Evil Monastery

While Cyrax was buying them time at the Coliseum. Liu Kang and Taven enter the last stronghold of Outworld in search for saboteurs.

- Taven: You're sure it was a wise to split our forces up?

- Liu Kang: Notice, that Cyrax has the keenest judgement.

While the duo looked around, they were growing more alarmed, sensing the dark presence. It didn't make the heroes wait long as the Brotherhood of Shadow reveal themselves, surrounding the duo.

The shadows' leader spoke - "Keenest though he may has, he was a fool to divide your strengths." - The Brotherhood attacks the heroes.

Taven and Liu Kang were knocking them away from the group, making sure, that 2 or more weren't getting close for a gang up.

Taven gets out of the Shadows' circle and confronts the leader, who scoffs - "No matter. You will die by my hand!"

When clashing their attacks, Taven recognises his opponent's fighting style belonging to certain Lin Kuei warrior he had to defeat while retrieving an armor left by his missing mother Delia.

This shadow warrior used his respective element to trap his opponent or call in for some help.

It was hard fought battle for Taven. He uses his godly fire powers, successfully countering Noob Saibot and emerging victorious - "Now to see if Liu Kang is still there."

Liu Kang puts down a lot of Brotherhood's warriors, but he was getting tired, and enemies were overwhelming him with quantity. Taven pounds the ground to knock them off their feet and finishes the job.

Both took their breather.

- Taven: It's good to see you're still in one piece.

- Liu Kang: Let us hurry to the Coliseum.

Coliseum

Cyrax kept resisting the trap - "No! I will not be turned!" - Out of nowhere, the Lin Kuei cyborgs were blazed with fire, melting their bodies. Cyrax triggers a smoke bomb and gets outside of arena.

The presence of Taven and Liu Kang gave him a clue of his escape. - "Thanks. Now that I'm out, there are only 2 of you remain." - Shao Kahn's voice boomed - "A challenge. The Lin Kuei duo versus Taven."

Edenian remnant and both cyborgs step up opposite of each other. Despite the cybernetic sound, Taven had noticed rage in Smoke's voice - "This time, there will be no interruptions!"

Smoke and new Sub-Zero use a lot their practiced team attacks, giving Taven a very hard time.

The son of Argus uses the earthquake ability to get at least one of cyborgs of his back, while with another.

Sometimes the image shows the similarities between the current fight and the one at Lin Kuei temple, where Taven still hasn't retrieved his armor, while battling Smoke and Sub-Zero in their human forms.

Taven's fire abilities were able to weaken Sub-Zero, giving Edenian a chance to take one cyborg out of action.

Smoke however would quote - "Where there is Smoke, there is a fire." - Cyborg however could clog Taven's lungs with his special moves.

Taven takes the game for the hand to hand combat, regaining cementing his upper hand and scoring a victory. - "How far you have fallen."

Raiden concludes the cause - "The flow of time has been changed. I've awakened Taven earlier, only to watch both Smoke and this new Sub-Zero fall."

Shao Kahn laughed - "If that pathetic performance is the best the Lin Kuei got, then I have no use of their service. Escort them to the dungeon. I will make an example out of them." - Outworlders lift cyborgs up.

Cyrax tries to intervene, but Raiden aprehends him - "You cannot save them! Stay here or they'll take you as well." - Ex-Lin Kuei reluctantly complies.

Shao Kahn turns his eyes to the crowd - "The next match will be a team battle royal. Outworld's team will be: Scorpion... Ermac... and Quan Chi." - Three warriors make their appearance. - "Earthrealm's team will be formed by Raiden."

Raiden looks at Liu Kang - "Despite my doubts as to whether you are Earthrealm's saviour, you must fight!" - Shaolin contemplates the situation and nods - "I will... do as you ask, Raiden." - Kenshi approaches - "I shall assist you as well." - Thunder god nods in approval.

Shaolin and Swordsman join the Edenian to represent Earthrealm's team.

- Liu Kang: I've bested Scorpion once. And I'll do it again.

- Kenshi: Allow me to handle Ermac.

- Taven: Then that leaves me with Quan Chi.

The heroes took on their assigned targets.

The necromancer gets into a fighting stance - "You will serve me in the Netherrealm."

While Quan Chi is formidable opponent, he was chess-player rather than warrior. As long as Taven knew what to do he had no trouble for the victory.

Son of Argus is the first to defeat his opponent - "I think I'll remain with Earthrealm for awhile." - Quan Chi dissapears, eliminating himself.

