled her head whipping her hair "Then why do you distress so, now that I am here?" she asked.

Shao Kahn crossed the room as she spoke. He cleared the room quickly and never took his eyes off her. Standing at the bottom of the stairs, his outstretched hand reached her fist and moved to take hers tenderly in his. He gripped it delicately by the wrist and though she stood at the top of the stairs he still dwarfed her.

Carefully with her hand in his, he escorted her down the stairs. Sindel's other hand went to her hip, and she strutted down it, her hips bobbing from side to side as she came down as if she as still descending from her own throne and not some throwaway palace they had been resided to since Kitana took over as Kahn. One she reached the bottom of the stairs she had shrunken considerably next to him, yet he still led her along delicately.

"Come wife. You must see." he said as he now guided her across the room. As they drew closer, he rose his hand higher and hers followed with it. As it did, she spun beneath it spinning around before turning into him grabbing ahold of his torso and wrapping her arms around him as he dropped his arm and closed it in to bring her close to him.

And together they looked across the table eyeing it with pure greed.

"Behold!" Shao Kahn said as reached out his other arm to display the table and his would-be conquest "The realms as they are! But not as they will be. Not for long." his voice turned to a low grumble.

"What is our plan?" she turned up to him, joining his plan and making it hers as well.

"This." his outstretched hand waved, and an image appeared before them, hovering above a section dedicated to displaying Earthrealm. Sindel looked on as the image formed, her head rested against his bare barreled chest as her hand stroked beside it.

The image eventually formed in the formation of some terrible Earthrealm location. A great building bearing flags and symbols she was not familiar with; a skull with a lightning bold on its forehead and wings spreading from its sides. Whatever it was, Sindel wasn't sure of, but Shao Kahn had his eye on them for some time.

"A fortress." Shao Kahn told her "They think it is hidden."

"But not to us." She added with an evil knowing grin.

"Not for long." he declared "This is where we must go." he told "To find this base and bring it to its knees like everything else before us. For this is the cause of the disruption of the realms. Bringing imbalance to them all." he turned down to her.

"And making it's conquest all the easier." she finished for him squeezing him tighter.

Shao Kahn's wicked grin grew wider in tandem with hers. "As clever as you are beautiful." he brought a hand up to run it through her hair. He lowered his head down towards hers.

But before he could connect the two at their lips, Sindel then suddenly broke away from him to hang over the table as he had before "Then what are we waiting for!" she shouted leaving him behind. "We shall go out and take Earthrealm!" she practically drooled looking at the potential conquest "But we won't stop there!" she raised a foot and slammed it onto the table.

Shao Kahn then moved to her side and took her hand as her other leg sprung up and he helped her further before she was standing atop of the table; the very same one they eat at.

"All the realms will follow suite!" she said as she now dwarfed him and began to strut across the table her heels digging into it. "There's also the Chaosrealm." she said speaking aloud and mimicking his thoughts from before.

Shao Kahn moved around the table to keep pace with her, their hands still interlocked "Yesss." he hissed violently beneath her.

"Orderealm!" she marched further.

"Of course." he agreed. His strides shorter than hers she continued to march along coming to the other end of the table.

"Dreamrealm!"

"A dream worth having wife!" Shao Kahn declared.

Sindel finally reached the edge of the table, but her prance did not stop. One foot moved to step down from the table though there was no step for her. That was until Shao Kahn moved his free hand for her to use it as a step. She moved into his hand and then brought the other down to come to the ground coming below him again as he raised himself back up, but their hands never unlocked from the other.

She raised her hand up high above her head as Shao Kahn moved behind her to her other side.

"And when shall we put this into motion?" she asked as he spun behind her.

"Right away." he answered.

"My thoughts exactly." she agreed.

"All that's left is the dirty work." Shao Kahn said as he continued to move around her.

"Then what are we waiting for?" she asked but knew the answer as she broke away from him to rush to the corner of the room to where his mighty hammer lay. She picked it up with both hands and turned back to him and tossed it to him.

