Disclaimer: I do not own Mortal Kombat or any of its characters. All rights belong to Ed Boon, Nether Realm Studios and Warner Bros.
Inside of Shang Tsungs temple a few days after the tournament began, the remaining combatants are now in the semifinals of Mortal Kombat where the fate of Earth Realm will be decided.
Kurai, standing with his group allies, and friends, looks over at the elderly man, who looks back at him with a smirk while he sits on what looks to be a throne. Kurai sighs deeply as he thinks about what Shang Tsung requested of him, should he accept his offer to find out more of his past, but there was just one problem.
As Shang Tsung had said, all the answers he was looking for now lied in Outworld. Where Shao Kahn currently ruled as Emperor with a destructive and merciless iron fist. That was one place and one person he wanted to avoid above all others.
Thinking back to what Shang Tsung had offered him a few days ago, Kurai had become greatly conflicted. Because Shang Tsungs request went against every sacred rule of Mortal Kombat. A request that even the Elder Gods themselves would punish with extreme prejudice if they decided to personally interfere.
Sabotage.
4 days ago, with Kurai and Shang Tsung...
"Alright, let's hear it. What do you want from me?" Kurai asks Shang Tsung, causing the elderly man to smile wickedly.
Shang Tsung turns away from Kurai and walks a few feet away from him in the opposite direction. "Oh, nothing too big, Prince Kurai." He began, making Kurai to scowl at being called prince. "What I want is something that ensures Outworlds victory over Earth Realm. Something that goes against the rules of the tournament and defies the so called Elder Gods." He continues, causing Kurai to become worried now as he glares at the man.
But Kurai would be lying if he said he wasn't curious. "So, what is it that you want, Shang Tsung? Stop speaking in riddles and tell me what it is." He demanded of the sorcerer.
Shang Tsung smirks and turns around to face Kurai with a demented and psychotic expression on his face. "If you want the answers you seek, my dear prince, then I want you to turn against Earth Realm and kill the descendant of the Great Kung Lao. I want you to kill Liu Kang."
Present day, Shang Tsungs temple...
Kurai looked down at the floor as thunder and lightning clapped and flashed across the night sky as he and the few remaining fighters stood inside at the top of Shang Tsungs temple.
Of all the things that man had to ask of him. Kill a new friend and ally? Kill Liu Kang? Why? Why him?
Kurai came here for one purpose and one purpose only. To find the truth of his past and why his memories had been locked away. Since meeting with both Jade and Tanya on the same night, Kurais memories began to slowly come back to him, but only in vague, and often times, blurry snippets of images. Nothing that could provide him a coherent picture of what his life was before being sent to Earth Realm.
Sighing deeply, Kurai looks back up at Shang Tsung, who looked to be chuckling at his dilemma. The dilemma that he had set upon him with his request.
Glaring daggers at the man, Kurai turns around and calmly walks out of the room. Kitana, who had been watching him from beside Shang Tsungs throne, made to follow after him but was stopped by Jade when she grabbed her arm. Kitana turns her head to glare at her friend, but Jade, knowing that the princess was going to confront Kurai, slowly shook her head.
Kitana, remembering what Jade had told her the other night about if they were meant to know more about their connection with Kurai, they shouldn't force it. But, that wasn't the reason why Jade had stopped her from following him. No. She stopped her because she felt that it wasn't the right time. Not with the tournament soon coming to a close. If not tonight, then perhaps the next night.
Either way, it wasn't the right time and Kitanas timing would be less than ideal if she confronts Kurai now.
Raiden, seeing Kurai walk out of the room, decides to follow him and find out why he left. As soon as he catches up to the young warrior, Raiden sees him leaning over a railing looking to be in a deep thought.
"Kurai? Why did you leave the room? We need everyone representing Earth Realm to be present." The god of thunder asks the young man, which causes him to sigh deeply before looking up at him.
"Because, Raiden, I can't trust myself in that room right now. Especially not around Liu Kang." He explains to the god, causing said god to tilt his head slightly in confusion.
"Why can't you trust yourself around Liu Kang, Kurai? Have you two had a fight? If so, we can work it all out if you two talk to each other." Raiden offered Kurai, but Kurai just shook his head.
