"The foundry door is up ahead." Empress Tanya said, pointing ahead.

"Lead on, Empress." Scorpion replied.

"Wait!" Sektor yelled, stopping the group.

Scorpion sighed, turning to her. "What, Sektor?!"

Her mask opened. "Bi-Han is here. Defending Havik."

"Defending him?!" Scorpion replied, pulling off his own mask. "Is there no low he won't sink to?!"

"He is not himself! His mind has been broken." She said.

Scorpion nodded. "That may be so. But if he gets in our way—"

"We have to bring him back so we can undo the evil that's been done to him." Sektor interrupted.

Scorpion drew closer to Sektor. "Only if it won't jeopardize the mission."

Sektor was surprised, she didn't expect such coldness from Kuai Liang. "What are you saying? You would leave him to die?! Have you no respect?!"

"Respect?!" Scorpion yelled. "The two of you attacked my wedding, nearly murdered my wife!" He paused, managing to regain some composure. "You should be grateful I'm humoring the thought." He turned away, putting his mask back on. Sektor shook her head, closing her mask and pushing forward.

The group finally arrived at the entrance to Havik's foundry. They paused, seeing a figure standing at the entryway. It was him. Noob Saibot. He was still as stone. His eyes were closed, lost in concentration. The group kept an eye on their surroundings, readying themselves for an ambush. Sektor made her way forward. "Bi-Han, can you hear me?"

Noob looked up, opening his eyes. Their pale emptiness piercing through his darkness. "Yes, I can. You should not have come here."

"We need to rescue Geras." Sektor stated. "Alongside you, Bi-Han."

Noob chuckled. "I do not need to be rescued by the likes of you. Lord Havik has saved me from myself. He can save you all as well." He said, beginning to make his way towards the group.

"I don't believe that Bi-Han. Deep down, I know you don't believe that either."

Noob paused; now mere stone's throw away from the group. The tension in the air was thick. Johnny Cage was the first of the group to speak up. "He can't take all of us on...can he?"

Noob began to walk his way around the group. With every few steps a shadow clone walked out from behind him to face the group. Followed by another, and another until soon Noob Saibot's doubles circled the group and outnumbered them 2:1.

Johnny groaned. "I just had to ask."

The clones began to move forward, closing around the group. "You will embrace chaos! By choice or by force!" Noob cried out.

The fight was on. Noob's shadow clones quickly swarmed the heroes. The heroes were ready for a fight, yet not against an opponent like this. Each clone fought with a fraction of Noob Saibot's power. Each one also could use his tricks.

Tanya was the first to break free, using her staff to seemingly decapitate the two clones fighting her. She shot a glaring look towards Noob before making her way to the wraith. "Bi-Han, we're trying to save you and Geras from Havik's domain. I promised Sektor I would save you. Do not make me reconsider."

Noob wasn't fazed by Tanya's plea. "Havik's chaos will consume you all. You are only delaying what is inevitable." He began, readying himself for kombat. "You will all be subject to the glorious chaos Havik has in mind for you."

A shadow clone rushed Tanya, giving her little time to see Noob slip back into a portal. Before she could react, a new portal opened just past her feet and Noob shot upwards uppercutting her.

Tanya managed to stand and readied herself once again. She closed the gap between her and Noob, unleashing a fury of blows and kicks. Noob easily avoided many of her offensive attacks, yet he wasn't flawless on his defense, occasionally getting clipped by a stray jab and kick.

It wasn't until Tanya clipped Noob's jaw with her staff when the two finally separated. "Do you yield?" Tanya asked. Noob growled in frustration. He grabbed onto his mask, pulling it up above his mouth, exposing jet-black skin, before spitting out a small stream of dark-blue blood. Tanya winced, beginning to see just how deep Havik's corruption went.

Tanya readied herself for the attack, until she felt a shadow clone latch onto her feet. Before she could react, Noob leapt forward, connecting his boot square into her jaw, knocking her out cold. Noob took a moment to regain himself before looking back at the group.

Utilizing a unique combination of nets and bombs, Cyrax was the next to break free from the clones. She locked eyes with Noob, who chuckled lightly under his breath. "Ah, the Lin Kuei traitor. I had hoped we would face each other once again."

Cyrax, under her mask, remained steadfast. "The only traitor is you and Sektor. I should have seen through your lies when Kuai Liang never returned from the mission. I was blinded by your darkness, but now I see it plain as day."

