The night was pitch black, covering Shang Tsung's islands as the zombies roamed. The palace, once pristine, turned into a chaotic mess. Life had disappeared from the island for travelers who camped in one of its corners.
"Will you cut it out, Johnny?! This isn't the time for messing around."
"Ah, come on, Sonya. When did you and I last have a little date together?"
"Oh, I see a date… a nice little vacation when the realms are in danger."
The other members of the group looked at the two arguing. Sonya, Jax, Johnny, Frost, Kung Lao, and Sub-Zero sat around the campfire.
"I assume you two hadn't located the Deadly Alliance."
Sub-Zero and Frost looked at each other.
"No, Raiden. Besides the zombies, there's no one else here. Hell, the place's deserted." Frost said.
Raiden looked over and down the side of the cliff. Zombies clawed at each other.
"I supposed as much." Raiden removed his hat. "At this pace, they will conquer all the realms."
"Come on, we've done this before. We find them, slap them up, and head home." Johnny said.
"It will not be that simple. Without Liu Kang, our chances of defeating Shang Tsung and the others have dropped significantly."
Kung Lao looked down at his nearly frostbitten wounds.
"Liu Kang was like a brother to me. How could they even have defeated Liu Kang?" Kung Lao said.
"I am not sure, but they defeated both Liu Kang and Shao Khan. Thankfully, I relinquished my status as Elder God before my final transformation to lead you into this battle. We must act now. We must stop this Deadly Alliance!"
Raiden looked over at the group. They all looked at Raiden.
"We won't let you down, Raiden." Kung Lao said.
…
"Five hundred bottles of beer on the wall, five hundred bottles of beer. You take one down, pass it around, four hundred ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall!" Francine pulled along a chest filled with her precious belongings behind her. Quan Chi, Tanya, and Shang Tsung walked in front of Francine.
"Four hundred ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, four hundred ninety-nine bottles of beer. You take one down, pass it around, four hundred ninety-eight bottles of beer-" Tanya threw a rock at Francine. "Ow! What was that for?!"
"You have been singing that pointless song for far too long!" Tanya said.
"It's not useless; we have been walking for hours now. Where are we going, Shang Tsung?" Francine said.
"I have told you countless times. We are heading for Sun Do. We must locate the village there." Shang Tsung said.
"Why?"
"You will see."
The group continued walking until they stopped before a path to the gate entrance.
"This is it." Shang Tsung said.
"There will be guards at the front entrance, and the whole village is behind a wall…" Shang Tsung trailed off in his thoughts, looking at Quan Chi. Quan Chi looks back at him.
"That will not work; there is no way all the villagers will be asleep."
"Then what do you suggest, my friend? Is it brute force?"
Quan Chi stared at Shang Tsung, his smug smile taunting him.
"We will use the spell then," Quan Chi said.
Quan Chi and Shang Tsung sneaked through a small gap in one of the walls.
"They're on a date," Francine said, sitting on her chest. "I wonder who's the man in their relationship."
"Hm, most likely it is Quan Chi. Shang Tsung seems like a being that needs to be taken care of," Tanya said.
"Tell me about it, and you see me doing all the chores." Francine leaned her head against Tanya's lap. "Well, you help me out with them."
"Why would I not assist you? I live in the palace as well."
"Who do you think is the man between us?" Francine said.
"However, do you mean?"
"Oh, y'know. Would I be the man or you?"
Tanya chuckled and leaned down, her fingers tracing underneath Francine's mask.
"I would be the man." Tanya rubbed her thumb against Francine's cheek.
Francine flicked her mask down, looking away from Tanya.
"Alright, that's a done deal," Francine said.
Thirty minutes passed, and the men returned through the wall gap.
"So, what's this spell you guys were talking about? Is it going to turn everyone into monsters or something?" Francine said.
"No. Once the villagers wake, their bodies will force them to travel to the stone statue nearby." Quan Chi said.
"... And?"
"They will essentially be underneath Shang Tsung, and I's in control there. They will build the palace."
Francine jumped up from the chest.
"Hold up, we're getting a new palace?!"