Effortlessly he caught it with one hand before he tossed to the other as he went low on one knee and held out the hand that had caught his hammer for hers.

Flattered Sindel put a hand to her chest and curtsied to him before reaching back to take his hand.

Joined again the two then raced through the castle. Sometimes Sindel lead while other times he was ahead, but they were always joined and went together. They crashed through the front gate opening it abruptly and exited it. The sky was clear casting a clear light down on to them and the path they would take. The road that leads directly out of Outworld and to the rest of the realms. They walked out passed it together, a small procession of servants and guards had come to see them go.

They lead the way together, that was until Shao Kahn had seen the very first sign of danger, and they had hardly left the castle yet!

"Wife, HOLD!" he swung his arm out to stop her. And luckily, he had, or she would have walked right into the stream, wetting her delicate and expensive shoes.

Sindel gasped "Husband! You shouldn't put yourself in harm's way for me!"

He turned his head back to her "I shall clear the path." he said to her. Then suddenly he lashed out to the nearest servant, grabbing ahold of them violently by the throat and choke slamming them face first into the water. Proud of his accomplishment, he then showcased it to her "The path is clear!" he grinned at her.

Sindel flattered by it offered him her hand, and he took it yet again. He then trudged forward into the water for it didn't faze him as Sindel walked across the back of the servant, her heels stabbing into his skin bloodying her shoes.

She reached the other side of the crossing, and no sooner had she touched the ground again had she been scooped up by Shao Kahn. Back in his arms she giggled in delight as he chuckled darkly with her. Carrying her in his arms, they were ready to conquer the worlds.

M. Bison and Decapre

His base was an extension of himself. A testament to his strength and power. To show not only what he had accomplished but what he will accomplished.

That is why he sent Balrog and Vega out. For his generals did his bidding, and if it was not here, they were needed to expand it elsewhere.

That is why F.A.N.G did as he instructed. To go out and 'ally' himself with an enemy, gaining knowledge of their intent while gauging the strength of their enemies.

And if by any fleeting chance he missed them, by all means he had the Lair of the Four Kings to remind himself of them. But wherever they were, it was clear they were not needed.

For he was the only one required to defend what was his.

And everything was going to be his. Not just this world, but all of them. Ancient kings, fallen gods and far off Kahn's be damned. He would show them. He would show all of them. It was his decisiveness that brought about this calamity, so he would be the only one to profit from it. He would make sure of that, himself.

His arms were crossed, and his cape hung off his shoulders like a shadow. Clutched in one hand tucked under the others elbow was the very device that allowed him to cause this travesty in the first place. With the ancient power combined with his own resources, he was able to open the barriers to all realms. He will find whatever other powers were out there as well.

His grin widened as he viewed the many monitors he had in place. Each one showed a different realm. And with each one a battle was showed. His enemies grinding each other down before his very eyes and he had yet to lift a finger.

"It's brilliant." M. Bison congratulated himself aloud "What delicious entertainment! With so many warriors battling each other, none will remain to stand against me." he said as he clenched the Kamidogu tighter, though as he did a resounding purple glow began to overtake the objects shine and shape. His Psycho power, engulfing it as he would anything else.

The very thing that will catapult all worlds into the next age. The one named after him.

As delighted as he was in the developments, there were others who were not. He still needed many minions to run his fortress. With F.A.N.G, Vega and Balrog gone, he had sent many of the Dolls on missions elsewhere. And though they all did as he requested, there was still the odd one who didn't know them place.

"But sir," one of his lowly subordinated stated. His voice full of fear and worry. Things Bison didn't concern himself with "Look!" he cried pointing to a monitor.

"Hm." Bison snapped gruffly chilling his subordinate to the bone. But he looked none the less. Bowing its head but keeping an arm stretched out Bison saw that the finger landed on the top right monitor. And there he saw it.

A duo not unlike many of the other pairing he'd been seeing. But they were different. In the sense that they had plans just like his own.

Which made them the primary targets.