"I am sorry for my deception, Cyrax." Noob stated. "Havik's chaos will provide you with much more fulfillment than the Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu."

Cyrax scoffed. "I am sorry you believe that Bi-Han." She stated, readying herself for kombat.

Noob rushed forward, attempting a tackle like he had to Tanya. However, Cyrax was ready for it, dropping a bomb around her feet. Noob fell for the trap, getting launched into the air. Cyrax quickly leapt into the air, catching Noob in a flurry of kicks. As he made his way down, Noob disappeared into a portal. Cyrax stood ready, checking her surroundings.

With a sudden shift, Noob flew out of a new portal, kicking Cyrax square in her lower back. Feeling the air knocked out of her, Cyrax dropped to her knees. Purely out of instinct, she threw one of her nets at Noob, sending him flying back until the net attached him to the nearby wall.

"Bi-Han! Can't you see we are trying to help you?! Has Havik corrupted you so far that you are beyond reason, beyond sympathy?"

Noob struggled against the net, trying to break free. After a few moments, his struggles ceased. "You...you're right. I am sorry, Cyrax." He said, as still as stone. "I...I can't control this, Havik's control is too powerful. Please…"

Cyrax opened her mask. Her gaze was sympathetic, despite their past. "Please...what?"

Noob locked eyes with her. "Please...embrace the chaos!" He snapped himself free of the net, rushing a shadow clone into Cyrax. The clone wrapped itself around her waist, pushing her back into another clone who easily connected a dropkick to her face. The clone slammed her down onto the ground. Cyrax tried to climb back to her feet, only for Noob to come out of a portal above her and curb-stomp her back to the ground, knocking her unconscious.

Noob reveled in his victory, taking in the rush his new power was giving him. He seemed almost content, that is until he felt something hard harmlessly bounce against his head. He saw a military helmet drop and spin pathetically at his feet. He turned back to see Johnny Cage, the soldier, surprisingly, was the next one to break free from his clone's attacks.

"No more of your freaky copycats, freak." Johnny said. "Just you and me."

Noob chuckled. "Very well."

Noob held his fists up. He didn't see this Cage as a threat to his power, so he gave him as little respect or acknowledgment as he could. Cage took note of this, unable to keep Noob's attitude from getting to him.

Cage swung first, missing the strike. He swung again, Noob effortlessly dipped under the punch. Cage tried a kick, Noob stepped back, Cage's foot not even catching against Noob's fabric.

Noob didn't need to play with Cage like this. He couldn't help but feel a sick sense of amusement toying with the man. Perhaps he was still bitter over the beat down he received from his own Johnny Cage. Still, he learned to take his moments when and where he could.

Johnny swung a fist, only for Noob to effortlessly grab it in place. Johnny threw another fist, only for it to also be caught the same. Noob locked his grip with Johnny, holding him in place.

Johnny chuckled awkwardly, realizing his position. "I don't suppose we can settle this like gentlemen?"

Noob kept silent, tilting his head. Before Johnny could react, Noob's shadow clone dropped below them in the splits before punching Cage square in the family jewels.

Johnny recoiled, feeling his knees buckle and give out from under him. "I guess not." He said, finally falling over.

Noob crouched next to Cage, ready to take his life. However, he was brought back to reality when he heard a rocket being fired. Noob slipped into a portal, the rocket flew past where he was, narrowly missing Cage. Noob walked out of the portal, facing the now freed Sektor.

"You missed." Noob growled.

Sektor opened her mask. "I wasn't aiming to kill." She said, holding her hands up in a peaceful gesture. "I do not want to fight you, Bi-Han, I would rather save you, save you from...this." Noob kept his own defensive stance, although lowering it momentarily to hear Sektor out. "This isn't you, Bi-Han. Can't you see that Havik is using you?"

Noob laughed. "Havik has perfected me. Can you not see that? He can perfect you as well. All of you."

"You call this perfection?" She gestured towards Noob's body alongside his shadow clones. "I would rather die than become corrupted like you!"

"Corrupted?" Noob took offense. "The Lin Kuei have been corrupted for years now. I see that now. It may only be cleansed once I have access to it once again."