"No, no, Raiden. That's not it." He tells the thunder god as he rubs his face gently in frustration before sighing deeply.
Raiden narrows his eyes curiously before crossing his arms across his chest. "Then what is the problem, Kurai?" He asks him sternly.
Kurai sighs deeply again, greatly considering whether he should tell Raiden of what Shang Tsung had requested of him. But if he tells him, it would drive a wedge between him, Raiden and the others, including Drake. Because not even Drake would consider betraying anyone or an entire realm to get answers. Even if it meant never getting them.
So, Kurai makes his decision. Whether it will be beneficial for him or not in the coming future will revealed soon. "Nothing, Raiden. I'm just... I think I'm just a little tired. That's all. I think Liu Kangs enthusiasm for Earth Realms victory is a little tiring." He answers with a light chuckle, but it wasn't genuine.
Raiden, with his glowing, lightning blue eyes, examines Kurai closely for any sign of deception, but could see that he did indeed look a bit tired. Perhaps the feeling of the tournaments climax was a little overwhelming for him and he his energy was slowly draining from him.
So, he nods slowly with a smile before gently patting Kurais shoulder. "He can indeed be a little over enthusiastic about things, my young friend. But not to worry. Mortal Kombat is drawing to a close with not that many opponents left and you will be able to sleep soundly once this is all over. If you survive, of course." He tells him with a soft chuckle, causing Kurai to genuinely laugh this time from the thunder gods humor.
Raiden then gestures for Kurai to follow him back into Shang Tsungs throne room, making him nod as they both proceed to walk back towards the throne room where the others were waiting. But they both were shoved out of the way by a shinobi dressed in black and yellow with tan skin and deathly white eyes. Kurai knew right away who he was just by glancing at him as a fiery like aura surrounded the man as he walked into the throne room.
Scorpion.
Concerned for the safety of the group, Kurai and Raiden both quickly rushed back into the throne room to see what the man, now a specter, was planning to do.
"Shang Tsung! I have completed all of the challenges you've thrown at me during this damned tournament to earn my right to fight my family's murderer! Now, give me what I want, which I now demand! Give me Sub-Zero!" Scorpion shouts with a fierce glare at Shang Tsung.
An albino looking pale man, with red tattoos and markings on his body, wearing what looked to be ancient tribal clothes, or gear, that was not of Earth Realm, walked from beside Shang Tsungs throne and towards Scorpion as he put up his hands in a calming manner to ease the vengeful black and yellow clad ninja. "Scorpion, remember, you must have patience. I promise you that you will have your-" He tries to tell the specter, but Scorpion was having none of it.
"No, Quan Chi! I've waited long enough! I've completed every challenge and distraction thrown my way and I've beaten down or killed them all! Now, that old man will give me what I want now, or I will burn this entire island with everyone on it and send it to the Nether Realm! I am done waiting! GIVE ME SUB-ZERO!!!" Scorpion shouts angrily as his fiery aura burned brightly and fiercely as many of the other combatants hurriedly stepped away from the demonic looking man as the aura of fire was far too hot to stand near.
Shang Tsung then quickly put a hand up, easing the tension in the room, but only slightly. Shang Tsung then nods his head before he speaks. "Very well, Scorpion. You are right. You've completed every challenge that has come your way, in doing so, you earned your right to challenge Sub-Zero to Mortal Kombat." The elderly man says as he gestures his hand to signal someone to come towards the throne.
Another ninja, clad in blue, black and silver, walks into the throne room of Shang Tsungs temple with ice covering his feet and the floor with every step he took.
Feeling his anger build up, Scorpion glances over at Raiden, who had a stoic expression on his face, and remembers the conversation he had with Raiden before everyone walked into the temple for the semifinals.
Raiden promised Scorpion that if he fights, and spares, Sub-Zero, he will converse with the Elder Gods for the restoration of the Shirai-Ryu clan. He agreed. But should he allow his rage for the Lin Kuei ninja to consume him, then the Shirai-Ryu shall forever remain dead, as well as Scorpions wife and children.