The large overbearing Kahn lumbered forward with his hammer slung over his shoulder. Strutting beside him was his wife, a contemptuous grin over her face as she viewed all around her as beneath them.

"Those two." Bison said "I see."

"They seem to be on a path heading directly towards the base." the subordinate said raising his head ever so slightly.

"It matters not!" Bison snapped and his voice made all cower and bow around him "They will not make it this far. And should they," he said as he unwrapped his arms and clenched his fist showing them all the power he possessed "they will be no match for me."

"But my lord, there is strength in numbers." he fretted beneath him.

"Do you think I have not accounted for everything?" he asked with a knowing grin. None seemed to know what he meant. And he would not say it but show it. "Very well." Bison said conceding a point though still, he feared nothing from it. Not Dragon King's or Fallen gods "Let them come." he said. He turned his vision away from the monitor to see a darker side of the room. Concealed as it was, it wasn't vacant. The only light that shined did so to illuminate a long cylinder prism. A holding pod filled with water. But that was not the only thing it held.

A woman floated within the water. The lights shined on her showed her clearly, but there was a darkness about her. The dark clothes and black masks engraved with the shadows on her.

Her eyes opened to show red. And they burned with one purpose.

Kill.

Fight Your Rival! The Lair of the Four Kings

The Walls of M. Bison's fortress were as strong as they were imposing.

Yet the wall suddenly shattered, just as any wall would do against overwhelming force and its stone contents erupted into the lair. Some falling off the edge of the pit while others teetered on the edge and others went into screens cracking them.

A hole made in the wall was soon plugged by a large figure looming within it.

"I've found you the door Wife!" Shao Kahn announced as he stood within the hole, he made leaning the hammer on his shoulder.

"A fine hit husband." she complemented his swing as she stepped into it herself. Shao Kahn looked ahead peering into the wide open space of Shadaloo. The place none should have been able to find. But they did.

He rotated his head coming back to her, but then offered his hand out to Sindel who took it and then he walked her down the length of what once was the wall that they now used as steps. Coming down to the ground their hands broke apart and they looked around at all before them.

The two entered the base of Shadaloo and starred at the wide openness of it. Light flashed brightly at them. But centered in the room were Four massive imposing statues that starred down at them.

But as great and high as the Statues were there was something else. Someone floating high above the statues, under the ceiling that housed the portal that was utilized to bring the realms together. That dreaded figure was floating, staying there as if suspended by a purple cloud that hovered around him.

His feet together and arms crossed his stood stiffly in place as he watched them venture further into his lair, unsuspectingly. The only thing that changed on him was an evil growing grin. "Hm." he let out as if expecting them.

Sindel and Shao Kahn approached the statues together. "This is it." Sindel grinned, as if they had come across Kronika's hourglass. But what was here, was the lair of a rival. One that must be vanquished.

"It is." Shao confirmed as he stepped forward to get a better view of the room, taking in the sights of the newly conquered territory. He stopped before the edge placing the hammer down by his side and leaving upon it as he looked up to the statues. Specifically, the one that held up the world, though spanning out on each side were other globes. One for each realm. Never had it been so close to his grasp.

But it must pass from that one first.

"Look Wife!" he called as she took her place beside him wrapping her arms around him. "These statues." he pointed to them.

"They're ugly." she declared as her face scrunched up in disgust "They must go." she concluded. "But what must replace them?" she pondered.

"I already know!" Shao Kahn said lowering the hammer. He pointed to the far left of a smug boxer "That one shall be me." he declared and then moved down the line to the statue of the dictator who owned this base and whose hand held out the world to hold "And that one you!" Sindel squealed in delight as she hung off his arm "And that one me!" Shao Kahn said of the third one, brandishing a claw before he moved on to the final one of a man in a hat that would make Kung Lao jealous "and that one right there!" he finished coming to the final one on the far right.

"Yes." Sindel bit her lip in anticipation and fidgeted on his arm.