"Bi-Han…" Sektor pleaded, beginning to realize the fruitlessness of her actions. "I cannot let you back into the Lin Kuei. Not like this." She could see how this was going nowhere. "Please don't make me do this."

Noob didn't give her a rebuttal, instead he pushed forward. Sektor just barely managed to use her jetpack to gain distance between herself and Noob. This, however, did little to stop Noob's vicious attack. Noob managed to strike Sektor hard during her retreat, sending her flying back into a wall. Sektor groaned to herself in frustration. She was attempting to go easy on Bi-Han, hoping to possibly break through Havik's control. She now realizes that Noob will not be granting her the same generosity.

She quickly got back to her feet, activating all her armor's defenses. "Well...come on."

Noob rushed forward, allowing Sektor to fire multiple rockets in self-defense. Had she been fighting Sub-Zero, this method would have been perfect, but Noob Saibot was a different beast entirely. He charged through her assault like a bat out of hell. Noob pushed shadow clones ahead, letting them take the brunt of Sektor's rockets while only barely harming himself.

Noob dropkicked Sektor back into the wall. Before she could hit the ground, a pair of clones grabbed her and forced her upright against the wall. The first fist of Noob's slammed against the side of Sektor's helmet, knocking her loopy momentarily. The next fist was to her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Noob kept the punches going, targeting key points in Sektor's armor, trying to slowly tear down the master armorer.

Noob withdrew his attack, observing the effects of his damage. Sektor dropped to her knees, coughing up a splotch of blood. The blood mixed in with her damaged armor. "Do you yield?" Noob asked, his stance not faltering.

Sektor managed to prop herself up, looking deep into Noob's blank white eyes. "Is this supposed to be mercy?"

Noob relaxed his stance. "No. You are beaten. I have no desire to see you perish, Sektor. You can still be a valuable ally to me." He held out his hand, offering it to Sektor. "Come with us. Together, we shall transform the Lin Kuei into a force no realm nor timeline can resist."

Sektor gazed at Noob's open hand. "With chaos?"

He nodded. "Havik's chaos will break the shackles Liu Kang gave us. He will set us free to realize our true potential. Isn't that what we wanted, to be more than ourselves?" Sektor's gaze shifted. Noob could see it in her face, his words struck something within her.

"You're right." She smiled at Noob, taking his hand. She tried to stand, but her body still felt the effects from their fight. She knelt back down, using her other hand to grab Noob's forearm for support. "The Lin Kuei must be set free from Liu Kang's restraints, from our own limitations…" Her grip tightened; her gaze turned vengeful. "...But not by Havik, and not by you."

Sektor activated the flamethrowers in both of her arms, her tightened grip on Noob keeping him from avoiding the flames. He screamed out in pain, trying to fall back, but Sektor was relentless. Her fire burned hotter and brighter than it ever had before.

"Forgive me, Bi-Han." She stated, a stray tear fell down her cheek. "You left me no other option." His screams drowned out her plea, not that she was in the mood to care. She kept a safe distance from him, maintaining a steady stream of fire, however she noted a growing concern flashing on her HUD: High Temperature. She needed to cool the jets or else she could burn up herself. As she dialed her fire back, the screaming from Noob Saibot ceased. She cautiously stepped towards Noob. She observed his still burning form, only having a moment to seemingly relax when out of the flames came a shadow clone, slamming the back of her head against the wall.

Noob managed to stand on his own, smoke emanating from his body, any burned skin beneath the fabric began to slowly heal itself. He quickly closed the gap between him and Sektor, kicking the weak point in the armor around her legs. She cried out, dropping to her knees. Noob wouldn't let her, though, grabbing her by the neck and hoisting her back to her feet.

"You don't deserve this armor!" He yelled, ripping off the armor covering her stomach. "You don't deserve...anything." He pulled his fist back, readying the killing blow. Defeated, Sektor let her tears flow freely. She tried to muster something, anything that could push past Bi-Han's hardened heart, but her body convulsed at the attempt. Never has she felt so helpless, so weak, so fragile, so...mortal.

Suddenly, Noob halted his attack. Before he could deliver the killing blow, he felt something pierce his back. Something small, nearly harmless, yet precise. Something like...a spear.

"Get over here!"

Noob was viciously pulled away from Sektor, slamming hard against the wall. Noob took a moment to recover, then turned to face his brother, Kuai Liang. The two brothers circled each other, their eyes locked in a deadly stare. Noob broke the silence. "Brother. Once again, we are opposed."