With Quan Chi out of action, the outcome between Liu Kang and Scorpion repeats.

Kenshi had some difficulties against Ermac, but the souls from Sento make the mummy submit, giving Earthrealm's team a solid victory.

As heroes return to the kombatants block, Shao Kahn announced - "You have progressed to the Semi-Final." - the emperor turns his eyes on thunder god - "Raiden. Put forth a worthy champion... if you can."

As Raiden observed the previous he concluded Liu Kang being the strongest member, but Shaolin reminds - "I'm not He Who Must Win." - Raiden remembers a vision where Taven bested him, no long before the Armageddon - "Perhaps you are meant to be the victor."

The son of Argus returns to arena, waiting for his opponent. Opposite of him an enormous hybrid of Shokan and Tiger emerges from the cage.

He roars, while streching his 4 arms. Taven remains calm at Kintaro's intimidation attempt - "I will eat your heart!"

Goro may have fought with bloody, but nevertheless sportsmanship. Kintaro on the other hand was aggressive predator, who left no chances.

Tiger Shokan loved burning his victims to the ash with his fire-breath. Thanks to Taven sharing Kintaro's affinity, he escapes the full extension fire-breath's effects.

Kintaro shares Goro's physical strengths and weaknesses, as Taven found that out by uppercutting his opponent.

Whenever Tiger Shokan hits, Taven flew across the arena. Edenian has to avoid his opponents jump, or else he'd be squashed.

Both Kombatants could hit the ground to cause an earthquake, knocking their opponent off their feet.

Taven delievers a flying roundhouse kick to the head, putting Kintaro on his fours (or sixs)

Tiger Shokan comes to his senses and catches Edenian's flying punch. Taven tries to punch again, but that is also intercepted.

Son of Argus kicks his opponent's gut and tears off his lower 2 arms. Taven knees Kintaro to the face, while jumping over him. Edenian warrior grabs 3rd arm, planting his feet to opponent's head and armpit to tear his target off.

Taven slides under Kintaro and grabs his remaining arm to repeat the procedure. Now completely defenceless, Kintaro falters to his knee, making it easy for Taven to grabs his head and tear it off the body.

The Earthrealm's 2nd champion leaned on his knees, panting heavily. Suddenly someone grabs his head from behind and twists it, breaking his neck fatally.

Raiden calls out Taven's name, then charges his lightning ball - "I will strip the flesh from your bones!"

Enraged Liu Kang jumps Shao Kahn, taking him down to the ground. Raiden cancels his attack.

Shao Kahn shooks Liu Kang off himself - "Witless boy. Do you know who I am?" - Shaolin grits his teeth - "The murderer of my friend." - Emperor boasts - "I am Shao Kahn! Konquerer of the Worlds! You will taste no victory!" - Liu Kang promises - "You will taste your own blood!"

Outworld's ruler moved fast, while having Shokan's strength and toughness. It took all of Liu Kang's will to keep himself focused on fight, as blind rage would cost him dearly.

Liu Kang constantly burned Shao Kahn's flesh with fire attacks, while emperor was crushing monk's bones with his hammer.

Liu Kang's wrath made him ignore his injuries and keep pummeling his enemy to the bloody pulp.

Shao Kahn endurance got worn out from opponent's onslaught and he falters.

Liu Kang charged his burning fist. Kenshi accidentally read his mind - '"For Taven, the Shaolin and the Earthrealm!" - The Earthrealm's champion penetrates Shao Kahn's chest, avenging all innocent lives taken by his tyranny. Outworld's ruler crumbles.

The sky glows in gold energy. Raiden interprets the message - "The Elder Gods has spoken. Earthrealm is free of Shao Kahn forever."

Outworld's non participants take their late leader's body and leave the Coliseum.

Cyrax, Kenshi and Liu Kang go to the dungeon to retrieve Sub-Zero and Smoke, leaving Raiden to contemplating the events - "But the price of victory was almost to steep to pay. Our triumph was not meant to be achieved this way."

Earthrealm

Heroes were sailing to their home, carrying the caskets, containing the remains of fallen allies. Raiden speaks with Liu Kang in private - "I see now. "He must win" refers to you. But to prevent Armageddon, you needed to defeat Shao Kahn, not Shang Tsung."

Liu Kang kept his eyes away from Raiden until he heard the sound of cracking and his dismay - "It cannot be! Shao Kahn is dead! Yet the future remains unchanged!"

A/N: I'm going have to research roster's remains for Arc 3. I now understand, why developers kept their old characters alive.

Who do you think fills both alignments' rankings?