Each Kombatant disembarked the ship and stood on the shore of the beach. Each of them looking at different sections of the scenery. It looked like any tropical island one might find, from their point of view, all they could see were trees and plants, and the sand that precedes it.
The Kombatants were not alone on the shore however. Several people were already there waiting for them. They had peculiar, unusual clothing, but did not resemble any tropical islander. They wore black pants with brown, open toed shoes. They lacked a shirt, and instead wore 2 brown straps that were diagonal on their chests from opposite sides. The straps connected their pants to black, metal shoulder pads. And they wore skull-like helmets.
One of them, no different than the rest, came forward to greet them.
"Earthrealmers, welcome, I hope you are ready for what is ahead of all of you." He said with an accent none of them could recognize. "Lord Raiden, I hope you chose wisely. Our champions would like a challenge for once from Earthrealm."
The people there guided the Earthrealmers through the forest, but did not find any human made structures for quite some time. Some of them began to worry.
"Man, you know, I'm getting some major Forest Fighters vibes from this, have any of you seen that?" Johnny Cage asks to no response. "Right, well that kinda stings. But anyway, its this movie I was in with The Rock last year. We played some former special operatives going on a nice vacation with our families only for them to get kidnapped by some crazy mystical tribal people, the cool thing about it is-" Cage was interrupted by Sonya Blade.
"Could you finish this after we're done walking through this damn forest. You know, after we're no longer getting bit by mosquitoes." She says, while actively slapping away mosquitoes. "Hey, Outworld guys, how longer is it until we make it to this damn tournament.
"Patience, Lieutenant, patience. You will arrive in just a moment. Your endurance will be rewarded with a delightful feast before the tournament." The head Outworlder said.
"Fighting after eating? I'm getting a stomach ache just thinking about that, I think i'll pass on that one." Johnny Cage remarks.
Sub-Zero, upon hearing Cage's words, looks to Jax.
"Now THAT, was the true first thing of substance that he has said, Major." Sub-Zero says mockingly.
"Would you let that go already? I understand you kill people for a living but do you need to be this insufferable?" Jax replies.
Jax speeds up his walking so he is much farther along than Sub-Zero, even if his boots get far muddier with much less caution with where he is stepping.
"A soldier criticizing me for killing for a living? Is that not hypocritical, Major Briggs?" Sub-Zero says louder to ensure Jax still hears it
Liu Kang, who is at the very back of the party, carefully trudges along the muddy forest to ensure cleanliness. The monks were quite poignant on hygiene and keeping yourself clean unless you were fighting or doing labor. He began thinking of his training days once more. All of it. All the pain, all the discipline, all the scolding sessions with his masters, it led up to this. He has kept the words of Lord Raiden in his mind since they had their talk at the ship, and he hopes the rest hold the same faith that he and Raiden have. At least, the hope he believes he and Raiden share.
—
A quite large, square room. With a square pattern on all of it except for the pathway leading from the door to the gold and emerald throne on the wall opposite from it. The wall that the throne was on, had large windows on both sides that the throne separated, with red and yellow curtains covering them up despite the lack of sunlight. Illuminated only by candles and lanterns.
On the throne, sat an old man. His face aged and defined by countless fights, countless battles. His his long gray hair went until the middle of his back, with his pointed beard not far behind. He wore a long blue robe with golden patterns and decorations across it, it extended to his feet, nearly covering all of it. He sat alone and quietly, gently sipping a chalice of wine in his hand. The silence was broken by the large door opposite of him being opened, but the man in the chair did not bother looking towards it to see who entered. The footsteps got closer and eventually entered the old man's light of sight that stayed unchanged. He tilted his head slightly forward to face him.
He saw before him a tall, humanoid figure. His skin was green and scaly, his eyes were yellow and pupils were like black slits. He wore a black cowl covering the top and back of his head, with a two piece iron mask attached to both his top and bottom jaw. A black vest covering his chest, accompanied by armor with a similar shape made up of several bones of varying shape. His arms were covered by forearm guards and simple black pants covered his legs. The creature kneeled down on its right leg, places his right hand on the ground and kept its head down to display his reverence and respect for the old man before him.