"Shall be me as well." Shao declared confidently. Sindel's giddiness suddenly evaporated as she turned up to Shao Kahn with a blank confused glare. But he was too encased in his victory to enjoy it.

But like all his others it was too early to gloat.

"Have you come so far yet accomplished so little?" a man's deep voice let out. Shao Kahn and Sindel, startled quickly snapped around and saw floating in the air above them was a red clad man who starred at them contemptuously with his arms crossed.

"Bison." Shao Kahn grumbled, his eyes focusing on him through the sockets of his helmet which burned red as he did.

"Shao Kahn." Bison bellowed from above in reply. He then floated down to touch the ground before them coming to the opposite ends of the statues.

"I have come to take all that is yours." Shao Kahn clenched his fist to him.

"Tsh." Bison let out sharply "It is you who will lose. This battle and more." he said as he discarded his cape. Shao Kahn readied himself gripping his hammer fiercely. Bison's eyes were on Shao Kahn when he spoke, but they suddenly went to Sindel beside him "Yes." he droned "Even more." he said as he made his way forward.

Shao Kahn went tense as he prepared for an attack that never came. Instead of going to the konqueror, the dictator instead went to his empress. Stopping before her, he inspected her closely and meticulously.

"Hmm." Bison said as he moved to even closer to Sindel. He looked to her curiously "Yes." he said again as he gripped her chin between his thumb and finger "Perhaps there is some worth in you." he admitted "You may make a worthy contribution to my Dolls."

Sindel slapped his hand away. Bison only laughed away their first attack. Shao Kahn stampeded forward overtaking him from his left side, but Bison disappeared as Shao slammed down to where he once was.

Both he and Sindel rotated their heads to see where he could have gone.

A sudden cackle erupted from behind them and echoed throughout the lair. They turned around right in the moment as they were attacked again.

Not by Bison, but by a dark clad woman, who swung forward with a purple clad blade.

It was Sindel who came to Shao Kahn's aid this time as she cut up front of him and slashed the attacker away. Decapre flipped back to land on the far edge of the platform as she menaced them with her blade powered the psycho power. Sindel was ready to face her again, but Shao Kahn only laughed.

"Tsch." he let out at Bison's pathetic efforts "Is that your best? Some pathetic imperfect clone? Her mask cannot even hide her imperfect, scarred face." he mocked pointing to her. But the more he went on belittling Bison's Doll, the wider Sindel's eyes went, and she turned up to him in another confused, and shocked glare as she realized Shao Kahn may as well have been talking about himself, seemingly being the only one to realize that Decapre's description very much fit another that Shao Kahn himself had made.

She opened her mouth to interject against him, but Bison spoke first.

"The best stands before you!" he called out. Shao Kahn turned around and went back to back against Sindel. He saw Bison standing on the opposite edge of the bridge. Decapre was on the other side and the two of them in between.

They squared off against each other on opposite sides of the bridge. Shao against Bison, Sindel against Decapre.

To have a battle to decide once and for all who would inherit this world.

Sub-Boss Necalli Hour of Battle! Shao Kahn and Sindel

Though his battle with Bison raged on, it had just been interrupted. He had lost sight of Bison and his wretched Doll. The room was becoming more and more a ruin from their battle. But they could not hide from them. Standing side by side, Sindel and Shao Kahn looked around the lair to try and find and sign of their foes.

They would not find them, but one did appear. Sindel saw it first.

"Husband!" she cried out as she put a hand to his shoulder and pointed with the other. Getting Shao Kahn's attention, he looked to where she pointed. For on the ground there was a dark puddle sloshing around.

"Good eyes Wife!" Shao Kahn complimented her, though truthfully neither had any idea what they were staring at. Only when a figure emerged from it, did they realize a new foe had entered the ring against them. But they were no less impressed. "What is this?" Shao Kahn asked as he brought his hammer up to rest it on his shoulder.

"A dog that slobbers on the floor." Sindel said contemptuously hiding a grin behind her hand "Begging for table scraps."