"Your new attire suits you. It is as black as your heart." Scorpion responded.

Noob growled. "How are you always so blind? First, to the Lin Kuei's potential. Now to the perfection of Lord Havik's chaos!"

"It is your ambition that is blind, Bi-Han! As always." Scorpion pointed out. "Though he twisted your mind to his purpose, he left your desires unchanged." Kuai Liang noticed the blue blood falling out of Noob with each step. "Look at what Havik's chaos has given you. You are weaker now than when you were Sub-Zero."

Noob halted, readying himself for kombat. "The future is chaos. All must embrace it. Especially you." Noob dropped into a portal by his feet. Scorpion was ready, however, using a flame-port to counter. Once Noob landed back where Scorpion was, Scorpion reappeared, getting the first blow of the fight.

Noob yelled in frustration, the wear and tear of the battle was showing on him. He rushed a shadow clone forward, attempting to tackle Scorpion to the ground. Kuai Liang replied by throwing his spear forward. In Noob's weakened state, the spear effortlessly passed through the clone. Seeing this, Noob quickly closed the distance, spinning in the air and avoiding the spear.

The two brothers were now face-to-face, exchanging quick jabs and kicks. Their years of training and knowledge of each other showing in their offense and defense. Both brothers seemingly failed to gain the advantage over the other. However, Scorpion could see the overall battle has taken a heavy toll on Noob. He was getting slower, over-calculating and overreacting.

Finally, Scorpion gained the upper hand. He landed a few lucky jabs. Using his spear as a knife, he sliced across Noob's form. The growing droplets of blood from his staggering form told Scorpion all he needed to know.

He needed to end this. Now.

Going further on the offensive, Kuai Liang alternated between swift jabs and quick slices. Each connecting blow further deteriorated Noob's own defense. Finally, Scorpion went for the final blow. Readying his spear, he attempted to stab Noob Saibot with an overhead strike. Noob, with what little control he had, stopped Scorpion's strike, grabbing his arm. Scorpion paused his attack. Noob looked up, trying to grab the spear from Kuai Liang's hand. He froze, shocked.

It wasn't there.

Smiling under his mask, Kuai Liang went back on the offensive. Using the spear now in his free hand, he sliced the blade upwards across Noob's face. The strike tore through the fabric of Noob's mask deep enough to cut skin, slicing across Noob's face. The strike left a scar above the left side of Noob's face, mirroring the scar he gave Kuai Liang at the Ying Fortress.

Noob recoiled, feeling the fabric and flesh tearing. He turned back to Kuai Liang, showcasing the now dark-blue scar over his eye. He was quickly met by an uppercut from Scorpion. Sending him back and down to the ground for good.

Kuai Liang let out a breath of relief. The battle was over. He looked back to his allies, many of whom were dealing with the aftereffects of the attack, and he wondered at what cost.

Cyrax was using whatever aid she had the assist Sektor. It wasn't much, but it would ensure that Sektor would be able to walk out of here on her own. Cyrax knew Sektor would get the proper aid she needed back in their own timeline.

Johnny managed to help Tanya to her feet. "You hurt, Empress?"

Tanya managed to smile through the pain. "Just a few bruises. What about you?"

Johnny chuckled, wincing a little. "Just my pride, mostly."

The group finally rejoined with Scorpion. He was lost in thought, standing over his brother's unconscious form. His fists were clenched, his grip tight on his spear. He felt a reassuring hand on his shoulders. They were Cyrax and Tanya.

Sektor approached Noob's form, examining it. "Havik has made him odious. This must be undone." She said, looking towards the group. "The Lin Kuei's Elder Arcanist—"

"Knows nothing of Havik's magic." Scorpion interrupted. "Liu Kang is your only hope. You should not have plotted against him." He turned away, walking towards the foundry.

"You refuse to help him?" Tanya asked, shocked. "He is your brother."

Sektor scoffed at Scorpion. "Kuai Liang has forgotten how to honor his family." She said, pulling Noob to his feet.

"Do not confuse pity for allegiance, Sektor." Tanya replied, assisting Sektor with Noob. "I refuse to take sides."

Scorpion was focused back on the mission. Now that Noob was handled, it was time to rescue Geras and get back to their own timeline.