"Permission to speak, Lord Shang Tsung." The green reptile said in an inhuman, raspy, monstrous voice, but in a quiet, polite and courteous tone.
The old man took one last sip from his chalice, and placed it on a table on the right side of his throne, before putting his arms across the Throne's arm rests.
"Go on, Reptile." Shang Tsung said. "Make this worth my time."
Reptile got up from his position, and stood normally but kept his hands behind his back to still show respect.
"The Earthrealm kombatants along with the thunder god arrived on the island just a few minutes earlier today. As we speak, they have most likely arrived in your courtyard, and shall enter the palace shortly."
Shang Tsung let out a long sigh of disappointment. "Never before have the Earthrealm kombatants taken this long to arrive. Perhaps the Thunder God fears our inevitable victory? No matter, tell the guards to take the Earthrealmers to their rooms and resting area, and to soon be at the arena for the first fight of the tournament. Tell our Kombatants to get ready as well." Shang Tsung gestured his hand as a sign for Reptile to leave do as he was told.
As the lizard exits, Shang Tsung is once again left in silence, only for that silence to once again be broken as green sparks erupt in the middle of the room. The sparks get larger and larger, until a large portal opens up, and through it exits a man in white body paint with a red symbol on his forehead.
The same red symbol repeated itself along his arms, twice on each. His left shoulder bears a large spiked black strap, attached to his pants by two black straps. His chest and back had nothing covering them otherwise. Along his belt carried a gold amulet, with a green, emerald like gem within the center of it.
"Quan Chi." Shang Tsung said to the man in front of him. "I assume you have come to tell me of the specter you promised would join our forces?"
Quan Chi smirked before he opened his mouth. "Scorpion was more than eager to join you, especially after what you told me to promise him."
Quan Chi turned back and bawled his fists tightly, green lightly emanating from it, which closed the portal behind him. He resumed his conversation.
"Tell me, you have made certain that Raiden recruited Sub-Zero among his ranks? I doubt Scorpion will show as much fire in this tournament if he is not." Quan Chi asked.
"Do you doubt my expertise in these matters? Yes, I have made it certain. He better be worth it, the things that the emperor gave you in exchange for his assistance in kombat..." Shang Tsung was cut off.
"I assure you, sorcerer. The things my specter can do once fully motivated by his rage are remarkable. At times, I even fear it." Quan Chi responds.
"May your words not prove weightless, Netherealmer." Shang Tsung says before Quan Chi conjured a second portal to exit through
—
"Do not fail your realm." Reptile yells viciously at the people before him. "Lord Shang Tsung expects great things from you. If we fail, The Emperor will have to wait 500 more-"
"Would you cut that out already?" Reptile looked shocked and even somewhat offended to hear his words get interrupted. "You've given us this damn spiel god knows how many times by now."
Reptile stared daggers at the man who interrupted him. Meanwhile the same man maintained a smug arrogant face that he kept even as he spoke. "You outworld buggers hired me and Mavado over here-" The smug man gestured at the man in a black trench coat and metal body armor next to him "-to betray our own damn realms. Couldn't be a little more polite. That much anger can't be good for a giant lizard man's skin." He laughed as he finished his sentence.
Reptile replied in haste with great fervor. "Do not act like you showed even the least bit of hesitation or struggle when Lord Shang Tsung offered you your payment. I still think he overpaid you. From what I have seen, your expertise, your skills, and the weapons you and your clan provided have yet to impress me."
This did not subdue the man's arrogance, if anything, it only emboldened it. "Clan? That's one thing to call us I guess. Also, impress you? You think I care about impressing Shang Tsung's lapdog?"
Before he could continue, Mavado, the man with him, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Alright, alright, I can tell you're having fun, but let's calm down. We wouldn't want our friend here laying any eggs in anger." He said those last words while slowly facing Reptile.