"I serve..." Necalli spoke in a low voice, hollow like the room they found themselves in "I serve.. my master."

"Bow before us!" Sindel demanded pointing to the ground "Make us your masters." she commanded as if he served them already, before opening her arms "And you shall be spared our wrath."

"My master has offered me souls.. souls of the strongest." Necalli's voice trilled in reply.

"Then it befits you to come for us." Sindel gleamed. But she had gloated for too long and now Shao Kahn joined.

"Your master cannot save you from us." Shao Kahn said taking a hand off his hammer to hold it up to clench it into a fist.

"My-master-new master.." Necalli choked before finding his voice again "..was yours as well." Necalli said darkly.

Sindel found that rather amusing.

As soon as Necalli said that Sindel cackled hideously at him "Master?" she repeated "Groveling fool. We have no masters, for we are them!" she threw her arms up again "Right Husband?" she snapped her head back to him waiting to hear some sense of agreement or compliment, her long hair waving as she did. She looked to Shao Kahn waiting for an agreement but found he was far different than what she expected. Frozen in place, beneath his helmet his eyes widened in their sockets, his mouth agape and growing larger as it hung there. And though he hid it as well as he could, the smallest trace of fear could be seen within his face.

"..my master.." he whispered smally and dare not say the name aloud though he thought it. Onaga

"He has returned." Necalli told as if sensing that dread "And he will have all, and I will have their souls."

It was now that Shao Kahn burst forward, swinging his hammer down and holding it in both hands.

"YOU WILL GET NOTHNING FROM HERE!" he shouted, his thunderous roar filling the lair. "I am the konqueror. I will have it all! he declared.

"Yes!" Sindel agreed sliding forth to come to his side "Ours by right of konquest."

"Your treason will be paid in kind." Necalli warned and then they charged each other.

Sub-Boss Necalli Hour of Battle! M. Bison and Decapre

Skidding back from another hammer blow Bison dodged another attack. He skidded across the room in a controlled manner. When Shao Kahn charged after him with his hammer Bison only grinned before he dodged another mad swing from his hammer, this time teleporting away from the swing.

He reappeared on the other side of the lair. The dome was still above them as was the portal. The Kamidogu was still in his possession. Looking down as if he was a god to an ant, he saw Shao Kahn and Sindel searching high and low for him.

"Hm." he let out amused. But he heard another sound too. The familiar dripping and writhing of a tortured, wretched soul from behind him. He didn't have to turn his head to see who it was.

"Another intruder?" Bison said "Hm. Another distraction." he corrected as he turned to face him "You again." Bison said with crossed arms as the figure emerged from the shadows revealing itself to be Necalli as he suspected "Must I throw you aside once more?" he asked.

"Yoouu" Necalli droned "youu" he continued "You are the cause of this."

Hearing recognition for the fruits of his labor Bison couldn't help but grin "And that has brought you to me again."

"I'm not surprised you reared your ugly head." he admitted "But I will not have it here." he said crossing his arms.

"My master sends me."

"A new master?" Bison questioned. Just as he knew of Necalli's presence, he was able to decipher his master as well "He has only sent you to your death."

"HEYA!" Decapre cried and Necalli's vision as overtaken by her as she slashed at him. Necalli ducked underneath the swipe but shot back up, his hair rising and falling wildly around him as he moved. Jumping up he came back down with his fists bringing them down onto Decapre. But she crouched down and jumped back right as Necalli's blows struck the ground where her feet once were.

Cracking the ground, his fists embedded into them Necalli looked up as she slid away, across the room to fling herself next to Bison and beneath the statues of himself. Hurling his head up, Necalli snarled as Decapre came up to bear her blade at him.

Their primitive standoff only amused Bison who flung his head back to laugh.

"You two sub-humans amuse me." he said bringing it back down "But, I can't waste any more time with you." he said setting his eyes on Necalli "And I won't leave him alone in your charge." he said looking to Decapre "I'll make sure the deal is sealed."

"Your strength will not save you from me!"