"Yes, someone has compromised the location of the other palace," Shang Tsung said. Due to potential attacks, returning to the island is impossible.
"Huh? Who–"
"That does not matter. What matters is the villagers' control. Besides, I will make sure that your room meets your standards."
"My room…" Francine lost herself in her mind.
…
The sun rose through the clouds, and its rays beamed on Francine's face. She turned to lie on her side.
"Good morning, Tanya. Did you sleep well? Mhm." Francine hands snakes to the woman beside her, but Tanya isn't there. "Tanya?"
Francine looked around at the makeshift beds. Quan Chi and Shang Tsung were gone, too, so she got up from the mat.
"They leave me here alone?"
When Francine heard a commotion inside the village walls, she walked over to the gap in the wall and pushed through. All the villagers gathered in the center of the village. Quan Chi, Tanya, and Shang Tsung stood on a platform. Francine hid behind one of the horse carriages.
"We will not obey you, Shang Tsung! Our chief will protect us against you!"
"Is that so?" Shang Tsung lifted his hand in the air before the crowd, revealing the severed head of a man. "Is this the chief that will protect you?"
Shang Tsung laughed and chuckled the head into the crowd. The villagers screamed, many of them running in different directions.
"Jesus Christ…" Francine said.
"Silence, all of you! If any of you enslaved people dare to leave the walls of your village, you will die!" Shang Tsung said.
Francine left from the back of the carriage and through the crowd. She bumped into a young woman with black hair and pushed her out of the way.
"Watch out!" Francine said.
The young woman fell back, and she grimaced at Francine's skinned face.
"Please don't hurt me!" the young woman said.
Francine rolled her eyes and pushed through until she reached the platform.
"The hell are you doing, Shang Tsung? This plan is something else." Francine pointed to the crowd. "Look at them, they gonna crap themselves."
Shang Tsung laughed and grabbed Francine's shoulders, pointing her to look at the crowd.
"I see them, but imagine this. All these fools will serve beneath all of us. Besides, none of them can leave." Shang Tsung pushed Francine aside.
"You will all be tasked with constructing a palace fit for a king. Once the palace is constructed, you will all be released!"
"We will not be slaves to you, Shang Tsung! I have had enough of this!" one of the men in the crowd said.
Everyone turned to face him as he walked towards the gates. Shang Tsung leaned toward Francine.
"Now, this is why I used the spell against these people. Watch."
Right as the man reached the gate and passed it, he collapsed to the ground. Bits and pieces of his head splattered all over.
"A beautiful demonstration! None of you will do the same as that man, correct?" Shang Tsung smiled at the crowds. "Do not fret. I will remove this spell if you all agree to this contract of mine."
The crowd stared at Shang Tsung, and some of them nodded their head.
…
Some weeks passed, and half of the palace was complete. Francine and Tanya watched over a group of enslaved people laying down bricks.
"I never thought I would be a, uh, an enslaver," Francine said.
"What do you mean?" Tanya said.
"Well, I mean, in Earthrealm, owning slaves is… pretty frowned upon."
"Your actions say otherwise. It seems you enjoy bossing these people around. I am surprised you are not whipping them." Tanya tried her best not to laugh.
"Ah, you got me there. At least we don't have to kill more people."
"For now, you never know."
Quan Chi walked behind the two of them.
"Shang Tsung requested that both of you see him."
Francine sighed and walked back inside with Tanya and Quan Chi. They appeared in a large chamber with red and gold detailing on the walls and pillars. Shang Tsung stood before a large hole in the flooring.
"What's up?" Francine said.
Many bodies stood in rows, none of them moving. Each one wore elaborate armor.
"The key we all need…" Shang Tsung said.
"A bunch of undead soldiers? They are not moving anytime soon." Francine said.
Quan Chi pulled an amulet out and approached the giant statue in the chamber. He placed the amulet around the statue's neck. The ground began to shake violently, the statue's eyes lit up, and it fell apart. A massive green light shot up, and the ground stopped shaking.
"The fuck is that?!" Francine said.
Shang Tsung ignored her and went towards the green light. He reached up toward the green light. A soul emerged, and he channeled it into one of the soldiers. The soldier shook and moaned awake.