Taking a deep breath, Scorpion walks towards Sub-Zero to fight him. As Sub-Zero approaches the yellow clad ninja, he gains an expression of confusion through his mask. "You. You are of the Shirai-Ryu clan?" He asks the Shirai-Ryu specter, who only nods as his response. "How is that possible? The Shirai-Ryu are dead." Sub-Zero asks again as Scorpions rage begins to flare.
"They are dead... because of you and your clan, Bi-Han!" Scorpion shouts at the ninja, causing the Lin Kuei ninja to finally realize who this person is.
"Hasashi Hanzo..." He whispers with a surprised tone as he looks on at Scorpion and sees what he has now become.
Scorpion vs. Sub-Zero...
Scorpion throws his kunai, that was attached to a chain and covered with a raging hellfire, towards Sub-Zero, but the Lin Kuei ninja dodges the kunai by shifting backwards on his feet leaving a full body ice decoy behind. As the flaming kunai hits the ice decoy, it explodes, causing the spectators in the room to cover their faces to shield themselves from the ice debris that had been flung throughout the room.
Bringing the kunai back to him, Scorpion dashes towards Sub-Zero before jumping into the air while shouting in a frenzied rage while coming down towards the cryomancer with a flying kick. Sub-Zero dodges to the left of Scorpions attack and tries to counter with an elbow to the face, but Scorpion catches his elbow and knees him in the gut, causing Sub-Zero to grunt in pain before he's kicked away.
Sub-Zero then forms an orb of ice in his hands before launching it toward the specter, but Scorpion brings his flaming kunai back out and slices the ice orb in two before launching the kunai again towards Sub-Zero. This time, the kunai manages to lodge itself into Sub-Zeros shoulder, making him cry out painfully. Scorpion smirks underneath his mask and yanks the chain, pulling Sub-Zero towards him.
"GET OVER HERE!" He shouts as Sub-Zero flys towards him and tries the use one of his swords to wound the cryomancer and end the fight quickly.
The quicker he defeats Sub-Zero and spares him, the sooner his clan, his whole family, can be revived. But Sub-Zero, shaking off the pain in mid air, dodges the attack and manages to flip over Scorpions head. Landing on his feet behind Scorpion, Sub-Zero painfully pulls out the red hot kunai from his shoulder, grabs hold of the chain and wraps it around Scorpions neck before flipping him over onto his back.
Scorpion grunts in pain as he looks up at Sub-Zero with flaming, rage filled eyes as he quickly flips backwards to get himself back up to his feet while kicking Sub-Zero in the chin while doing so, stunning the cryomancer and making him stumble back.
Sub-Zero shakes off the dizziness of his head and glares menacingly at Scorpion as his eyes turn brown to a glowing, icy blue. He rushes towards the specter, who also rushes towards him, and begins trading blows with each other.
Scorpion delivers a painful uppercut that made even Kurai cringe when he heard a sickening crunch. Sub-Zero punches Scorpions gut that momentarily knocked the wind out of the specter, but only retaliates with a devastating right hook to the cryomancer, making him stumble backwards, but Scorpion stays on top of his attack.
He leaps into the air, grabs Sub-Zeros head and pulls his towards his knee as a sickening crack is heard throughout the room, making many of the fighters stomachs churn.
Sub-Zero continues to stumble backwards as Scorpion lands on his feet then quickly launches his kunai at Sub-Zero again as it lodges itself into the side of his torso. Scorpion then flicks the chain attached to the kunai, making it supernaturally wrap around the cryomancer before pulling it, causing Sub-Zero to spin like a top as he is launched into the air.
Sub-Zero unnaturally spins through the air before landing roughly on the floor of the room near Shang Tsungs throne. With the wind knocked out of him and dizzy from being spun so quickly, Sub-Zero groans as he tries to stand up, but can't without his legs feeling wobbly. He stands up for a brief moment before collapsing to the floor on his face and he tries to regain his balance.
Shang Tsung looks at Sub-Zero with disappointment before looking over at Quan Chi, who was looking at Scorpion proudly with a smirk on his face, before looking over at Scorpion, who was breathing heavily as he tries to keep himself in check.