"It already has." Bison said "For I grow stronger by the moment!" he declared as a violent rush of purple Psycho energy overtook him.

Shao Kahn and Sindel Ending

Shao Kahn let out a heavy breath, one huff that rang hollow against his mask. But it was well earned for it was done.

His breath was followed by a lowly laugh that grew to be a low rumble.

For he had done it.

He had won.

"I've done it." he whispered lowly to himself. He then turned up to the statue. The one of Bison holding the globe. But it was Bisons no longer. Shao Kahn then reached up his hand. His claws graced the edge of the sphere before he closed it into a fist "I've won." he said and clenched it so tightly he thought he would bleed. It was over, he had won. He had come all this way, defeated his terrible foe and drove him from his lair. This lair of the Four Kings shall become the Lair of the One Kahn. Triumphantly, he then slumped the hammer over his shoulder relishing in his victory "Isn't that right wi-" he stopped short when he turned round and saw no sign of Sindel. She was not loyally at his side as she had been through this whole journey. His head rotated around the room, turning from one side to the next, but he saw no sign of his wife. It was not until he looked up that he saw her with her back to M. Bisons chair and her leaning back to take a seat into it.

She bent over and ran a hand up her legs to flap and flatten her skirt before she sat in the chair, making herself comfortable as she leaned into it and crossed her legs.

She took a long envious look of the world below her feet. She then titled her head on its side and then rested it in her hand, splitting her fingers on her cheek as some cradled the head as others went low to touch the tips of her mouth, her black nails meeting her black lips that turned into a longer wider sneer. She felt overcome with power as she sat there, with seemingly the whole world at her beck and call. But a sudden bark took her out of her trance.

"Wife?!" Shao Kahn shouted in shock when he saw her "What are you doing?!"

Sindel looked down to him at the base of the stairs. Her eyes rolled before her head followed as Shao Kahn lumbered upwards towards her before stopping before her in the seat.

"Taking my rightful place." she answered piously looking now at him with a smirk, feeling powerful and at the top of the world.

"The throne is mine." he said rigidly standing over her.

"You?" she questioned "Then where shall I sit?"

"When I sit upon it. You shall stay right here." he said taking one step forward as his left leg was extended out and he showcased his bare quad for her. Her 'throne' as he sat upon his own. But it did not look as comfortable. And her reaction was not one Shao Kahn liked.

Sindel only laughed at him "That? Perhaps you forget husband it was I who did most of the fighting here today." Shao Kahn began to shake in anger.

"The throne is mine!" Shao Kahn shouted.

As soon as he had yelled, Sindel hopped off the chair. Not to give it to him, but to stand against him "Do not take that tone with me!" she yelled defiantly back at him.

"In Outworld!-"

"This isn't Outworld!" she shouted back and up to him. Shao Kahn grumbled and gripped his hammer tightly.

"You try my patience, Wife." he growled at her as he gripped his hammer tighter.

"Patience? It was my patience that got us here! Had I listened to you the entire way, we'd have been lost!"

"AH!" Shao shouted and swung forward with his hammer, but Sindel had the knowledge to duck, so he did not hit her. Instead, he hit the chair and shattered it into countless pieces that scattered across the room.

In the aftermath they looked on dreaded silence of his action and the destruction he created to the chair that was once there.

"Look!" he pointed to it "See what you have made me done!" he shouted blaming Sindel.

"You simple minded brute!" Sindel shouted back. The two then began to shout, wail and argue over the other, their shouts filling up the entire base.

And there was only one person left to hear them.

All the while the portal above the statues continued to do as it was designed.

M. Bison and Decapre Ending

A swing of the hammer was dodged. It swung back at him, but he evaded it once again. A fearsome roar was let out as it came back swiping along the side and was about to hit Bison in his head and take it right off.