Instead of letting his rage fully boil over, Reptile sighed and did what he could to calm himself down. He then points to the door behind him. "Just go to the damn courtyard already. Earthrealm's champions are here. Do not fail us."
The two men chuckled before they reluctantly walked past the reptilian and headed out the door.
Reptile watched the two of them leave. As soon as he was sure they are no longer within earshot, he cursed them both in his people's language.
—
After being given a tour of Shang Tsung's grand palace, they were finally shown the room they were instructed to rest and take stock before and in-between fights. The walls were adorned with portraits of former Outworld champions, the bottom. The walls were maroon red with gold wainscoting broken off by multiple doors intended to be the personal rooms of each kombatant.
"Fancy." Johnny Cage commented.
After the first few seconds of taking in the decorations and look of the room, they noticed something peculiar. One of the table and chair sets in the middle of the room sat someone already. Both parties stared at each other, until the man in the chair got up and decided to be the first one to approach and introduce themselves.
Raiden got in front of the kombatants, whether it be to defend them or introduce them would be decided on what this stranger would do.
"Lord Raiden.' The stranger said. "It is an absolute honor to meet you, The Great Spirit spoke highly of you and your efforts to defend our realm." The man said as he bowed in respect.
This courteous introduction eased the tension and they put their guards down.
"I apologize for any confusion. I assumed you would have arrived much earlier, but I was mistaken, so I had not much else to do other than await your arrival." the stranger responded.
Now that he was up close to them, Liu Kang and the others could take stock of his appearance.
The man wore a headdress that had different bird feathers go down the back of his head to the upper parts of his back, with a foreign and unfamiliar symbol on the section that went across his forehead. His eyes and cheeks had red paint that left his forehead untouched that somewhat resembled a mask. His brown tunic left his biceps and the middle of his chest and stomach exposed, and brown leggings included a belt with 2 tomahawks holstered in it. And his footwear were large brown boots that reached just right below his knee. It was very clear that this man was some type of Native American warrior
Raiden turned to his Kombatants, his aggravated expression silently criticizing their lack of punctuality once again before turning back to the man they just met.
"I should introduce myself to all of you. I am forbidden from telling my true name, but you may refer to me as Nightwolf. One of the last remaining people of the Matokan tribe, and the sole protector of its people, land, and heritage." He extended his arm out with his hand open for Raiden to shake it.
Raiden obliged. "I assume you are here to take part in the defense of Earthrealm, Nightwolf?"
Nightwolf nodded.
Johnny Cage was confused and went up to Raiden. "Hold on, I thought WE were your kombatants? Where'd this guy come from."
Before Raiden could answer Cage's inquiry, Kung Lao leaned into Cage to answer it for him. "Technically, anyone can join the tournament, Cage. Thing is, most people on Earth don't know about it."
"Well if that's the case why doesn't lightning hands over here just have a hundred cool fighters fighting for us? Definitely seems more effective than 7." Cage asked once more while subtly motioning at Raiden with his head.
Before Kung Lao could answer, Liu Kang did it for him. "If we did that, Outworld would be allowed to do the exact same thing, and that would just drag this out longer than it has to."
Cage, satisfied with these answers, redirects his focus to Nightwolf, while Kung Lao redirects his attention to Liu Kang.
"Did you really need to butt in like that? He asked me the question." Kung Lao said, mildly irked.
"Did you know the answer?" Liu Kang said with a smirk.
A few seconds passed before Kung Lao looked away awkwardly and defeated, which confirmed to Liu Kang that he, in fact, did not know the answer.
"I hope you will perform well, Nightwolf of the Matoka." Raiden said, to which Nightwolf Nodded.
Raiden turned to face the rest of the group. "I will have to leave to attend certain matters, as soon as it is time for the opening ceremony and fights, I shall return. May the Elder Gods guide you."
A blue flash of lightning appeared where Raiden was standing, and after 1 second, the thunder god was gone, leaving the kombatants to their own devices.