Shang Tsung sighs deeply as he is about to declare Scorpion the winner. "No! No, Shang Tsung! I can still fight! Don't you dare declare that Shirai Ryu scum the victor!" Sub-Zero shouts, causing Scorpion to flinch at the insult as he storms up to the still, but only mildly, dizzy Sub-Zero as he stood up.
"Give up, Bi-Han! I've won! You've lost! The Shirai Ryu are superior, admit it and admit defeat!" Scorpion shouts at Sub-Zero, who defiantly shakes his head with a smirk underneath his mask.
"If they're so superior, then how come they were wiped out? How come you're the last, Hanzo? Hmm?" He says to Scorpion, aggravating him and causing the specter to shake and tremble in a fierce rage as he continues. "I'll tell you why. Because your clan... deserved to be wiped out. Just like the scummy cockroaches you are. You couldn't stand up properly to your enemies, not like the Lin Kuei can. That's why the Shirai Ryu clan were wiped out. Because you. Just. Weren't. Strong enough." He says to the specter with a smile on his face as Scorpion clenches his fists furiously before shouting in a rage and grabs Sub-Zero by his shoulders then suddenly teleports into a fire like portal that transports him and the cryomancer into the Nether Realm, but the other fighters didn't know that.
Drake looks around the room in confusion. "Um... where'd they go?" He asks quietly to no one in particular, causing Raiden to sigh deeply without answering as Quan Chi quietly sneaks out of the room and teleports to the Nether Realm to watch the outcome of the fight between the two ninjas.
15 minutes later...
All of the fighters waited patiently and quietly for the return of the winner between the fight of Scorpion and Sub-Zero, but the anticipation was excruciating. The fighters waited... and waited... and waited... and still no sign of the two fighters returning.
Shang Tsung waited patiently on his throne with his fingers held intertwined with one another while his eyes were closed.
Kurai looks over at Raiden and whispers as quietly as he can to him. "Raiden, what are the chances that Scorpion will return with Sub-Zero alive? Or Sub-Zero with Scorpion alive?" He asks him curiously, making the thunder god shrug his shoulders as he looks over the the Edenian fighter.
"I have no idea, Kurai. I really don't. But Scorpion seemed to be completely full of rage before taking Sub-Zero to the Nether Realm. Chances are that his hate for the entirety of the Lin Kuei has consumed him and... that Sub-Zero is dead. But Lin Kuei also have gifted and talented warriors. I would not bet against the likes of Sub-Zero. There's still a chance." He answers Kurai honestly, causing Kurai to nod understandably as he and the rest of the fighters continue to wait for the winner.
Moments later, a large pillar of flame rises from out of nowhere and in it stands Scorpion as the flame pillar disappears. Scorpion, with a menacing scowl on his face, lifts up his arm with the head of Sub-Zero and his bloody spine still attached.
Scorpion throws Sub-Zeros decapitated head to the floor, causing it to splatter all over said floor before he walks away next to Quan Chi, who had snuck back into the throne room before Scorpion had returned.
Raiden shakes his head disapprovingly at Scorpion and sighs deeply before looking down at the bloodied, scattered remains that was once Sub-Zeros head and spine.
"Scorpion wins! Fatality!" Shang Tsung declares, but no one from Earth Realm or Outworld cheered.
The fighters all look up at Shang Tsung, who gained a twisted smirk on his face as he looks at Kurai with a knowing look, making Kurai feel uneasy. "Now, then, we can now continue the tournament with the second to final round of the tournament." He says to the fighters, many of whom had been eliminated from the tournament. Leaving Kurai and Liu Kang as the finalists.
"The beginning of the final round shall begin! Liu Kang! You shall now face..." Shang Tsung began by pointing to Liu Kang then moves his finger over to...
"Kurai!" He declares as many in the room looked on in shock as Kurai and Liu Kang stared at each other, both of them conflicted, but for different reasons.
"Ohhh... shit..." Drake whispers as Sonya, Jax and Cage all nod in agreement.
Authors Note: Shorter chapter than I normally put out, but I'll get straight to work on the next chapter to begin closing up the Earth Realm Mortal Kombat arc before moving on to the next arc. On a side note, have you guys seen the trailer for Mortal Kombat 1 yet? If so, what are your thoughts on it and what do you expect to see when the game launches?