Or it would have, had he not raised his left arm to grab the hammers head and stop its swing. Tensing Shao Kahn struggled in place to force the hammer through Bison's hand and hit his head, his green energy surging all around him like he was covered in a green mist. But Bison was ready bracing his hand against it and himself in place. The purple glow of his Psycho power flared in reply to Shao's might, making him appear like he was alight with purple flame. The two struggling against each other in a surge of colliding green and purple.

Shao Kahn's teeth clenched as he growled through them in frustration. The hammer budged inching closer, but Bison buckled down shouting out in reply to him.

Then in one chaotic moment both were flung back. The hammer to the ground and Bisons arm away as an explosion of green and purple overtook the room, shaking everything within it.

Both remained on their feet, staggered away from the other, but only for a moment. For though their vision at first went to their weapons; his hammer and his arm they realized looking up that the other was still very much there.

Their eyes on their foe and what was at stake they charged each other again. Shao Kahn swung his hammer, but Bison eased back dodging it. He shot forward with a punch which struck Shao Kahn in his side sending him tumbling away from him. Bison was thrilled with the blow he made and was ready to follow up with another.

But from his side a cry was let out pulsating all around Bison causing him to falter in place and away from his follow up attack. Buckling under the pressure he gazed up to see Sindel walking towards him her mouth opened wide and her voice focused on him.

When she finally stopped Bison readied himself to face her. But as he saw Sindel standing before him ready to battle he then saw Shao Kahn discarded by his blow returned both hands holding his hammer with the same determination his wife had. The two shared a knowing glance to each other before turning it on him. And he was all alone.

Bison wasn't worried by these events, but nevertheless he looked over to see the aftermath of Sindel and Decapre's battle on the other side of the room. Shown by his very vassal lying there on the ground defeated, her mask discarded a few feet away from her head.

"Pitiful creature." Bison said and then turned back ready to face them both on his own and win. Or he would have had a piece of the ceiling not crumbled from above causing it to fall down and shatter between the standoff.

This did not deter him or them, however. They were ready to continue the fight. But he did notice that the destruction of their battle had spread throughout the room. The display of his power matched by two equals didn't frighten him.

But looking ahead he saw his many monitors shattered or destroyed. Only one remained. And in that one was his prized possession.

Ermac lied in his chamber. Sealed away as Bison wished it. But with the base as it was, crumbling down at the seams there was a chance he would lose that prize. There was only one thing to do.

Easing up out of his fighting stance he looked at the two would be konquerors.

"You may call this a victory if you wish." Bison said, sounding as if he was conceding but it was far from it. He was merely allowing them to think so.

"Do you admit defeat them?" Shao Kahn asked.

"I admit nothing." Bison retorted "You may call this what you wish. Victory if it pleased you." he lectured "For it will be short lived."

"Edenian's live long lives fool." Shak Kahn replied as Sindel smirked, putting a hand to her hip as the other ran through her hair.

"Then when I return, I shall cut it short." he said before a purple cloud engulfed him and he disappeared within it.

They may win the battle. But he would win the war.

But in the aftermath of Bisons exit, Shao Kahn could only conclude one thing.

"I've won!" he declared his booming voice echoing in and all around the base. As he celebrated, Sindel walked off heading up towards the throne Bison would sit in.

On the edge of the room, almost hidden away in the shadows, Decapre was motionless on the ground. Her eye struggled to open but when it did it revealed the world on its side.

A searing pain coursed over her head. Even opening her eyes was painful and hard to do. But once she did, she saw her mask was discarded on the ground. Her face felt naked and revealed once she saw it there, starring back at her like it was her true face peeled off.

She felt weak, too weak to take it. But she heard a voice, soft, tender and caring. It called out to her, not because she was there, but because she remembered it. Remembered those words and feelings.

"It's alright...your big sister is right here...sister." she said.

As she mumbled to herself the sound of stone shattering and ceilings falling didn't faze her nor did the two voices raged behind her

"Look! See what you have made me done!" Shao screamed.

"You simple minded brute!" Sindel shouted back.

Unnoticed by them and undeterred by it Decapre reached for her mask and took it speaking to herself in a small voice hardly above a whisper

"sister..."